New Jersey revamps one Sandy relief program

New Jersey officials have changed guidelines for one federally funded Sandy relief program so the money will be directed to towns that were hardest hit by the storm.The New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency had been criticized for awarding money to a senior citizen housing project in Belleville, a North Jersey town that escaped much serious storm damage.

The community was eligible for money to help build new homes because it was in one of the nine hardest-hit counties.

The agency on Friday agreed to new guidelines for a new, $190 million allocation to give priority to the hardest-hit communities, particularly those in Monmouth and Ocean counties.