By Paul Tuthill
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/wamc/local-wamc-978811.mp3
Springfield, MA – Anticipating that hundreds of people living in tornado damaged homes in Massachusetts will need to move in the coming weeks and months, the Patrick administration is putting more money into rehousing efforts WAMC's Pioneer Valley Bureau Chief Paul Tuthill reports..
The state will put two point five million dollars into the on-going effort to help people displaced by the June 1st tornado. Department of Housing and Community Development Undersecretary Tina Brooks says the funds will go to support dozens of government agencies, non profit organizations and community groups that have been at the forefront of the disaster recovery.
The money comes from the 15 million dollar supplemental budget for the tornado emergency response that Governor Deval Patrick signed in June.
Officials say new housing was found for more than 400 people who had been staying at emergency shelters operated by the Red Cross. But FEMA estimates that 200 renters who did not go to an emergency shelter will need to find new apartments. Officials say many of these people made temporary living arrangements, but will find out their homes won't be repaired anytime soon, if at all. Also, officials believe some homeowners will soon discover they don't have the money to repair or rebuild.
Peter Gagliardi, the president of HAP Housing, the non profit that has taken the lead in the re-housing effort, says its very important to help people move to new housing before winter comes.
Officials reported Friday that about a thousand homes in the 39 mile long path of the tornadoes were left uninhabitable. Thousands more require some degree of repair. More than 39 hundred people have registered with FEMA for assistance.
Housing specialists started working days after the June First storms to locate vacant apartments and secure donations of furniture, appliances and bedding. The city of Springfield'sHousing Director Gerraldine McCafferty says the city's experience in working with the homeless was applied to the disaster response
One of the people who is moving soon into a new apartment is Juan Guerrero of West Springfield, whose wife, Angelica was one of the three people killed by tornadoes..
Angelica Guerrero died from injuries she sustained shielding her 15 year old daughter in a bathtub, as their three family apartment house collapsed.