Dealing with Flood Damage

FOR INFORMATION ON FLOODING RESOURCES, CALL OUR FLOOD INFORMATION HOTLINE AT
636-255-6100

Flood damage attacks a structure in several different ways. Floodwater damages the materials that the building is constructed of. Mud, silt, and contaminants saturate everything that floodwaters touch, creating a health hazard. And the moisture promotes the growth of mold and mildew. Cleaning up and drying the home or business out completely to correct these three conditions could take several weeks. But unless done thoroughly mold / mildew damage and odors will become long term problems. 

Quick Resources (as of 9/7)

Federal Disaster Declaration

The Governor’s request for a Federal Disaster Declaration (DR-4665-MO) associated with the July 25-28 flood event was approved on August 8, 2022. The disaster declaration opens the door for St. Charles residents to apply for a variety of types of assistance, including:

  • Housing Assistance for up to 18 months for displaced persons. Additionally, funding may be available for housing repairs and replacement of damaged items. 
  • Disaster Grants to help meet serious disaster related needs such as replacement of personal property, and transportation, medical, and other miscellaneous expenses. 
  • Low-interest Loans for homeowners and renters to cover uninsured losses. 
  • SBA loans for businesses for property loss and economic damages. Businesses can visit sba.gov or call 1-800-569-2955.
  • Other Disaster Relief including counseling, disaster-related unemployment, legal aid, etc. 

Information about these Individual Assistance (IA) Programs can be found at www.fema.gov/assistance/individual/program.

Starting Wednesday, August 10th, FEMA Disaster Survivor Assistance crews will begin canvassing affected communities affected by recent flooding. Click here for more information on FEMA canvassing crews.

Residents who sustained damage or losses due to flooding between July 25 and July 28 should apply for FEMA disaster assistance online at www.DisasterAssistance.gov, downloading the FEMA app, or by calling FEMA’s toll-free application line at 1-800-621-FEMA (3362). Those affected by flooding should document losses, including photographing damage and retaining receipts. The sooner residents register with FEMA, the sooner they may be able to receive assistance. Residents who have insurance should file a claim with their insurance company in addition to applying for FEMA assistance. FEMA cannot aid with losses already covered by insurance. If insurance does not cover all losses or is delayed, residents may be eligible for FEMA assistance regarding unmet needs.

Additionally, individuals with unmet needs and those who would like to help should contact United Way 211. Visit 211helps.org or call 2-1-1 for assistance. Recovery.mo.gov has general resources and information about disaster recovery in Missouri. The City of St. Charles has more flood recovery information available at www.stcharlescitymo.gov/1076/11639/Dealing-with-Flood-Damage

The City of St. Charles is offering curbside trash pickup until August 15 in impacted areas of the City. Residents should visit www.stcharlescitymo.gov/1078/Curbside-Service-for-Flood-Debris for information. 

The disaster declaration will also make available to the City of St. Charles reimbursement for emergency response and recovery costs, including repair and replacement costs for damaged infrastructure. 

Additionally, the following information may also prove helpful:

DR-4665-MO FEMA Web Page

FEMA Survivors' Road to Recovery PDF

El Camino del Sobreviviente Hacia la Recuperacion PDF

Post-Flood Recovery Steps & Tips

Homeowners with a basic knowledge of construction or electrical repair work may be more familiar with some of these terms or descriptions. For those not so familiar, hiring a contractor is recommended.  Regardless of skill level, this information will still be useful for understanding what needs to be done, what questions to discuss with your contractor, and what jobs you might feel comfortable taking on yourself.

  • While working in or around the residence, follow basic health and safety precautions.
  • Wear sturdy work shoes, pants, long-sleeve shirts, gloves and safety glasses.
  • Assume everything touched by floodwater is contaminated and will need to be disinfected.
  • Wash your hands frequently.
  • Contact your insurance adjustor. EVERYTHING will need to be documented. You will want to proceed promptly but be sure property condition and losses are properly documented before disposing of anything. 
  • Contact Community Development for permits and inspections. Post-flood building inspections may be necessary prior to any reconstruction commencing on the structure (do not remove carpet, cabinets, plumbing, electrical, remove drywall, etc)
  • Call the United Way 211 hotline for resources to assist with housing needs, including cleanup and mold remediation.
  • Call the Salvation Army at 636-240-4969 for cleaning supplies.
  • Missouri Baptist Disaster Relief helps people with cleanup. Call 573-556-0331 or 636-215-9246.
  • If you are in need of a food pantry, contact Sts. Joachim and Ann Care Service at 636-441-1302. Other helpful organizations include Harvester Christian Church (careteam@harvester.cc). 

Flood Damage Permit Requirements

As a property owner following recent flooding, residents and business owners must obtain local permits before repairing or rebuilding flood-damaged structures. These permits are required as part of local government participation in the National Flood Insurance Program. If you are not in a regulatory floodplain, permits may still be required.

Special conditions apply to substantially damaged buildings (those in which the total cost of repairs is 50% or more of the structure's pre-flood market value). If a building is found to be substantially damaged and in a regulatory floodplain, regulations require that repairs do not begin until compliance with local floodplain ordinance is demonstrated. 

Under the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), the Increased Cost of Compliance or ICC program may provide additional financial assistance up to $30,000 to either elevate or remove flood damaged structures from the floodplain.  Owners who have NFIP insurance coverage are eligible to receive ICC benefits if the local official determines that their structure is located in the floodplain has been substantially damaged by a flood.

Property owners, residents and business owners located in a regulatory floodplain and with flood-damaged buildings should contact John Boyer, Planning Manager/Floodplain Administrator at 636-949-3222 or via email at john.boyer@stcharlescitymo.gov for more information on inspections, repair and floodplain development permits.

Helpful Documents

6Z9A1661
6Z9A1751
6Z9A1706