Flood Victims Struggle With Solutions, Lack Of Funds
DENVER (CBS4)- Gov. John Hickenlooper will decide in the next few days whether he will call in state lawmakers for a special session to deal with the flooding. In the meantime thousands of residents are struggling with how they will recover.
On Thursday, Gov. Hickenlooper authorized another $65 million for flood recovery efforts.
While there is money coming in to rebuild roads and help those who are trying to rebuild and repair their homes, those who lost everything are faced with no real long-term solution.
Whatever that solution may be will become critical for thousands of flood victims. The rushing water and mudslides destroyed homes not protected by flood insurance or under protected by flood insurance and those homeowners may be left with nothing.
"We had a shortage all across the affected areas or rental housing so that's an issue that's been raised. We don't have enough information to know where we'll be in two months," said Hickenlooper.
In two months FEMA aid will run out. That could put people who lost everything in the flood back into an impossibly tight rental market in Colorado where availability has become scarce and rental prices have skyrocketed because of demand.
Hickelooper admitted he doesn't know how the state will handle flood refugees if the housing crisis isn't solved by December.
"We're certainly going to move Heaven and Earth to make sure people won't be left out in the cold come Dec. 1 because winter is coming," said Hickenlooper.
Colorado Floods: How To Help
The recent floods are impacting families and communities throughout Colorado, so CBS4 has compiled a list of ways you can support the local communities impacted by the floods.
