Des Moines, Iowa — Two Rock River towns — Rock Valley and Rock Rapids — are getting some much-needed help after last June’s flooding.
The Iowa Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management has announced that the cities of Rock Rapids and Rock Valley have each been granted a Community Disaster Loan to assist in recovering from devastating flooding last summer.
Rock Rapids will receive over $500,000, and Rock Valley will get nearly $940,000.
Patrick Hall, the Emergency Management Recovery Division chief and State coordinating officer for the disaster, says that Community Disaster Loans are a valuable tool to help communities maintain essential services in the aftermath of a disaster. He says the state will continue to work diligently to assist the communities in recovering from this disaster.
Following the declaration of a major disaster, interested applicants may request assistance through the Governor’s authorized representative. The State can make the request to activate the Community Disaster Loan program. An evaluation is conducted by FEMA with local government officials to determine eligibility.
Community Disaster Loans are administered by FEMA and can be made to any local government in need of financial assistance to perform essential services. Applicants may include fire and police departments that provide critical community services during and in the immediate aftermath of disasters, as well as school boards, district court offices, and local governments. The maximum award for a Community Disaster Loan is $5 million.
Sometimes, the loan is forgiven. A Community Disaster Loan the City of Mapleton received in 2012 was just forgiven. It was for nearly $300,000 to help the city recover from a tornado that ripped through the county on April 9, 2011.
FEMA may cancel repayment of all or part of a Community Disaster Loan if it is determined revenues for three fiscal years following a disaster are insufficient, as a result of the disaster, to meet the operating budget for the local government.
