ӣ��Ƶ Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency

Christie Administration Urges Sandy-Impacted Homeowners to be on Alert for "reӣ��Ƶ Stronger" Applicant Scam

For Immediate Release:

June 3, 2013

Contact:

Lisa Ryan

Tammori Petty

609-292-6055

TRENTON, N.J. – The ӣ��Ƶ Department of Community Affairs (DCA) received a report that an individual who applied for a "reӣ��Ƶ Stronger" housing assistance grant was contacted by phone and notified that they had won a grant to rebuild their home from the “Renewjerseystronger Foundation.” The caller then indicated that the applicant was required to pay a fee to apply for the grant.

Applicants to the "reӣ��Ƶ Stronger" Housing Assistance Program are advised that there is no fee to apply. Information pertaining to the "reӣ��Ƶ Stronger" program can be found online at . People can apply for free online or by calling 1-855-SANDYHM (1-855-726-3946). Additionally, there will be Sandy Housing Recovery Centers opening June 8 where applicants may apply in person. Locations and directions to the centers will be posted at as the information becomes available.

The "reӣ��Ƶ Stronger" program was launched May 24, 2013. Grants awarded through the program are designed to encourage Sandy-impacted homeowners to resettle in their primary residences and help them reconstruct, rehabilitate, elevate and mitigate their homes.

Individuals who are contacted by anyone requesting a fee for the grant application are urged to report the attempted fraud to the ӣ��Ƶ Attorney General’s Statewide Sandy Fraud Working Group.

ӣ��Ƶ Attorney General Jeffrey S. Chiesa created the Working Group as the state’s central clearinghouse for data-gathering, investigation, and prosecution of civil and criminal fraud related to Superstorm Sandy and the disaster recovery process. Victims or witnesses of fraud should contact the Working Group at 855-SANDY39 (855-726-3939) or .

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