A fund seeking to help Salt Lake City residents affected by last month’s flooding is getting a significant boost from one of Utah’s more prominent families.
The Larry H. & Gail Miller Family Foundation announced Thursday that it’s committing $100,000 to the Westside Flood Relief Fund, launched days after over two dozen homes in the Westpointe area were flooded amid record rainfall in the city.
Larry H. Miller Real Estate also announced it has committed up to $25,000 in donated materials for home repairs. All of the new funding is currently being distributed, according to the foundation.
“Our hearts go out to the families and neighborhoods impacted by this destructive flooding,” said Don Stirling, executive director of the Miller Family Foundation, in a statement. “The west side is an essential part of our community, and we’re grateful for the partnerships and efforts to help residents recover and rebuild.”
Flooding was reported as 2.61 inches of rain fell in 14 hours between Oct. 3 and Oct. 4, with the latter ending up the second-wettest day in city history since the National Weather Service began tracking data in 1874. A drainage canal near the Willow Place community overflowed into homes, yards and roads, leaving some with over a foot of water in their basements.
Many of the affected residents are either blue-collar workers or have retired after spending decades in the neighborhood, and many of them had flood insurance denied, said Salt Lake City Councilwoman Victoria Petro, whose district includes Westpointe.
Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall declared a state of emergency on Oct. 7, the same day that the Westside Coalition created the relief fund. It sought to raise $100,000 to help affected residents but had collected a little over $6,500 in a month before Thursday’s announcement.
The Westside Coalition, which advocates for multiple neighborhoods on the city’s west side, is “grateful” for funding, said Dan Strong, the organization’s president.
“Funds like these allow us to provide immediate relief, help residents repair their homes and fortify our west side neighborhoods,” he said.