Alabama Gets Money to Help Tornado Victims

MANDEL NGAN/AFP/Getty Images

Laurie Lee (second from right) and her family sit at the site of her tornado-wrecked home in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, May 1, 2011.

MONTGOMERY, Ala. -- Alabama has up to $8 million to help families still trying to repair or replace homes destroyed by the deadly tornadoes in April 2011.

The director of the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs, Jim Byard, said Thursday the money is from a federal grant. Owners of single-family homes in 30 counties affected by the storms on April 15 and April 27, 2011, can receive up to $25,000 each.

"Although it has been nearly a year and a half since these storms struck, many Alabamians are still hurting and need help," Byard said.

(MORE: Surviving the Tuscaloosa Tornado)

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Sontonia Stephens, director of supportive services for the Community Services Programs of West Alabama, said the money is needed because some people didn't access aid that was available immediately after the storms. She said some were still in shock from losing family members or they lacked the education needed to fill out the forms.

She said her group is working with churches and other groups to make sure people find out about the new aid and have help preparing the application forms.

Jack Green, chief outcome officer with the Community Action Partnership of North Alabama, said the new aid will help homeowners who didn't apply for assistance immediately after the tornadoes because they had homeowner's insurance, but later they found out they were underinsured for today's building costs.

Byard said some families that lost their homes have enough income to make monthly mortgage payments on a new home, but they need help with the down payment, which the grant can provide.

The April tornadoes killed more than 250 people in Alabama and destroyed 6,237 houses and 1,275 mobile homes, according to the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

(MORE: Alabama Tornadoes -- Before and After)

Alabama has received $10 million from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development for housing. Byard said $6 million to $8 million will be available to owners of single-family homes. The remaining money will be used for multi-family housing.

He said the priorities for funding are low-income residents, the elderly and disabled, households with children, and displaced persons.

The counties covered and the agencies to see for applications are:

• Community Action Partnership of North Alabama (855-469-3267) for Colbert, Cullman, Franklin, Lawrence, Limestone, Marion and Walker counties.
• Community Service Programs of West Alabama (205-752-7254) for Greene, Pickens, Sumter and Tuscaloosa counties.
• Alabama Rural Coalition for the Homeless (1-888-421-1266) for Autauga, Blount, Calhoun, Cherokee, Choctaw, Clarke, DeKalb, Elmore, Etowah, Hale, Jackson, Jefferson, Madison, Marengo, Marshall, Perry, St. Clair, Shelby and Talladega.