Flood victims in the city of Detroit, and metro Detroit can breathe a bit easier as financial relief comes to residents most impacted by the June flooding.
Mayor Mike Duggan, along with officials from FEMA and SBA, shared with residents on Wednesday, August 4 during a press conference at the Detroit Public Safety Headquarters how to apply for flood relief for individuals who sustained damage from the storm of June 25-26th.
The torrential rain and flooding of June 25-26 in Wayne and Washtenaw Counties left countless people with damaged vehicles, waist-deep water in their basements, and destroyed keepsake items.
Many more people were also left wondering how they would afford to pay for the damages caused by the flooding that hit so close to home.
Help, however, is on the way in the form of assistance after President Joe Biden approved on Thursday, July 15 Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s request for disaster declaration for Wayne and Washtenaw Counties following the record flooding.
The declaration comes after Whitmer sent a letter to President Biden on July 13 requesting that he declare an emergency disaster for the state of Michigan.
“President Biden’s declaration opens up critical resources to help Michigan residents recover from this disaster,” said Whitmer previously. “The flooding on June 25-26 had devastating impacts on Wayne and Washtenaw County residents who suffered damage to their homes, loss of personal property, and faced unimaginable stress. With the resources we will receive thanks to President Biden’s leadership, we will put Michiganders first and help our communities recover and rebuild.”
“I am really pleased today to have with us representatives of the FEMA and the Biden administration,” Duggan said during the press conference. “What President Biden has done is nothing short of remarkable.”
On July 15th, President Biden approved a National Disaster Declaration for this storm, paving the way for federal funding to help for recovery efforts.
As part of the presentation, Duggan and FEMA officials explained the process of what to do if a resident received a denial letter from FEMA. Officials also made it clear that this initial denial letter does not necessarily mean the resident is ineligible for FEMA assistance, according to a press release.
- FEMA Teams are currently in Detroit and all FEMA personnel have a FEMA badge, FEMA shirt and will identify themselves:
- They may knock on your door or be walking around in Detroit neighborhoods
- Housing inspectors follow CDC COVID guidance – do not expect them to go into your house. They will rely on interviews, videos, pictures, and receipts that are provided.
- Feel free to ask them questions
Residents can also go directly to FEMA at Disaster Recovery Centers
- Golightly Career Technical Center, 900 Dickerson Ave. in Detroit
- Kemeny Recreation Center, 2260 S. Fort St. In Detroit
- Open seven days a week 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
FEMA also has three suburban sites open:
- Henry Ford Centennial Library, 16301 Michigan Ave. In Dearborn
- Maplewood Community Center, 31735 Maplewood St. In Garden City
- Eton Senior Recreation Center, 4900 Pardee Ave. In Dearborn Heights
Five guidelines for FEMA assistance include:
- The only event covered is the storm of June 25-26
- Emergency assistance covers just what is needed to make a house safe and livable; not restore all losses
- FEMA only is for the uninsured and underinsured and will make a house safe and livable only if the insurance company does not
- Denial letters are not necessarily final; they mean a person might have to submit more information
- The FEMA application deadline is September 13.
For more information visit Detroitmi.gov.
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