Program Information

New Jersey is ranked #2 nationwide for severe, repetitive flooding losses. In Morris County there are 4,450 flood-prone homes, with over 1,060 homes that have a history of repetitive flooding loss (source: National Flood Insurance Program). Flood mitigation has the highest Cost-to-Benefit ratio of any mitigation measure, historically each $1 dollar spent returns $5 in municipal cost savings.

Morris County’s Mission

Our County is looking to move people out of harm’s way and end the destructive cycle of repetitive flooding. Through the purchase and subsequent demolition of flood-prone homes, the County will help Municipalities create open space that acts as a natural, sustainable flood storage area, thus protecting the remaining homes, businesses and properties by forming a flood barrier with this preserved land.

How Flood Mitigation Acquisition Works

Morris County provides grant funding to Municipalities to purchase the home and land. The Municipality demolishes the home, removing any infrastructure on-site. The land is deed-restricted as permanently preserved open space which is then available for public use as an active or passive recreation area. The permanently preserved land remains municipally-owned and managed in perpetuity.

What is Eligible?

Morris County will only participate in acquisition projects; funding will not be provided for other mitigation activities such as home elevations, slope remediation, etc. The County will only acquire residential homes, from willing sellers. All homes applied for will undergo a thorough Benefit-Cost Analysis to determine the Benefit to Cost Ratio (BCR). Project Areas need to have a minimum BCR of 1:1, this assures that the benefit from acquisition is equal to or higher than the cost to acquire the home and property.