LYNN — Home and business owners who were expecting financial relief from the state for recent flood damage got some bad news this week.
More than 100 residents and commercial property owners packed Room 302 at City Hall Tuesday night to hear Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) staff say little help is on the way given the “limited” amount of flood damage.
“I was very disappointed,” said Eric Ciccone, co-owner of Beden Hardware in the downtown, who sustained $100,000 in damage to his store. “I attended the meeting expecting a combination of state aid, grants and low-income loans, but that wasn’t to be.”
The combination of high tide and torrential rain led to flash floods on the North Shore two weeks ago which inundated the Lynnway, and flooded Commercial, Boston, and Alley streets, bringing traffic to a standstill and flooding property.
For years, the city has been dealing with flooding. Despite orders from the U.S. District Court and the Environmental Protection Agency, which require the city’s Water & Sewer Commission to end so-called combined sewer overflows in four locations, it’s unclear when the work will be complete.
When there’s heavy rain, the waste sometimes exceeds the capacity in the sewer lines and makes its way into the sea, streets and basements.
Allen Phillips, program coordinator at MEPA, who co-hosted Tuesday’s meeting, said there’s a very high threshold to get free cash. Storms must cause at least $10 million in uninsured losses.
“We are still reviewing the information from home and business owners, but there’s a very low likelihood that we will meet that threshold,” he said. “The storm was a very local event and did not even impact the entire city.”
Still, Phillips said a much lower bar has been met for low-interest Small Business Association Disaster loans that are made available to homeowners as well.
If 25 or more people or businesses experienced 40 percent uninsured losses, they can apply, he said.
“The SBA loans have to be paid back,” he said. “It’s to give people something to get back on their feet, but they still have to qualify. We are trying to do what we can, but our hands are tied as well.”
Mayor Judith Flanagan Kennedy said it’s important for homeowners and business owners to come forward and let MEMA know about the losses they experienced.
“We will put out another effort through social media and on the city’s website to see if there were others who sustained damage,” she said. “Once we get to the $10 million mark, we will ask the governor to have the feds declare it a federal disaster and clear the way for grants to homeowners and businesses.”
Gordon Hall, president of The Hall Co., owner of the newspaper’s offices on Munroe Street which were flooded, said the newsroom suffered $75,000 worth of damage.
“We are well capitalized enough to have started the renovation immediately, but that’s not the case for all owners,” he said. “This is a real hardship for some.”
