Governor Gretchen Whitmer Directs $28 Million in Federal Disaster Aid for Storm Survivors

LANSING, MI — Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer announced that federal and state disaster assistance for residents recovering from severe April tornadoes and catastrophic flooding has surpassed $28 million, providing direct housing and property repair grants to more than 4,500 households in Branch, Cass, Kalamazoo, and St. Joseph counties.

Delivering Immediate Housing Stabilization and Home Repair Aid

The funding packages include $16.8 million in FEMA Individuals and Households Program (IHP) housing repair grants, $8.2 million in U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) low-interest physical disaster disaster loans for homeowners, and $3 million in state emergency public assistance. The grants help families replace destroyed structural roofs, replace submerged electrical panels, and reconstruct homes without incurring high-interest commercial debt before the August 31 application deadline.

Governor Whitmer stated that the state is standing with Michigan families every step of the way as they rebuild their lives and communities following severe weather.

County Emergency Management and Community Foundations Support

Kalamazoo County Emergency Management praised the mobile Disaster Recovery Centers for expediting insurance appeals for rural residents.

Michigan housing non-profits noted that federal repair grants prevented displacement of low-income families.

FEMA Assistance Deadline

Eligible disaster survivors must submit applications to FEMA or the Michigan State Police Emergency Management Division by August 31, 2026.