Mayor Cara Spencer announced four programs yesterday to help city residents to repair tornado-damaged homes. Spencer said that the programs are the result of partnerships between the city and community partners. In detailing one program to reconnect power to homes in particular, she described the city as “the glue holding the program together…but the heavy lift, the real work, is being done by community partners.” She made yesterday’s announcement at the union hall of one of those partners, the electrician’s union IBEW Local 1, in The Hill.
The city’s Electricity Reconnection Program will provide up to $4,000 in assessment and repair for affected residents to have their power restored. It’s estimated there are hundreds of households that still need to be reconnected to the power grid, Spencer said.
Meanwhile, the Emergency Stabilization Program will provide free weatherization and hazardous tree removal to curb any further damage to homes. The Ask an Architect program, delivered in conjunction with the American Institute of Architects, will provide free consultation to residents as they plan to rebuild. The fourth program, a contractor registry, will allow contractors to attain a seal of approval, putting them on a city list of trusted operators. “We’ve heard from a lot of residents that are very worried about being taken advantage of by contractors—who’s a good one, who’s not—and so we’ve launched this program that can try to mitigate any fears about being taken advantage of,” Spencer said…