FEMA has given $23 million to south suburbs, Chicago in month after Biden disaster declaration
It has been just over one month since President Joe Biden signed a disaster declaration which made way for millions of federal dollars to assist individuals most harmed by the heavy rains that rolled through the south suburbs on Sept. 17 and 18.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency is beginning to wrap-up its tour of the south suburbs to provide funds for the most affected communities. The agency has given out $23 million in the month since it was discharged to Cook County with the largest sums going to residents in Calumet City, Chicago, Dolton, South Holland and Riverdale, according to FEMA.
Disaster assistance crews have been active, knocking on doors and posting in public places to let Cook County residents know officials are available to assess damage and help pay for recovery costs, said Larissa Hale, a spokesman for the agency.
Calumet City experienced both the highest level of rain water, according to Cook County officials, and the most flood damage recuperation funds with a tally of $5.76 million so far. Because of this, FEMA is keeping the Calumet City disaster recovery center open into 2024 while several of the other centers, including in Harvey and South Holland, closed permanently Friday.
Residents can still visit the Chicago Public Library South Shore Branch until Jan. 6. They can also visit disasterassistance.gov, download the FEMA app or call the FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362.
FEMA’s response and assistance for the south suburbs is not over, although officials urge residents to sign up as soon as possible so their fund requests can be processed on time.
FEMA officials declined questions inquiring about how this damage compared with that experienced in the past by other Cook County communities or around the nation, saying every situation is different and handled as such.
One stark difference is this most recent flood caused significantly less financial damage on an average basis per household when compared to FEMA’s last visit to Cook County after a more widespread flooding event in June and July.
The average housing assistance for households affected by the June and July flooding was $5,072 while the September flooding has delivered $2,999 per household, officials said.
Weather patterns from the two time periods show these two weather events were vastly different. The September flooding came from a localized downpour over the south suburbs while the June and July flooding was more widespread throughout the greater Chicago region.
FEMA officials continue to highlight the importance for residents to visit the proper FEMA offerings online, by phone or in person in order to begin a claim and receive some of the money back that they spent on fixing their homes.
The Small Business Administration also asks residents to visit its website in case residents need a low-interest loan for projects most costly than what FEMA will provide. The deadline for applications to receive a disaster loan from the administration for personal property is Jan. 19. Visit the administration’s website to start an application here, call 800-621-3362 or visit a physical disaster center like the one at Calumet City Public Library.
