Hundreds still homeless from November floods in Whatcom County

It may be three months after the devastating November floods that caused $100 million of damage in Whatcom County, but Sumas, Everson, Nooksack, and other nearby communities are still reeling.

Whatcom County Emergency Manager Kyle Christiansen said that nearly 2,000 homeowners and business owners reported damage — and to this day, hundreds of people remain displaced by the floods.

“We’ve seen some areas of town where probably over half the people still haven’t moved back into their homes … because they don’t have the money to rebuild, or they’re waiting on contractors because there is a shortage of materials and people to do the work,” he said.

Many of those people, Christiansen said, did not have flood insurance, so they simply cannot afford to repair their homes right now. He explained that FEMA Individual Assistance is providing, on average, about $5,000 per family, but that does not go very far when a person’s house is so badly damaged that they can’t live in it.

“Some people, it could be over a year before they’re back in their home,” Christiansen said.

While some residents have been able to stay with friends and relatives, others have had to live in hotels for the past three months.

“We have over 100 people in temporary housing, and because of the lack of housing in Whatcom County, they’re staying in hotels,” Christiansen said.

They are not paying out of pocket for those hotels, but it is a bit of a race against the clock. Up until now, the hotel stays have been covered by state emergency funds. However, Christiansen said those funds will run out on April 30 — too soon for the people likely to be displaced for the rest of the year.

“We’re working hard with our partners to try to find more permanent houses for these families as that deadline approaches,” Christiansen said.

People who want to help can donate to the Whatcom County Long-Term Recovery Group. Go to whatcomstrong.com to learn more. Christiansen said the funds collected go directly to the displaced families.

“It’s still very real for people up here. People are going through different stages of emotion,” Christiansen said. “It’s been over three months since the floodwaters hit, but people forget that there’s still a lot of hurting people, and the best way to support them is to help them on a case-by-case basis to try to endure and get back to a sense of normal life.”

Skagit County is also suffering from the impact of the floods. The Skagit Valley Herald reported in December that around 150 homeowners and 20 businesses reported damage, totaling about $15 million.

This story was originally published by MYNorthwest.

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