Washtenaw County Flood Response Information For Residents

From Washtenaw County

Washtenaw County is continuing to assess flood damage throughout the county and provide resources and information to its residents. The Governor announced yesterday that she is adding Washtenaw County to the State of Michigan’s Emergency Declaration due to the widespread flooding and damage.

This declaration means that the County and its residents will have access to additional resources from the State. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) will also be in the area over the next several days assessing damage to homes and property. Thank you for your patience as we await their findings and additional guidance.

The Board of Commissioners took action at their meeting Wednesday night to allocate $500,000 to support initial recovery efforts. This allocation is meant to provide flexible bridge support to impacted residents, such as housing, meals, basic clean-up and repair services until more resources are made available through the state and federal government.

 ”While we are optimistic that we will receive support from the state and federal governments in the coming weeks and months, our community needs our support now,” said Sue Shink, Chair of the Board of Commissioner and Commissioner for District 2. “This allocation will not address every issue households are currently facing, but we are hopeful it can be used to help them start to get back up on their feet after this heartbreaking situation.”

Residents are asked to self-report all damage to their homes or property as a result of the recent storms using this form. The form helps county officials keep an accurate record of all damage so that we may coordinate with the appropriate state and federal departments.

The Office of Community and Economic Development (OCED) has compiled a list of resources available to residents affected by flooding. Residents may access that Flood Resources FAQ.

“Over the past few days, I have toured the county.” says Gregory Dill, County Administrator, “I have been into homes and personally witnessed the damage to our residents. I’ve seen, up close and personal, the traumatic loss to our families and neighborhoods. I can assure you that this county will do everything we can to respond to this trauma. I thank the Board of Commissioners for their commitment to aid in our response and recovery efforts. Together, we will make sure that our residents are treated fairly and that we fulfill our job as the county’s safety net.”

• Call 211 - For non-emergencies related to flooding in-home and damage items. Residents who have experienced flooding in their homes are encouraged to keep a detailed account of damaged items by taking photos of them.
• Call 911 - emergency calls only to the Washtenaw County Sheriff’s office.