Last October, Building Commissioner Scott Kemins told the Herald that the Building Department had received more than 200 applications for either new or elevated homes, a number that was expected climb to more than 500 as NY Rising funds were released. City officials said that they believe between 5 and 10 percent of Long Beach residents remain displaced.

The city’s announcement of the program with FEGS comes as the deadline to apply for the NY Rising program is set to expire. The deadlines do not affect homeowners already in the program, in process of receiving their award, or those seeking clarification of their award. The community buyout program, in which neighborhoods can opt-in to have the state buy out their entire neighborhood, will also close April 11.

NY Rising, tasked with distributing billions in federal Sandy aid money allocated to the state, began releasing grant award letters last October. The program was announced a year ago as a way to help homeowners fill the funding gaps left by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the Small Business Administration and their insurance, a reimbursement process that residents and local officials described as sluggish and complicated.

Schnirman said that the Residential Rebuilding Assistance Program is aimed at helping residents navigate the various “processes and agencies” — like NY Rising — to help everyone return to, or remain in, their homes. The program was established to help facilitate the permitting process; provide disaster case management, information, referral and other support services such as counseling “in all aspects of Sandy recovery.”

The program, to be based at City Hall, will collect data to more accurately track progress of residential rebuilding, and identify and report trends and issues, enabling the city to better assist residents in their recovery operations.