Western Washington windstorm victims may qualify for disaster and tax relief. Here's what to know
In the aftermath of a windstorm that toppled trees and cut off power to hundreds of thousands of people in Puget Sound, King County officials are asking anyone who suffered property damage to report their losses and associated costs. The county aims to use that information to help secure disaster assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
The county’s Emergency Management Department created an online damage survey to help residents record their damage.
People with home and property damage from last week's storm can also apply for property tax relief.
“Property damaged or destroyed by something beyond the property owner’s control is eligible for a reduction of assessed value, resulting in lower property taxes,” King County officials said in a press release.
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The reduction applies if a damaged property is reduced in value by more than 20%. If taxes on the affected property have already been paid, a portion of that money can be refunded.
On Monday, King County Councilmembers Sarah Perry and Reagan Dunn introduced legislation to help residents in east and southeast parts of the county who were impacted by the windstorm. The proposed legislation would speed up permitting for damaged homes, farms, and businesses. It also calls for expanding a grant program to reimburse residents who had unexpected expenses related to the storm, such as fuel for generators during power outages, hotel charges, and tree and branch removal.
“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,” Perry said in a prepared statement. “We need to help these folks make repairs so they can recover from this cyclone and move on with their lives.”
Meanwhile, officials in Snohomish County launched an online survey Dec. 2, to help residents report damage from high winds that swept through the area Nov. 19.
“We want to do everything we can to make sure people who experienced storm damage that may be qualify for federal assistance get the opportunity to report those losses,” said Lucia Schmit, the county’s director of emergency management.
Because the county did not sustain as much damage as King and Snohomish counties, Pierce County's damage assessment call center was not activated, according to county officials.
But the county maintains an active website where residents can report damages to their property.
Editor's Note: This story was updated Wednesday, Nov. 27 to include information from Pierce County, and again on Monday, Dec. 2, to add new details about the Snohomish County online survey.
