Sandy +3: The Road Ahead

During the month of October, "Townsquare Tonight" is presenting a series entitled: "Sandy +3." This week, Part 2 takes a closer look at all that's been accomplished so far, and the work still left to be done.

Our guests were United Way's Executive Director Linda Gyimoti and Construction Manager Robert Clark; Northern Ocean Habitat for Humanity (NOHFH) Construction Manager Dick Read; and Manahawkin homeowner Robert Cerco. Clark got the discussion underway by highlighting the importance of volunteer labor to a speedy recovery.

"If you take away the financial aspect of labor, it can be anywhere between 60 and 70% of the cost," Clark said. "So, if you just are figuring out the material and we can come in with labor, the construction site can move so much further."

Clark says contractor fraud has been and remains a problem, but he says there are ways to protect yourself. You can verify a contractors credentials with the New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs by clicking here.

But NOHFH's Dick Read says an even bigger problem is looming as funding programs begin to run out at the end of the year.

"Over the three-year period, we've put back together 55 homes and we have another 5 or 6 probably by the end of the year, and then we will have used up the funding we have available," Read said. "So, we'll have 60 homes, but I don't know what's going to happen in 2016."

We'll explore the future of funding in the next installments of "Sandy +3," all this month on "Townsquare Tonight."