ST. LOUIS — St. Louis City residents impacted by the July 2022 flood can learn how to get help a year and a half after the historic weather event this Wednesday and Friday.
Residents will learn about the Community Development Block Grant-Disaster Recovery (CDBGD-DR) program and provide input on the planned use of recovery funds, according to the city’s website.
The events are hosted by the Community Development Administration (CDA).
Wednesday’s in-person event starts at 3:30 p.m. at Wohl Recreation Center located at 1515 Kingshighway Boulevard. City staff will present on flood impacts, unmet needs and program objectives beginning at 5:30 p.m.
Friday’s virtual meeting starts at noon via Zoom.
Both events are open to the public and residents are encouraged to attend.
The CDBGD-DR program is a federal initiative to help cities recover from major disasters and focuses on long-term recovery, infrastructure restoration, housing and economic revitalization, according to the city’s website.
The funds are allocated for HUD-approved housing, infrastructure/public facilities, economic revitalization, public services, planning or administration activities.
A large portion is dedicated to assisting households with incomes at or below 80% of the area median income, according to the city’s website.
A six-month planning process is underway that includes data review and community input to identify unmet needs and development of eligible projects and activities.
The feedback will turn into an action plan that will be submitted for HUD approval and followed by an implementation of the plan, according to the city’s website.
The estimated timeline spans through fall of 2024.
Feedback from residents will help guide city programs that include:
Home Repair Program: direct assistance for households affected by the disaster.
Subsistence Grant/Car Replacement Fund: providing payments for car replacement due to storm damage.
Flood Plain Management: developing a floodplain management plan to improve stormwater management and restore the River Des Peres, tree planting to mitigate flooding and enhance air quality, and construction of rain gardens and catchment basins for flood management.
Potential Home Buyout Program: purchasing properties in flood-prone areas to conserve the land and potentially transform it into community amenities.
Flood Response Capacity: developing a resource distribution plan for managing and deploying goods during disaster response and creating a flood response reserve for purchasing emergency response goods for immediate deployment during disaster events.
For more information about the meetings, click here.