Ida Homeowner Repair and Reimbursement Program

The Ida Homeowner Repair and Reimbursement Program (IHRR) will help owners of 1 to 4 family homes to:

• Repair Hurricane Ida damage
• Receive reimbursement for completed repairs,* and
• Install resiliency measures like elevating mechanicals, floodproofing, flood vents, and sewer backflow valves.

*Please note that to be reimbursed for completed repairs:

• Repair costs must have been incurred (for example, contractor contract signed) before June 1, 2023, and
• Repairs must have been paid for before the applicant applies to IHRR.

Eligible Applicants

• Own a 1-4 family home that was damaged by Ida in Dutchess, Orange, Nassau, Rockland, Suffolk, or Westchester Counties
  • Condos and Cooperatives are not eligible for assistance
• Live in the home as a primary residence
• Show that they owned and occupied the home at the time of Hurricane Ida
• Have income at or below 80% of the county Area Median Income OR be a member of a vulnerable population
  • Vulnerable populations includes but are not limited to: families with children under the age of 18, elderly households, disabled households, veteran populations, hardship cases, LEP individuals, immigrants, Single Family heads of household, LGBTQ+ individuals, and historically disadvantaged members of protected classes including race, color, national origin, religion, sex, and familial status).

The IHRR Application is closed as of March 16, 2025. Existing applicants may access their application HERE.

Application Prioritization:

• ALL applicants are encouraged to apply as soon as they are ready, regardless of income
• Applications from homeowners whose household income is at or below 80% of AMI will be prioritized. These applications will be processed in the order they are received.
• If there is funding available, applicants whose household income is more than 80% of AMI but who are members of a vulnerable population will be processed on a first-come, first-served basis.
• AMI limits by county can be found here.

For Application Assistance:

1. Review the IHRR Application Guide and Document Checklist  (in Materials section below) and gather the necessary information and documents.

2. Contact a local Ida Recovery Partner for more help and/or to find out the status of your application:

   Nassau and Suffolk Counties
   - Long Island Housing Partnership, Inc. (631) 435-4710 or [email protected]

   Dutchess, Orange, Rockland Counties
   - Hudson River Housing: (845) 454-5176 Ext 118 or [email protected]

   Westchester County
   - Habitat for Humanity of NYC and Westchester: 646-779-8893 or [email protected]
   - Rural Development Advisory Corporation: (845) 713-4568 or [email protected]

IHRR Clarifications and Appeals Policy

IHRR applicants and participants have the right to dispute or request further review of certain decisions made by the program. This can include:

• Program eligibility
• Duplication of Benefits
• Cost estimates for repairs or reconstruction
• Review of reimbursable items
• Calculation of grant award

To request review of a decision, an applicant must:

1. First, request a clarification from their Case Manager.
2. After receiving a response to the clarification, if the applicant still believes the decision is incorrect according to existing program policy, an applicant may request an appeal.

Filing a Clarification

After receiving a decision from the program, such as a Letter of Ineligibility or an Award letter, the application has 30 days to submit a Clarification Request Form to their Case Manager to dispute the decision. The applicant’s Ida Recovery Partner will review and respond in writing within 10 business days.

Filing an Appeal

If the applicant disagrees with the clarification determination, they may appeal the decision. The appeal must include a detailed explanation of why the applicant believes the Program’s decision is wrong according to Program policy and must include any supporting documents. All appeals must be submitted within 30 days of the clarification determination by emailing the Appeal Form to the applicant’s Case Manager.

Appeal Review and Determination

The IHRR Appeals and Hardship Committee, staffed by RHC, will review and make a decision regarding the appeal. The committee will review only the facts and information already in the applicant’s file. New facts or information will only be considered if the applicant can show that it was not possible to provide them prior to submitting the Appeal Form. 

Once a decision is made, RHC will issue a decision in writing to the applicant. The letter will reflect all factors reviewed in the appeal, including any updated documentation or calculations related to duplication of benefits, eligible expenses, and Program guidelines. 

Appeal Withdrawals

If an appeal is unclear or requires additional information, and the Case Manager has made several attempts to reach the applicant with no response, the Program may withdraw the appeal.

The applicant will be notified of the forthcoming withdrawal in writing. If an applicant wishes to continue the appeal process, they may contact the Program within 5 business days.

Demonstrable Hardship

In certain cases, an applicant or participant may request an exception to program policy based on a hardship they are experiencing. Such requests should be made to the Case Manager.

The IHRR Policy Manual contains more information about clarifications, appeals, and demonstrable hardship.

Contact

Homeowners who have questions or concerns should contact their Case Manager.

• Long Island Housing Partnership, Inc.: (631) 435-4710 or [email protected]
• Hudson River Housing: (845) 454-5176 Ext 118 or [email protected]
• Habitat for Humanity of NYC and Westchester: 646-779-8893 or [email protected]
• Rural Development Advisory Corporation: (845) 713-4568 or [email protected]

Applicants may file a written complaint through the disaster recovery email [email protected] or submit via mail to the following address:

Office of Resilient Homes and Communities
641 Lexington Avenue
New York, NY 10022

The State’s goal is to provide an opportunity to resolve complaints in a timely manner. RHC will provide a timely written response (either by letter or email, as applicable) within fifteen (15) business days of the receipt of the complaint, as expected by HUD. Should the State require more time than described above to respond to a complaint, RHC will document the reason for the delayed response.

If the complaint is not satisfied by RHC’s response or subrecipient determination, the complainant may file a written appeal by following the instructions issued in the letter of response.

What types of repairs may be included?

Repairs to storm-related damage are eligible. In addition, applicants may be eligible to receive flood mitigation measures including elevating mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems, installing flood vents, sewer backflow prevention, and other measures to improve the resilience of the home. 

How do I document the costs incurred?

To qualify for the reimbursements for costs previously incurred, you will need to provide documentation such as receipts, invoices, or contracts for repairs that were completed prior to your application to the program. The repair costs must have been incurred (for example, a construction contract signed) before May 1, 2023. According to Federal law, the program will not reimburse costs covered by other forms of assistance. 

Can I receive funds to do new repair work? 

Yes. For homes with outstanding damage and those who desire flood mitigation measures, eligible homeowners will select a qualified contractor via a bidding process. The homeowner contracts directly with the contractor, and Local Ida Recovery Partners monitor construction and make award payments directly to contracts. 

Can renters apply for assistance?

No, only the owner of the damaged residence is eligible to apply for assistance. Renters may be considered for RHC’s Renters Resilient Housing Incentive Program. Check General Ida Programs | Homes and Community Renewal for more information.

How do I know if I meet the income requirements?

If you think you may live in a low-to-moderate income household, please apply and our program will verify whether you meet the income requirements. You will need to provide documentation of your household income. 

HUD 2024 Low and Moderate Income Limits (80% of Area Median Income) by Household Size
Ida Housing Recovery Programs

*2024 HUD Income Limits may be found on HUDUser.gov. Income Limits for Nassau, Suffolk, and Westchester Counties represent HUD’s Uncapped Income Limits for 2024. 

What if I live in New York City and experienced damage from Ida?

New York City received its own allocation of Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery funding from HUD.