Payments to renters complicated for Cedar Rapids

CEDAR RAPIDS - Handing out City Hall payments to renters who lost possessions in the June 2008 flood will be harder than first thought, Drew Westberg, special assistant to the city manager, told the City Council Budget Committee last week.

Westberg told the committee that he anticipated that 2,000 renters will apply to get up to $4,000 each. The money will come from the city's localoption sales tax revenue.

However, Westberg estimated that 40 percent of the requests may be 'more complicated' to quickly honor because the city will ask for documentation – for instance, a lease agreement – or any evidence of a rental arrangement at the time of the flood before handing out money.

Westberg said the city also intends to check to see if renters were living in upper-level apartment units actually impacted by the flood. All of those receiving funds must have received earlier federal disaster payments.

Westberg said the plan is to begin taking applications from renters by Dec. 1. Renters should call (319) 540-4819.

By the end of October, the city had handed out $13.6 million in grants of up to $10,000 each to floodimpacted homeowners for lost personal possessions.