Mills County Emergency Management officials said Tuesday, that in the regular meeting of the Mills County Board of Supervisors (Board) held on February 4, 2020, the Board signed an application to be submitted to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for funding, under the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program, on the property buyouts for the unincorporated area of Mills County. The total cost of the project is $17,342,050.00.

In conjunction with the application, the Board also signed a resolution authorizing the local match of fifteen percent (15%) for the project, or $2,601,307.50. Seventy-Five percent (75%), or $13,006,537.50, of the funding will be federal funds and the remaining ten percent (10%), or $1,734,205.00 will be funded through the State of Iowa. Mills County officials anticipate the application will be submitted to FEMA later this week. Local authorities expect a 30 to 60-day time frame for FEMA to review, process, and award the funds to Mills County.

Local match funds are expected to be provided through a Community Development Block Grant and other funding sources instead of the Flood Recovery Fund as originally planned.
On February 6, 2020, local officials and engineers will be meeting with members of the Iowa Flood Board in Des Moines to discuss and identify time sensitive projects located within the various levee and drainage districts in Mills County.

The Interim Mortgage Assistance Program is still active and available to those qualified individuals in need of assistance. Officials encourage those qualified individuals in need of assistance to fill out the application on the Mills County Flood Page or in person at the Mills County Auditor’s Office to begin the process. As a reminder, property owners must provide a mortgage statement from the lender, a forbearance letter (if applicable), and tax and/or insurance statements if not paid through an escrow account, along with any other correspondence with the mortgage holder that shows a need for assistance.

Qualified property owners should contact Southwest Iowa Planning Council (SWIPCO) by email at SWIPCO@swipco.org or by telephone at 1-866-279-4720 if they have any questions.