Gov. Kim Reynolds issued a disaster emergency proclamation Saturday for counties in northwest Iowa in response to severe storms and flooding that occurred on June 21. The counties include Buena Vista, Cerro Gordo, Cherokee, Clay, Dickinson, Emmet, Floyd, Hancock, Humboldt, Kossuth, Lyon, O’Brien, Osceola, Palo Alto, Plymouth, Pocahontas, Sioux, Webster, Winnebago, Woodbury, Worth, and Wright.
The governor’s proclamation allows state resources to be utilized to respond to and recover from the effects of this severe weather and activates the Iowa Individual Assistance Grant Program and Disaster Case Advocacy Program.
The Iowa Individual Assistance Grant Program provides grants of up to $5,000 for households with incomes up to 200 percent of the federal poverty level. Grants are available for home or car repairs, replacement of clothing or food, and temporary housing expenses. Original receipts are required for those seeking reimbursement for actual expenses related to storm recovery. The grant application and instructions are available on the Iowa Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management website https://homelandsecurity.iowa.gov/assistance.
Potential applicants have 45 days from the date of the proclamation to submit a claim.
The Disaster Case Advocacy Program addresses serious needs related to disaster-related hardship, injury, or adverse conditions. Disaster case advocates work with clients to create a disaster recovery plan and provide guidance, advice, and referrals to obtain a service or resource. There are no income eligibility requirements for this program; it closes 180 days from the date of the governor’s proclamation. For information on the Disaster Case Advocacy Program, contact your local community action agency or visit: iowacommunityaction.org.
FEDERAL HELP REQUESTED
On Sunday, Gov. Reynolds has requested an expedited Presidential Disaster Declaration for Iowa counties where significant damage was sustained from severe storms and widespread flooding that occurred on June 21 and continuing.
The letter requests activation of the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Individual Assistance Program, and U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) disaster loans for the following nine (9) counties: Buena Vista, Clay, Dickinson, Emmet, Lyon, O’Brien, Osceola, Plymouth and Sioux. In addition, the letter requests the activation of the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Public Assistance Program for the following twenty-two (22) counties: Buena Vista, Cerro Gordo, Cherokee, Clay, Dickinson, Emmet, Floyd, Hancock, Humboldt, Kossuth, Lyon, O’Brien, Osceola, Palo Alto, Plymouth, Pocahontas, Sioux, Webster, Winnebago, Woodbury, Worth and Wright.
Funding under the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Individual Assistance Program provides disaster-affected homeowners, renters, and businesses access to programs and services to maximize recovery, including assistance with housing, personal property replacement, medical expenses, and legal services.
The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) Disaster Loan Program provides homeowners, renters, businesses, and most nonprofit organizations in the affected counties whose property was damaged or destroyed by this disaster, the ability to apply for low-interest disaster loans from the SBA.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Public Assistance program provides funds that can be used to rebuild damaged infrastructure that may include roads, bridges, culverts and other public facilities, or to cover costs of emergency work during, and debris removal after, severe weather.
In addition, the governor requested funding to conduct hazard mitigation activities for the entire state.