N.J. reserves $5 million for long-term planning after Sandy

Nine N.J. counties that were most affected by Hurricane Sandy will now be eligible to recieve between $5,000 and $50,000 in federal grants to help build against future storm damage. 

The Star-Ledger reports that the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs announced this week that there is $5 million in Community Development Block Grants to support the local governments in Atlantic, Bergen, Cape May, Essex, Hudson, Middlesex, Monmouth, Ocean and Union counties. 

The applications are on a first-come first-serve basis for towns that suffered “a ratable loss of at least 1 percent or $1 million.”