Federal emergency response coordinators said they handed out more than $3.5 million in disaster aid to residents after storms left roads and homes damaged last fall in Bristol and Worcester counties, according to newly released data.
Massive rainfalls most notably wreaked havoc in Leominster, where city officials have said damages to public property amounted to around $30 million. Grounds around homes were washed away, streets were torn up, and first responders had to use boats to evacuate people.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency said 601 survivors of storms that took place between Sept. 11-13, 2023 had been approved for $3.5 million in assistance, including $2.1 million in housing aid and $1.4 million for “other needs.”
“Federal assistance may include grants for temporary housing, uninsured or underinsured home repairs and personal property, low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses, and other programs to help individuals and business owners recover from the disaster,” the agency said.
The deadline for people who had a loss or experienced damage from the severe storms and flooding to apply for federal disaster assistance is July 15, according to the agency. Both renters and homeowners are eligible for housing assistance.
“Survivors who had loss or damage from the severe storms and flooding that occurred Sept. 11-13, 2023 may have already reported their damages to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, spoken to someone from FEMA, or registered for assistance with a community organization. That does not mean they have applied for federal assistance with FEMA,” the organization said.
Applications can be submitted online, through the FEMA mobile app, or by calling 1-(800) 621-3362, the agency said.
After FEMA initially denied a major disaster declaration, President Joe Biden overturned the ruling and issued an order for Bristol and Worcester counties, a move that opened up aid for residents.
The declaration came after Healey appealed the denial, arguing the storms “were devastating for our communities.”
“I saw the impacts firsthand – homes and businesses were destroyed, roadways and bridges were inaccessible, and some residents had to be evacuated. Six months later, they are still rebuilding. The state has done all that we can to support their recovery, but the needs far outpace our available resources,” she wrote in a letter to Biden.
Even as individual assistance has flowed to residents, dollars for one of the hardest hit areas have been withheld by FEMA.
Federal officials denied the City of Leominster — which saw 10 inches of rain over the course of four hours on Sept. 11, 2023 — funding to fix city property in the wake of the storms, which Mayor Dean Mazzarella previously said needed “extensive repairs.”
“This 1000-year storm destroyed one month old sidewalks, freshly paved and striped roads, and even a recently replaced culvert. It’s heartbreaking.” Mazzarella said in a statement last month. “We spent $2 million of city money just on temporary repairs to get our city open again.”