Families whose homes were badly damaged by the remnants of Hurricane Ida three years ago were delivered a tough blow this week after Governor Murphy on Thursday.

Conditionally vetoed a bill that would have put a pause on their mortgage payments while they work to make their homes livable again.

The Murphy administration defended the move, saying the legislation would have brought legal hurdles down the road.

A senior correspondent Brenda Flanagan, reports.

It means those families are being left in limbo, both financially and emotionally.

Once again.

It's absolutely a slap in the face and with no empathy.

I do think it's deliberate.

I do think it's cowardly.

I do think it's despicable.

Frankly, I'm.

Angry.

I am so angry.

Advocates and struggling survivors of Ida's extreme floods, many falling behind on mortgage payments for homes still damaged by the storm vented their frustration after Governor Murphy conditionally vetoed a relief bill that would have offered some breathing room, a single year of forbearance on mortgages because he's worried it might be abused.

We're basically saying people who are making it month to month on their bills get no assistance because we're worried someone's going to abuse the system.

Jodie Stewart, an advocate who claims the governor didn't hesitate to sign a similar relief bill for Sandy victims.

I had a storm through Jersey three years ago and this forbearance bill unanimously passed the legislature back in June, but Murphy shoved it on the last possible day, you.

Know, cutting people off.

And it just it's heartbreaking.

This was their lifeline.

This is what they've been waiting on.

And to have the rug pulled out and everyone is pointing their finger at the governor and truthfully, so am I.

She says the bill does require applicants to prove they need mortgage relief.

Many of the survivors are deep underwater financially.

This was their last hope.

I am at risk of losing my house.

I am at risk.

I'm already strapped financially.

I'm already struggling financially.

This was just a little glimmer.

And now that feels like it's gone.

It's.

It is gone.

In his TV message, Murphy stated, the bill is not appropriately tailored to ensure that the relief it provides focuses on those who continue to have difficulty paying their mortgage due to IDA related damage to their homes and does not contain adequate oversight measures or safeguards to prevent abuse and to ensure compliance with the law.

He wants more oversight, participation by applicants in certain recovery programs and creation of a new state vetting process via a new online portal.

It would take months to set up, and Stewart says most of the survivors she represents won't qualify.

So the number I can't give you an exact.

But I can tell you all of our membership zero people at this time is will be eligible.

It's that.

Bad.

I said the governor knows that there is no one that's going to qualify because they've already turned us all down.

Ida survivor Debbie Joseph says she's got receipts to show she paid out of pocket to partially repair her home in Manville.

But folks in her ravaged Lost Valley neighborhood got turned down for the relief programs.

The governor's CV requires After the state DEP suddenly declared it would only consider Blue Acres home buyouts.

There.

She feels misled.

You could have said that months ago, and that's why I felt it was deliberate.

It was very hurtful.

There's been a long journey, and this is for people who are still struggling.

It's tough.

This is a tough one.

Senator Troy Singleton sponsored the IDA bill and said he's greatly disappointed and frankly surprised by the new concerns outlined in the conditional veto.

Assembly sponsor Yvonne Lopez commented The CV will only serve to diminish the population of eligible recipients and add layers of bureaucracy to the assistance process.

Republican Senator Doug Steinhart noted As written, the bill would have given instant relief to those who have been ignored, overlooked and unassisted for three long years since Hurricane Ida.

Without all the bureaucratic red tape that the governor's recommendations would require.

This was my American dream.

You're losing your American dream.

Having to start over completely over in this economy, most people won't be able to.

Joseph says she'll now fall even further behind on mortgage payments, but will try to work with lawmakers to find a compromise.

Singleton said he would be meeting with advocates and survivors to figure out a way forward and will consider all options.

I'm Brenda Flanagan and DJ Spotlight News.