NJ Ends Partnership With Sandy Contractor

New Jersey officials say the state has ended its relationship with the contractor hired to run a $745 million program to rebuild houses damaged or destroyed by Superstorm Sandy.

Community Affairs spokeswoman Lisa Ryan said Thursday that the state had "concluded our relationship" with New Orleans-based Hammerman and Gainer.

Cherie Pinac of HGI said the agreement to end the contract before May 2016 was mutual. Neither Pinac nor Ryan would comment on why the contract ended.

Under the program, homeowners can get up to $150,000 to pay for rebuilding costs not covered by insurance or other government programs.

The program's funding could not cover the demand. More than 15,000 homeowners applied. Of them, 2,400 were found to be ineligible, 5,100 received preliminary awards and about 7,000 were on a waitlist.

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