Extra help on horizon for King County residents recovering from bomb cyclone

Two King County Council members are calling for action that would help residents recover from a bomb cyclone that downed trees and power lines last week, leaving hundreds of thousands in the dark and mangling homes.

King County Council members Sarah Perry and Reagan Dunn proposed legislation that, according to a news release from the council, focuses on two major challenges for residents who suffered the worst.

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First, the legislation calls for expedited permits from King County for home, farm and business repairs caused by the storm, with the cost of the permits absorbed by the county.

Second, King County would be directed to expand its grant program for residents who incurred out-of-pocket living costs because of a multi-day power outage. For example, the cost of fuel for generators, short-term hotel expenses, spoiled food, dump fees and tree and branch removal, among other storm-related costs.

“East and Southeast King County residents have suffered for almost a week without power and many have had to clear their own property of storm damage to access their homes or leave their homes for basic needs,” Dunn said via the news release. “Helping these residents is a fundamental responsibility of King County government, and these actions will make an immediate difference for those families.”

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Perry noted several families are uninsured and don’t have the money to pay for repairs.

“There are a number of county residents who are uninsured or underinsured who do not have any way to repair their homes or remove fallen trees,” she said. “We need to help these folks make repairs so they can recover from this cyclone and move on with their lives. In addition to our residents, I am particularly concerned with our farms and small businesses in East and Southeast King County who need our help. It’s our job to be there for them.”

According to the news release, the legislation will be introduced to the King County Council Tuesday on an expedited basis. It will then be referred to the council’s Committee of the Whole for an early December hearing.

Julia Dallas is a content editor at MyNorthwest. You can read her stories here. Follow Julia on X here and email her here.