PRESS RELEASE
Mayor Gavin Buckley
Public Information Office
160 Duke of Gloucester Street
Annapolis, Maryland 21401
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Media contact: Mitchelle Stephenson, 410-972-7724 or mwstephenson@annapolis.gov
Good News for Annapolis - Governor Hogan Directs State
to Activate Programs for Tornado Recovery
ANNAPOLIS, MD (October 15, 2021) - On Friday morning, Mayor Gavin Buckley was pleased to receive a letter from Governor Larry Hogan announcing that the state of Maryland will make financial resources available through the Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) to residents and businesses in the aftermath of the tornado that struck Annapolis on September 1, 2021.
“This is the good news we’ve been waiting for,” said Mayor Buckley. “It means the funding is being released and we couldn’t be more pleased to be facilitating this for our residents who need it after the terror of the September 1 tornado spawned by Tropical Storm Ida.”
On September 1, an EF2 tornado touched down in the Parole community, destroying homes and businesses in an area between Aris T. Allen Blvd. and West Street, and Chinquapin Round Road and Hicks Avenue. At the end of September, Governor Hogan sent a request to President Joe Biden to declare areas of Annapolis, Anne Arundel County and Cecil County a federal disaster area. That request was supported by the entire United States Congressional delegation, but was denied by President Biden in early October. The disaster declaration would have released funding and cooperation with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
The denial prompted City officials to seek relief from the state. Mayor Buckley sent a request to the Governor on Monday, October 11 and the request was answered on Friday, October 15. In the coming days, the City of Annapolis Office of Emergency Management (OEM) will know more about how Annapolis residents and businesses can take advantage of the up to $4 million in direct DHCD assistance for all three jurisdictions.
Simultaneous to the release of grant and loans to the three jurisdictions, Gov. Hogan also requested the federal Small Business Administration (SBA) to make a physical disaster declaration, which would make available low-interest loans and other resources available to businesses impacted by the storm.
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Letter from Governor Hogan attachment.