More than 50 people who sustained flood damage in June have applied for assistance from the City of Bloomington.
Applications opened Oct. 12 for the Illinois Housing Development Authority (IHDA) Single Family Rehabilitation (SFR) program. The program offers residents meeting the program requirements a five-year 0% interest forgivable loan to complete work related to addressing health and safety hazards along with local code violations. That could include those who suffered flood damage in June.
The city received 66 applications. Of those, 51 were from Bloomington residents who indicated property damage related to the June flood, a city spokesperson said. Staff is gathering and reviewing support documentation to verify program eligibility for the applicants, the spokesperson said.
More than 500 homeowners registered damage with the city from the June flooding and sewer backups. The program is pitched to the structural integrity of the home, so a building with foundation damage caused by the flood clearly qualifies. Officials said sewage damage also fits the criteria.
The city turned to the IHDA pot of money as a first step after the city council declined to set up a new, standalone program dedicated to flood relief.
The program offers forgivable loans of up to $45,000 to those who are eligible. The owner must remain in the home for five years to earn cancellation of the debt.
