Wednesday, May 09, 2007
Governor Culver Activates Grant Program In Wake Of Iowa Floods
Residents of five counties eligible to apply
DES MOINES, Iowa—Today Governor Chet Culver announced that low-income Iowans who sustained flood damage in five Iowa counties may now apply for state grants of up to $3,319 to replace storm-caused losses. The grant program will be available in five counties that have been declared disasters by the governor, including Pottawattamie, Harrison, Montgomery, Fremont, and Decatur.
This will be the second time the governor has activated the program. In March, the entire state was declared a disaster in the wake of two snowstorms. More than 500 people received grants. Applications may be completed by households whose annual income is 130 percent or less of federal poverty guidelines, which is $13,273 for a single individual, $17,797 for a family of two and $26,845 for a family of four.
Application forms will be available at any county office of the Iowa Department of Human Services or any county emergency management office. The DHS has set up a toll free hotline (866-434-4692) for those with questions. Applicants must provide receipts for qualifying uninsured expenses. Here are examples of reimbursable expenses:
- Up to $1,000 will be available to reimburse storm-caused expenses for making the dwelling safe, sanitary, and secure.
- Up to $300 for an electrician to help bring power back to a dwelling.
- Up to $560 will be available for storm-related damage to appliances or food.
- Up to $425 for purchase and installation of a water heater.
- Up to $500 for damage to a vehicle.
- Up to $50 a day for lodging or rental expenses in case high water forced residents to leave their homes.
The total award provided to a household will not exceed $3,319. Most applicants in the earlier process applied for assistance in only one or two areas, and the average grant was about $220.
Applicants must take completed applications to the county emergency management coordinator. Applicants must indicate that their household income meets the income eligibility test. Income includes wages, child support, retirement income, and Social Security. The application for the spring flood grant program, plus line-by-line instructions, will be posted today to the DHS home page. The link is called Spring Storm Help and is located on the Frequently Visited Links section, top of the page.