Funded by a grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, DRAP is designed to fill the financial gaps left by federal aid such as FEMA assistance, offering direct cash relief for housing‑related expenses to households still struggling after the recent storms.
To qualify, applicants must be at least 18 years old, have lived in Chicago during one of three defined flood periods—June 29‑July 2, 2023; September 17‑18, 2023; or July 13‑16, 2024—and have household income at or below 80 percent of the area median income. Priority will be given to residents of five zip codes on the West Side that suffered the most damage and to adults over 60.
The program was announced at a community meeting in West Garfield Park on Tuesday, where Alderman Jason Ervin (28th Ward) joined representatives from the nonprofit Northwest Center and the Department of Family and Support Services to explain the application process and answer questions.
Applications can be submitted through an online portal managed by DFSS on a rolling basis until the $15 million fund is exhausted. Officials emphasized that the deadline is tied to funding availability rather than a fixed calendar date.
Angela Fontes, executive director of Northwest Center, said DRAP is intended for residents who either did not qualify for FEMA aid or received only partial assistance. "The intent here is to fill the gap between the financial hardship you might have experienced and whatever other assistance," she explained, adding that those who received small business loans or limited FEMA help remain eligible.
Longtime West Side resident Sanchez Odumburgin recounted how her basement flooded in 2023, leaving mildew and debris that FEMA would not cover because her income exceeded the agency’s threshold. After additional damage from the 2024 floods, she expressed cautious optimism that DRAP could finally address the lingering health and safety concerns in her home.
Community organizer Princess Shaw, who founded the nonprofit Light Up Lawndale, warned that the $15 million allocation may not be sufficient for the scale of loss. "People’s homes were devastated… People lost millions of dollars worth of things and memories," she told Block Club, urging city officials to replenish the fund once it is depleted.
Mayor Brandon Johnson used the forum to urge all flood‑affected residents to apply, noting that each application helps demonstrate the true scale of need and strengthens the city’s case for additional disaster resources in the coming months.
The DRAP rollout follows a broader state effort, as Governor J.B. Pritzker has asked FEMA for additional assistance for eight counties hit by recent tornadoes, high winds and flooding, and has extended Illinois’s disaster proclamation for another month to keep emergency resources flowing.