Grant applications open for Missouri cities, counties affected by 2017 natural disasters

Sep. 6--The application cycle to receive recovery funding for natural disasters that affected areas, including Jasper, McDonald and Newton counties in 2017, is now open until Oct. 30, according to the Missouri Department of Economic Development.

The department's Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery program addresses public infrastructure needs of eligible cities and counties affected by disasters that occurred from April 28 to May 11, 2017.

President Donald Trump approved Missouri's request for a major disaster declaration in June 2018 after a series of severe storms, tornadoes, straight-line winds and flooding rattled the region during that time frame in 2017. The action makes federal funding available to affected individuals in several counties, including Jasper, Newton and McDonald.

Missouri reported nearly 100 evacuations and 33 rescues on April 29, 2017, after a storm dumped between 3 and 9 inches of rain, according to Globe archives. Up to 150 roads, including a section of Interstate 44 near Hazelgreen in south-central Missouri, and several state parks were closed that weekend.

In Newton County, eight transportation districts reported about $508,000 in damages to roads and bridges, Charla Geller, the county's emergency management director, told the Globe in 2017. She reported that 12 homes and four mobile homes were destroyed, 151 homes had major damage, 92 homes had minor damage, and that 93 homes were affected by the flooding about a month prior. Three businesses were destroyed, nine businesses had major damage and 20 businesses had minor damage.

In McDonald County, about 135 different locations, including homes and churches, were reported to be damaged, said Gregg Sweeten, the county's emergency management director. About 12 of those locations were destroyed and 45 had major damage.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development allocated nearly $28 billion in Community Development Block Grant disaster recovery funds in April 2018 for unmet needs because of the national disasters of 2017. Of that amount, Missouri will receive an allocation of $58.5 million in disaster recovery funds to help alleviate unmet housing, infrastructure and economic needs.

For more information or to request an application, go to ded2.mo.gov/programs/cdbg/disaster-recovery.

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