Governor Gretchen Whitmer today requested that President Joe Biden declare a major disaster for the state of Michigan as a result of the heavy rainfall and flooding that occurred in late June. The request comes at the conclusion of an in-depth assessment of damage to the area.
“We are working as quickly as possible to speed up the timeline for this request that Michigan families need so desperately to recover from these historic floods,” said Governor Whitmer. “The flooding on June 25-26 had devastating impacts on Wayne and Washtenaw Counties residents who suffered damage to their homes and loss of personal property. If granted a presidential declaration, additional federal sources will become available to assist Michigan residents as they continue to recover from this disaster.”
Gov. Whitmer has requested supplementary federal aid in the form of Individual Assistance to help eligible residents.
If federal aid is granted, assistance can include grants for temporary housing and home repairs, low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses and other programs to help people and businesses recover from the effects of flooding.
Based on information provided by the Michigan State Police, Emergency Management and Homeland Security Division (MSP/EMHSD), state leaders requested a joint preliminary damage assessment with federal and local officials to review and validate the most severely damaged homes and businesses across Wayne County.
The teams conducted their assessments from July 8-10. State officials reviewed the results and determined the extent of damage reached the level necessary to apply for federal aid.
Whitmer’s request will be reviewed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), which will advise President Biden whether a disaster declaration should be granted. Ultimately, the President will determine whether to provide federal assistance.
