Rock Valley, Iowa — Residents in two-thirds of Iowa counties have experienced destruction from late spring and early summer tornadoes, flooding or both.
Some five thousand homes are damaged or destroyed. State officials are launching new grant programs to address the housing shortage and appealing to FEMA for temporary housing. Governor Kim Reynolds hosted a more than hour-long news conference at the statehouse today Thursday to discuss details.
Reynolds is using 10 million dollars in federal pandemic relief to provide grants for developers to build homes for sale or for rent in counties that have been declared federal disaster areas.
Another six-and-a-half MILLION dollars in state grants will be awarded to cover home repairs.
To be eligible, Iowans need to have qualified for FEMA’s individual assistance program. That confirms a household is dealing with storm-related damage. Reynolds is asking FEMA to authorize a temporary housing program that’s been used after hurricanes hit other states. Iowa Homeland Security and Emergency Management director John Benson says hotels, RVs and manufactured housing could be used under the program.
The governor says that may be an option in Minden, the western Iowa town hit by a powerful tornado this spring. As of last night, at least 100 Iowans are still staying in a Red Cross shelter. Benson is encouraging Iowans to apply for assistance.
Reynolds says government officials are able to help storm victims wade through the minutia of the state and federal programs that are now available.
Next week, farmers who’ve applied for USDA disaster loans can apply for a state grant of up to 50 thousand dollars. Reynolds says that will make the higher interest rates on those loans more manageable.
