New York State Homes and Community Renewal announces final call for documents for existing applicants who applied to Lake Ontario homeowner recovery program

Primary homeowners who applied for assistance with home or major systems damage must submit all eligibility documents by Feb. 28; secondary homeowners in these priority categories must submit all eligibility documents by March 27

New York State Homes and Community Renewal (HCR) announced final submission deadlines for outstanding eligibility documents required to process priority homeowner applications submitted for the 2019 Lake Ontario-St. Lawrence River Flood Relief and Recovery Program. The request for documents applies only to homeowners who submitted applications in priority categories during the eligible application periods. New applications are not being accepted.

Homeowners who applied for assistance with home or major systems damage and have not yet filed all the necessary eligibility documentation to complete the application process will receive final notices alerting them to any outstanding items. Primary homeowners in these priority categories will have until Feb. 28 to submit their final documents. Secondary homeowners in these priority categories will have until March 27 to submit their final documents. Eligibility documents do not include contractor estimates and permits. Those items will be required as part of determining the authorized scope of work once application eligibility is determined and approved.

Letters will be mailed by HCR to all applicants seeking assistance with home or major systems damage who have missing documents to alert them of this final deadline. Local not-for-profit organizations administering the program previously distributed letters and called applicants who needed to file additional information. Homeowners who do not respond with the required information will have their applications closed and will no longer be eligible for assistance.

“If you previously submitted an application for assistance under the 2019 Lake Ontario-St. Lawrence River Flood Relief and Recovery Program and have any outstanding eligibility documentation, we urge you to submit missing documents so we can determine if you’re qualified to receive financial assistance,” said HCR Commissioner RuthAnne Visnauskas. “Gov. Cuomo made it a priority to help homeowners in these communities with their recovery efforts. That is why we continue to reach out to ensure residents are aware of the upcoming deadlines and work with homeowners to answer any questions they have about their applications.”

The program, administered through HCR, will allocate up to $20 million to assist eligible homeowners and help offset damages to their primary or secondary residences. Residents may be eligible to receive up to $50,000 in state funding to help offset damages to their homes.

Application criteria for homeowners includes:

•Homeowners residing in Cayuga, Jefferson, Monroe, Niagara, Orleans, Oswego, St. Lawrence and Wayne counties, and were affected by flooding between Jan. 1 and Sept. 30, 2019, were entitled to apply for funding.

•Priority will be given to applications that address damage incurred to primary residences that sustained direct physical flood-related damage to the home, or damage to major systems such as wells, sewer or septic.

•Among second homeowner applicants, priority will be given to residences which sustained direct physical flood-related damage to the home, or damage to major systems such as wells, sewer or septic.

•Second homeowners with a qualified gross income of less than $275,000 were eligible to apply. However, priority will be given to those with a qualified gross income of $175,000 or less.

•Funding to address damages to secondary homes will be considered following fulfillment of primary residence applications, which will be given priority.

The full list of program criteria is available on the New York State Homes and Community Renewal website: https://hcr.ny.gov/lake-ontario-st-lawrence-river-flood-relief-and-recovery-grant-program.

The funding complements Cuomo's creation of REDI, which includes a multi-agency commission that has been studying ways to strengthen infrastructure along Lake Ontario's waterfront while bolstering the region's local economies. Through REDI, the state has committed up to $300 million to rebuild the shoreline, as well as improve resiliency in flood prone regions along Lake Ontario.