Homeowners in a flood-prone area of the South Shore could soon get a major boost from the Army Corp of Engineers.

The houses on Riviera Drive in Mastic Beach were devastated by Superstorm Sandy when waves as high as 9 feet crashed along the shore. Some of the houses are still boarded up and abandoned.

The feds are now about to pump more than $1 billion into South Shore communities to help residents rebuild.

U.S. Rep. Lee Zeldin (R-Shirley) says the Army Corp of Engineers' draft report is due in early July. It contains nearly $1.2 billion slated for dredging inlets, beach and dune projects and raising about 4,000 homes.

News of the funds is being met with relief from some residents and skepticism from others.

Public hearings on the matter is scheduled for August. Zeldin says the project could begin early next year.