Disaster flood relief for Lake, Kane, but not Cook
Six counties damaged by last month's severe storms and subsequent flooding were declared eligible for federal disaster assistance for people and businesses by President Bush late Tuesday.
Individuals and businesses affected by the storm in Lake, Kane, Will, DeKalb, Grundy and LaSalle counties can apply for federal disaster aid -- including grants and low-interest loans -- starting at 8 a.m. today by contacting the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
Local governments in Kane County are also eligible for reimbursement for extraordinary expenses for response and recovery from the storms and flooding, officials said.
"This federal declaration is great news for people in these six counties who are still trying to get their damaged homes fixed following the storms and flooding last month," Gov. Rod Blagojevich said in a news release.
Officials will start working with FEMA to get the process started as soon as possible, Blagojevich said.
"I think that's wonderful, because I know we had 220 homes that were damaged," Fox Lake Mayor Cindy Irwin said upon hearing the news.
"This is going to be great news for our citizens."
Lee Shannon, director of the Antioch Emergency Management Agency, was also happy to hear news of the declaration late Tuesday.
"That is excellent news. I'm happy that he did declare us. Overall for the village, it's going to be a real good thing," Shannon said.
FEMA defines disaster assistance as "money or direct assistance to individuals, families and businesses in an area whose property has been damaged or destroyed and whose losses are not covered by insurance," the Web site said.
The assistance is for critical expenses that can't be covered in any other way, but is not intended to restore property to its condition before the disaster, the site says.
Assistance can include costs such as rental payments for temporary housing for those with uninhabitable houses; grants for home repairs and replacement of essential household items not covered by insurance; low-interest loans to cover losses not fully covered by insurance and crisis counseling for those traumatized by the disaster, officials said.
The cost of the storm damage to local and state government agencies for response and clean up was estimated at more than $22.8 million, officials said.
What it means for you
Residents and business owners in Lake, Kane and Will counties who sustained flood losses can start applying for assistance at 8 a.m. today by registering online at www.fema.gov or by calling (800) 621-FEMA, or (800)462-7585 for the hearing- and speech-impaired. The phone numbers will operate from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Sunday.