Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s office announced Friday it is seeking a disaster declaration for McLean County to get financial help for the damage caused by severe storms and flash flooding in late June.
If the U.S. Small Business Administration approves the request, residents and business owners could apply for low-interest, long-term loans.
“This funding from the federal government will allow the state to provide the full scale of support and tools needed to support the community as they recover from recent storms,” Pritzker said in a news release.
The governor's office said the damage in McLean County did not meet the threshold for a federal disaster declaration, but there appears to be enough damage to meet the SBA's guidelines.
The SBA requires at least 25 homes or businesses sustain uninsured losses of 40% or more to be eligible for financial help.
The McLean County Emergency Management Agency (EMA) said previously more than 1,000 homes and businesses in the county had structural damage and more than 100 properties were heavily damaged or destroyed.
Much of the damage was reported in Bloomington, Normal, Downs and Heyworth. Parts of McLean County received over 10 inches of rain from June 25-27.
The county hosted a Multi-Agency Resource Center (MARC) event in Bloomington last weekend to enable residents to seek local and state assistance. According to the governor’s office, more than 100 people sought assistance at the two-day event.
