Financial help for flood losses may be available through Iowa Individual Assistance Program

Residents affected by the August 23-24 storms and resulting flooding may be eligible to apply for the Iowa Individual Assistance Program to cover losses experienced due to that flooding. To qualify, households must be located within the disaster declaration area of Allamakee, Clayton, Fayette, Howard and Winneshiek counties and must meet income guidelines listed below. Northeast Iowa Community Action Corporation (NEICAC) administers the program in these affected counties.

The program provides up to a maximum of $5,000 per household to cover repairs, debris removal, furnace or water heater work, replacement of lost or spoiled food, and other household losses. Households must have an income at or below 200% of the federal poverty guideline as shown below:

Number in     Max. gross
Household    yearly income

1                    $23,760
2                    $32,040
3                    $40,320
4                    $48,600
5                    $56,880
For each additional household member add $8,320.

Because the eligibility process established for this program is complex, affected residents who may benefit from this assistance are encouraged to contact their local Northeast Iowa Community Action office to begin the application process. Those offices include: Allamakee - Waukon, 563-568-4224 and Postville (Thursday and Friday only), 563-864-3363; Clayton - Elkader, 563-245-2452; Fayette - West Union (Monday through Wednesday only), 563-422-3354 and Oelwein, 319-283-2510; Howard - Cresco, 563-547-4413; and Winneshiek - Decorah, 563-382-8436, ext. 150.

In Allamakee County, the NEICAC office location in Waukon is 953 Third Avenue NW (located at the north end of the West Elementary School parking lot). Office hours are Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 8 a.m.-Noon and 1-3 p.m., and Tuesday and Thursday from 8 a.m.-Noon. The Postville office location is 134 West Greene Street, and those office hours are Thursday from 8 a.m.-Noon and Friday from 8 a.m.-3:30 p.m.

A link to the program can be found on the Northeast Iowa Community Action Corporation (NEICAC) website at www.neicac.org under the “Flood Assistance” tab. Applications will be accepted until October 7 of this year or until all funding provided for this program has been expended. For more information visit the NEICAC website or contact David Boss, NEICAC Director of Community Outreach, at 563-382-8436, ext. 117.