Nearly 2 weeks after flooding, Austin residents still left out to dry
CHICAGO (CBS) – Austin residents are still cleaning up almost two weeks after flooding and many are growing frustrated with the lack of answers.
Some of them spoke to CBS 2's Sara Machi about their situation.
They said while they've lived in Austin all their lives, they've never seen anything like the damage due to the recent flooding. They had hoped Gov. JB Pritzker's disaster declaration would mean help was coming, but they still can't get anyone to call them back.
One homeowner showed CBS 2 the mess left behind in her basement. She didn't want to share her name or show her face because she works for the City of Chicago, and she feels frustrated by the lack of answers from her own employer.
She said she filed a report with 311 after finding all her possessions floating in waist-high water in her basement.
Her washing machine, hot water tank, and furnace were all ruined.
She's out thousands of dollars for the lost materials she uses for a side business. She said the automated message told her to expect more information from 311 in a few days, but nearly two week later, nothing.
"This has been a complete disaster and we have no one to tell us or give us direction on what's to come," the woman said. "Somebody say something! Nobody's saying anything."
CBS 2 reached out to the Illinois Emergency Management Agency (IEMA) about the governor's disaster declaration. The agency said in part, "The only immediate funds available post-disaster are affected individuals' own money, private insurance, local governments and non-government organizations (NGOs)."
IEMA said no local municipalities have asked for resources or assets related to the July 2 flooding. CBS 2 asked Mayor Brandon Johnson's Office, which said it did ask and is gathering more information. The city said it will host a cleaning supply giveaway as the public library in West Garfield Park on Saturday.
The city also said it's sending about 300 workers to the Austin area to assess the damage and help with cleanup.