After tornadoes and flooding ravaged counties across New York, Gov. Kathy Hochul has announced a funding package to help communities and homeowners bounce back.
Emergency State Funding for New York
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New York Gov. Kathy Hochul has announced $11 million in emergency funding for state residents impacted by severe weather, including tornadoes and extreme flooding.
Governor Announcement
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Last Wednesday Hochul made the announcement, addressing homeowners in seven counties that were ravaged by 22 separate tornadoes and severe thunderstorms from July 10 to 16. The extreme weather damage caused 400,000 power outages and resulted in one death across the state.
“Rapid Relief for Impacted Residents”
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These counties include Lewis, Madison, Oneida, Chautauqua, Erie, Essex, and Warren counties. “After extreme weather events caused major damage across Upstate New York, we are providing rapid relief for impacted residents and municipalities,” Hochul said last Wednesday.
Commitment to New Yorkers
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“My administration remains committed to assisting affected New Yorkers so they can recover from these devastating storms,” she continued, adding that she is still waiting on a government response to her emergency aid request.
Emergency Repair Grants
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Weather damage to primary residences in these counties could make homeowners eligible to receive as much as $50,000 in emergency repair grants.
Applications Open
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Applications are open and overseen by the New York State Division of Housing and Community Renewal.
For Median Income Households
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Repair grants will be awarded based on the severity of the storm damage and the cost of repairs. Grants will be limited to homeowners who earn the median income for their area or less.
Request for Emergency Declaration
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The funding comes after Hochul filed an official request for a federal Emergency Declaration, following her tour of 15 counties to assess the storm damage.
$4 Million for Oneida County
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While $5 million will be allocated to emergency repair grants, a further $4 million will go to Oneida County and the City of Rome, which was disproportionately damaged by one of the tornadoes.
Safe Demolition Needed
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The $4 million will be used to demolish free-standing buildings that were made unstable and unsafe due to severe storm damage. More than 370 homes were damaged in the city alone.
Restore New York Program
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The remaining $2 million will go to the Restore New York grant program, which will help to demolish and redevelop 233 West Dominick Street in Rome.
Waiting on the Government
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While the initial $11 million funding will be a significant reprieve for those affected, Hochul is still waiting on the fulfillment of her full request, which calls for aid across 15 counties in New York.
More Counties Need Help
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These remaining counties that have not been provided state funding but are included in the federal aid request include Chemung, Genesee, Hamilton, Herkimer, Jefferson, Montgomery, Oswego, Ontario, Saratoga, Schuyler, and Steuben.
FEMA Request
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If the funding request is approved, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) will provide reimbursement for support and recovery initiatives in all 15 counties.
Ongoing Recovery Projects
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These initiatives include debris removal, search and rescue operations, reducing damage to critical community infrastructure, and other important projects that have been ongoing for the past 3 weeks.
Letter to the White House
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A group of Republican congress members in New York supported Gov. Hochul’s request for emergency financial support in a letter to President Biden last week.
“Calling on the Biden-Harris Administration”
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“I am now calling on the Biden-Harris Administration to issue a Presidential Emergency Declaration for the State of New York and unleash additional resources to help our NY-21 communities,” said Rep. Elise Stefanik in a public statement.
Praise for Hochul
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County officials across the 7 counties that have received state funding have praised Hochul’s decision. “I am grateful to Governor Kathy Hochul and the state for their support in our storm recovery efforts,” said Chautauqua County Executive PJ Wendel in a public statement.
“Resilience and Determination”
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“After touring the damaged areas, I am deeply moved by the resilience and determination of our community coming together to help neighbors, friends, and family immediately following the storm,” Wendel added.
Grateful for Quick Action
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“Thanks to quick action by Gov. Hochul, emergency funding will be available to help homeowners and municipalities repair and recover from these storms and get back on their feet,” Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz said in a statement of his own, going on to praise Hochul’s leadership.
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