Up to $11 million in emergency assistance is being made available for eligible homeowners and municipalities in seven New York counties impacted by a series of severe weather events. From July 10th to the 16th, 22 tornadoes, severe thunderstorms, and flooding affected multiple Upstate communities. This funding follows the Governor’s request for a federal Emergency Declaration to support response and recovery operations in 15 counties. Immediately following the storms on July 17, Governor Hochul toured communities to assess the damage.
Up to $5 million in state funds will be made available to eligible homeowners impacted by these storm events. This state funding will provide emergency repair grants of up to $50,000 to homeowners who suffered damage to their primary residence in Lewis, Madison, Oneida, as well as Chautauqua, Erie, Essex, and Warren Counties. New York State Homes and Community Renewal will oversee the program and grants will be awarded based on a scope of work approved by local administrators according to program guidelines. Homeowners in the affected regions can apply to receive funding to cover the cost of urgent repairs necessary to bring their home into a safe and habitable condition. Applicants must be homeowners whose incomes are at or below 100 percent of Area Median Income to qualify. Eligible homeowners interested in applying may inquire here.
Up to $4 million in emergency funding will be awarded to Oneida County and the City of Rome to support demolition of unsafe and unstable structures from tornado and severe storm damage. Additionally, a $2 million Restore New York program grant previously awarded to support the rehabilitation of 233 West Dominick Street in Rome, will be authorized for demolition and redevelopment of the site. The next round of the Restore New York program, which will launch this summer, will incorporate guidelines for communities affected by these storms to apply for funding to support initiatives to demolish or repurpose now blighted or unsafe buildings.
On July 20, Governor Hochul requested a federal emergency declaration to support response and recovery operations following the storms that occurred on July 15 and 16. If approved, the Federal Emergency Declaration would authorize FEMA to provide reimbursement for debris removal operations, emergency protective measures like search and rescue operations, and actions to eliminate or reduce immediate threats of significant additional damage to critical infrastructure such as roads, bridges, water control facilities and utilities.
“After extreme weather events caused major damage across Upstate New York, we are providing rapid relief for impacted residents and municipalities,” Governor Hochul said, “While I continue to urge the federal government to act quickly on our request for an emergency declaration, my administration remains committed to assisting affected New Yorkers so they can recover from these devastating storms.”
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