CHICAGO – As of Tuesday, September 26, federal assistance to Cook County survivors affected by the June 29 – July 2 storms and flooding topped $200 million.
This funding is a combination of nearly $36 million in low-interest loans provided by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) and $166 million in grants through FEMA’s Individual Assistance program.
Here is a snapshot of the FEMA disaster assistance as of September 26:
- Nearly 46,600 households have been approved for FEMA grant funding totaling $166 million, including:
- Nearly $142 million in housing grants, including short-term rental assistance and home repair costs.
- More than $24 million approved for other essential disaster-related needs, such as expenses related to medical, dental and lost personal possessions.
- Nearly 63,000 home inspections have been completed.
- To-date, 8,500 Cook County homeowners and renters have been helped at one of seven FEMA recovery centers.
- FEMA’s Disaster Survivor Assistance teams have visited 48,600 homes and nearly 400 businesses; they have interacted with 12,500 survivors and have registered more than 1,100 households for FEMA’s Individual Assistance program.
Disaster Legal Services Program Now Available
Disaster Legal Services is now in place to provide free legal assistance to low-income Cook County survivors affected by the June 29 – July 2, 2023, disaster. Individuals can call 312-341-1070, Monday – Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., to get help with legal issues such as home repair contracts, insurance claims, FEMA and SBA benefits, disaster fraud and landlord or tenant problems. To make a request online, visit Legal Aid Chicago.
This service is a partnership between FEMA, the American Bar Association Young Lawyers Division and Legal Aid Chicago.
Reminder: Register with FEMA
Residents of Cook County with uninsured or under insured losses from the June 29 – July 2 severe storms and flooding are encouraged to apply for federal assistance if they haven’t done so already.
There are several ways to start the process:
- Go online to DisasterAssistance.gov.
- Use the FEMA mobile app.
- Call the FEMA helpline at 800-621-3362. Multilingual operators are available. If you use video relay service, captioned telephone service or others, give FEMA your number for that service.
- Visit a disaster recovery center. The centers serve as one-stop shops for survivors who need one-on-one help. Survivors can visit any center for assistance. To find center locations and current hours, visit FEMA.gov/DRC.
For more information about Cook County’s recovery, visit www.fema.gov/disaster/4728. The deadline to apply for disaster assistance is October 16, 2023.