MILWAUKEE, Wis. (WTAQ) - Federal inspectors are taking a fresh look at 300 homes in Milwaukee County that were damaged by floods almost 6 weeks ago.
Those homes were not taken into account when the Federal Emergency Management Agency refused to grant disaster relief to individual homeowners. The new damage was uncovered in surveys taken after FEMA rejected the individual relief.
Most of the damage was in basements, and FEMA says it gives more consideration to damage above the ground. But Mayor Tom Barrett says many Milwaukeeans have living quarters in their basements – along with furnaces and other home essentials. And the mayor says he hopes FEMA will realize that.
Barrett, Governor Jim Doyle, and Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker have all promised to appeal FEMA’s rejection of individual aid. Grant County had a similar rejection, and the agency is also getting a look at some homes there. The two counties did get disaster relief for public facilities that were damaged, like roads and bridges.
