FRANKFORT, Ky. — Nine months after tornadoes ravaged through western Kentucky, more than $95.7 million in federal assistance has been provided by the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the U.S. Small Business Administration to support disaster recovery. That figure includes more than $15.8 million in housing assistance and other essential disaster-related needs, and more than $59.3 million in SBA low-interest disaster loans for homeowners, renters and businesses. 

What You Need To Know

  • More than $15.8 million has been provided in housing assistance and more than $59.3 million in Small Business Administration low-interest loans

  • Currently, 80 families are participating in FEMA’s Direct Temporary Housing program and 12 families have moved out of temporary housing

  • FEMA teams continue to be actively engaged in the area to help with long-term recovery needs

  • Officials have projected the recovery will take years

FEMA announced the updated totals in a news release on Thursday, including updates on the ongoing recovery efforts in the area.

Sixteen counties were designated for federal assistance under FEMA’s Individuals and Households Program: Barren, Caldwell, Christian, Fulton, Graves, Hart, Hickman, Hopkins, Logan, Lyon, Marion, Marshall, Muhlenberg, Ohio, Taylor and Warren. Currently, 80 families are participating in FEMA’s Direct Temporary Housing program in six designated counties: Caldwell, Graves, Hopkins, Marshall, Muhlenberg and Warren. 12 families have moved out of FEMA’s temporary housing and into their permanent housing.

Through the SBA, there have been 647 loans approved for homeowners, renters and businesses for nearly $59.4 million. 585 of those loans were for home loans, totaling more than $50.2 million, and 62 were for business loans, totaling nearly $9.2 million.

Twenty-three counties are eligible for Public Assistance: Barren, Breckinridge, Bullitt, Caldwell, Christian, Fulton, Graves, Grayson, Hart, Hickman, Hopkins, Logan, Lyon, Marion, Marshall, Meade, Muhlenberg, Ohio, Shelby, Spencer, Taylor, Todd and Warren.

Under FEMA’s Public Assistance program, communities get help with the cost of repair, rebuilding and emergency work including reimbursements for debris removal, damaged roads and infrastructure.  For Kentucky, President Biden authorized 100% federal reimbursement for a 30-day period for eligible emergency work.

The program has 692 total projects, with 241 projects obligated, and has provided more than $20.6 million in reimbursements.

FEMA recovery teams are still actively engaged in western Kentucky, identifying and assisting with long-term recovery needs. They are providing economic workshops and disaster housing recovery fairs to assist survivors.

Tornadoes ripped through more than 200 miles of western Kentucky last December, killing over 90 Kentuckians and displacing 800 more. Cities and towns in their path were almost completely leveled, and officials project the recovery could take years. 

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