Governor Branstad issued a proclamation today that declares Story County a disaster area for the series of storms that hit the county starting on May 19th. The declaration was primarily prompted by significant damage to secondary roads within the county caused by flash flooding. This declaration provides access to some State Resources which may be used to respond to and recover from the effects of these storms. These resources could be used for removal of debris and wreckage on publicly-owned land that may threaten public health and safety. It is also the first step towards qualifying for a Presidential Disaster Declaration and subsequent federal aid to repair damage to public infrastructure if a Presidential Disaster Declaration is issued. Joint State and Federal damage assessment teams will be evaluating the damage in Story County sometime next week.
The proclamation also opens up the State Individual Assistance program to individuals within Story County that have experienced damage due to these storms. The Iowa Individual Assistance Program provides grants up to $5,000 for households with incomes up to 200 percent of the federal poverty level, or a maximum annual income of $39,060, for a family of three. Grants are available for home or car repairs, replacement of clothing or food, and for the expense of temporary housing. Original receipts are required for those seeking reimbursement for actual expenses related to storm recovery. The grant application and instructions are available at the “Disaster Assistance” link on the Iowa Department of Human Services website: www.dhs.iowa.gov. Applications must be received within 45 days of the date of proclamation. Story County Emergency Management is working with the Iowa Department of Human Services to set-up this program within the county and will have more details on how the program will be administered in this county.
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