7 homes destroyed by July 20 flooding

Staff report

WARREN

Kinsman residents without flood insurance whose homes were badly damaged or destroyed by the July 20 flooding will not qualify for federal low-interest loans, Linda Beil, Trumbull County Emergency Management Agency director, told county commissioners Tuesday.

Beil said seven homes were destroyed by the flooding, five had major damage and 12 had minimal damage. Four farms had crop damage.

She said the 12 that are either destroyed or received major damage are not enough to qualify the township for federal assistance.

A home qualifies as destroyed if, for example, there was a failure of two or more major structural components, such as collapse of the roof, load-bearing walls, basement walls and/or foundation.

A home that is in “imminent danger threat of collapse due to impending landslide, mudslide or sinkhole,” also would qualify, according to a Federal Emergency Management Agency document Beil provided.

Examples of homes that had major damage would be ones with failure or partial failure to structural elements, such as the roof, walls or foundation, FEMA says.

Meanwhile, Beil and the county engineer’s office have passed on estimates of road and bridge damage in Kinsman to the Ohio Emergency Management Agency in hopes of securing FEMA grants to pay for them, she said.

County Engineer Randy Smith said updates regarding efforts to restore the Kinsman Lake Causeway will be provided at a 6 p.m. Thursday meeting at the Kinsman Township Hall. Smith said, however, there is “nothing new on funding.” Legislators and others have been trying to find government funding sources to replace the structure.

A part of the earthen embankment and road on top of the causeway washed out during the storm, leaving residents of 21 homes in the Lakelands neighborhood without a way to get in or out of their neighborhood.

Early this month, residents were assisted in getting to their homes through another way to check on their properties.