Press Release
The Utah and Carbon/Emery Association of Realtors are accepting flood relief applications from the victims of the Aug. 4 and Sept. 27 flash floods in Carbon County. The grants, which will be worth up to $750 per qualifying applicant, will provide mortgage or rental assistance to any individuals or families whose primary residences sustained damage as a result of the flooding.
“Realtors in Utah were deeply concerned when we learned about the challenges resulting from the flash floods,” said Rick Southwick, president of the Utah Association of Realtors. “Since then, we’ve been working to put together to fund a relief program so we can help the victims. Realtors are advocates for housing and we wanted to find a way to help these people with the loss that occurred to their homes.”
The Realtor organization encourages anyone whose primary residence was damaged in the flooding to apply for relief. Selected applicants will receive financial assistance to go toward one month¹s mortgage or rent payment, up to $750 per application. Applicants will need to describe or demonstrate evidence of loss or damage to their home or property as a result of the flooding. A review committee will consider all applications. Up to $25,000 in grants will be distributed.
For approved applications, the Realtors group will distribute funds directly to the victims’ landlord or lender. Victims can then use the money they would have spent on their rent or mortgage payment for costs associated with rebuilding.
The relief funding comes from the Utah Association of Realtors Housing Opportunity Fund and the National Association of Realtors Relief Foundation. Karen Martino-Basso, Carbon/Emery Board of Realtors president, and other community members have organized the funds to provide housing relief.
“Carbon/Emery Realtors saw a great financial need and have established a way to step in and help our friends and neighbors get back on their feet,” Martino-Basso said. “We appreciate the support we have already received from local emergency responders and volunteers, and we strongly encourage anyone affected by the flooding to apply for this valuable assistance.”
Martino Basso would also like to express her gratitude to those who helped make the grant possible. “I would like to give a huge hanks to those that helped get this grant for our local flood victims. Thank you to our local fealtors Frankie Sacco, Mary Bishop, Balynda Scovill, Mike Metzger and Irene Everett, our AE Kendra Marvidikis-Murray, UAR staff Karlie and Deanna and UAR President Rick Southwick as well as our emergency responders Jason Llewelyn, Tom Stefanoff, Whitney Waterfall and Angelia Mays Crowther,” she said.
Carbon County officials estimate the August flood alone caused $2.5 million in damage and affected 100 area homes.
Victims can apply for assistance at www.UtahRealtors.com/FloodRelief. The application deadline is Nov. 15, 2014. For more information on how to apply for a grant or how to donate to the flood relief effort, contact Karen Martino-Basso at (435) 650-4982.