Nearly 1800 Illinois Residents Have Applied For Disaster Assistance
Release Date: June 7, 2002
Release Number: 1416-13
» More Information on Illinois Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding
Springfield, IL -- Nearly 1,800 Illinois residents have applied for assistance as a result of the severe storms, tornadoes and floods that hit the state beginning April 21 through May 23. More than $2.2 million in disaster grants and low-interest loans has been approved. Residents in 68 counties throughout central and southern Illinois may be eligible for disaster assistance.
According to figures released by the Illinois Emergency Management Agency (IEMA) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), at the close of business on June 6, the following numbers of people have applied for or received assistance:
- 1,773 Applications have been received (1-800-621-3362)
- 216 Rental assistance grants approved totaling $147,318.00
- 589 Emergency essential repair grants approved totaling $1,008,836.00
- 6 SBA low-interest loans approved totaling $695,300
- 123 Individual and Family Grants approved, totaling $325,774
Four Disaster Recovery Centers Close Saturday
Disaster Recovery Centers in Beardstown, Lawrenceville, Charleston and Springfield will be open through Saturday, June 8. The centers offer disaster victims a place to meet face-to-face with representatives from local, state and federal agencies. Although these centers will close after Saturday, disaster assistance is still only a toll-free call away. Residents who wish to update information or have questions about the status of their application can call FEMA at 1-800 621-FEMA (3362). TTY 1-800 462-7585. These lines are available Monday through Saturday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
- The local centers are open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., through Saturday; and are located at:
- Cass County Council on Aging, 116 East 2nd Street, Beardstown
- City Hall Council Chamber, 700 State Street, Lawrenceville
- City Hall, 520 Jackson Street, Charleston
- Illinois State Fairgrounds, Illinois Bldg., 11th Street & Sangamon Ave, (Main Gate), Springfield
Permits May Be Required
If your home or business is located within the 100-year floodplain, local community permits are required prior to repair or construction. Your local permit official can provide you with suggestions or literature on how to better protect your home or business from future flood or other hazard damages. Your local permit official also can provide you with information on selecting contractors and advice on how to protect yourself from unscrupulous contractors.
Disaster Housing Assistance
Individuals and families whose permanent homes were damaged or destroyed by the recent tornadoes, severe storms and flooding, and are in a declared county may be eligible for Disaster Housing Assistance. This assistance may be used for alternate rental housing, emergency essential repairs to make a residence habitable, or mortgage or rental assistance in cases where the disaster has caused extreme economic hardship. The 589 grants totaling $1,008,837 may be just the initial type of assistance that residents may be eligible to receive.
U.S. Small Business Administration
The SBA has issued 1,128 loan applications to homeowners, renters and business owners. Officials urge applicants to complete their loan application and return it as soon as possible, even if they have not received a final settlement from their insurance company. If the loan application is not returned it will delay other forms of disaster assistance. SBA representatives are available at all Disaster Recovery Centers for applicants who need assistance completing their loan paperwork. The SBA has approved six low-interest disaster loans, totaling $695,300.
Those who have SBA questions or need assistance completing their disaster loan applications can call 1-800 359-2227. This number is available from 6 a.m. to 4 p.m. CDT, Monday through Friday.
IFG Program Meets Serious Disaster-Related Needs
Another $325,774 has also been approved for 123 applicants referred to the Individual and Family Grant (IFG) Program. Administered by the IEMA, the program provides grants to individuals and families to meet serious disaster-related needs and expenses not covered by insurance, other federal, state, or voluntary agency disaster assistance programs. FEMA provides 75 percent of the funds for the IFG grants and the state covers the remaining 25 percent.
Residents visiting the Sangamon County Fair may also want to stop by the FEMA booth to see their tabletop display, "Taking Shelter from the Storm Mitigation House." There will also be various mitigation materials available and coloring books for the children.
MEDIA NOTE: The following chart shows a county-by-county breakdown of individual housing assistance. All figures are as of close of business, Thursday, June 6. While the number of applicants (APPS) for each county is listed, the housing grant dollar amount is not listed if there are less than three approved claims for that county.
| County | Apps | Appr'd Claims | Housing Grants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adams | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Alexander | 162 | 120 | $145,026 |
| Bond | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| Brown | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Calhoun | 12 | 5 | $12,872 |
| Cass | 15 | 7 | $10,069 |
| Champaign | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Christian | 23 | 12 | $26,920 |
| Clark | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Clay | 8 | 0 | 0 |
| Clinton | 17 | 3 | $5,373 |
| Coles | 36 | 13 | $17,808 |
| Crawford | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Cumberland | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| DeWitt | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Douglas | 12 | 4 | $6,046 |
| Edgar | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Edwards | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Effingham | 30 | 13 | $18,069 |
| Fayette | 19 | 8 | $11,957 |
| Ford | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Franklin | 25 | 12 | $13,915 |
| Fulton | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Gallatin | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Greene | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Hamilton | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Hancock | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Hardin | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Iroquois | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Jackson | 9 | 4 | $11,942 |
| Jasper | 13 | 3 | $1,727 |
| Jefferson | 14 | 3 | $4,905 |
| Jersey | 16 | 4 | $4,648 |
| Johnson | 29 | 11 | $21,542 |
| Lawrence | 16 | 3 | $2,292 |
| Logan | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Macon | 75 | 33 | $61,308 |
| Macoupin | 25 | 6 | $12,884 |
| Madison | 120 | 61 | $115,266 |
| Marion | 24 | 12 | $8,725 |
| Mason | 33 | 22 | $48,911 |
| Massac | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| McDonough | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Menard | 8 | 3 | $1,520 |
| Monroe | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Montgomery | 15 | 5 | $5,410 |
| Morgan | 13 | 6 | $5,948 |
| Moultrie | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| Perry | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Piatt | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Pike | 7 | 3 | $8,114 |
| Pope | 8 | 0 | 0 |
| Pulaski | 9 | 5 | $10,250 |
| Randolph | 9 | 3 | $6,583 |
| Richland | 14 | 9 | $17,147 |
| Saline | 19 | 6 | $6,297 |
| Sangamon | 141 | 81 | $129,721 |
| Schuyler | 10 | 3 | $3,726 |
| Scott | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Shelby | 13 | 3 | $6,531 |
| St. Clair | 479 | 214 | $279,729 |
| Union | 81 | 28 | $38,903 |
| Vermilion | 33 | 17 | $18,571 |
| Wabash | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Washington | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Wayne | 56 | 9 | $7,268 |
| White | 10 | 7 | $6,725 |
| Williamson | 4 | 0 | 0 |
Last Modified: Tuesday, 19-Aug-2003 16:25:03