Current Chicago residents who lived in the city during severe 2023 and 2024 storms and experienced financial hardship as a result of storm damage can now apply for up to $15,000 in one-time financial assistance through the City’s new $15 million Disaster Relief Assistance Program.
Today, Mayor Brandon Johnson and the Chicago Department of Family and Support Services launched the online application portal for a new Disaster Relief Assistance Program (DRAP) designed to support eligible Chicago residents most impacted by severe storm damage that occurred in the city during the summer and fall of 2023 and the summer of 2024. Current residents who lived in the City in 2023 or 2024 and experienced documented financial hardship as a result of storms that occurred from June 29-July 2, 2023; Sept. 17-18, 2023; and/or July 13-16, 2024, may be eligible for support. For more information and to apply, visit chi.gov/drap.
“Chicagoans who have suffered from severe storms deserve the support and resources they need to recover,” said Mayor Brandon Johnson. “For too many families, the financial impact does not end when the storm passes. This investment will provide direct relief to help residents with essential household costs and ensure that additional resources are reaching families still dealing with the impact of these storms.”
The Disaster Relief Assistance Program is a City-led initiative funded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) through the Community Development Block Grant – Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) program. The program is designed to help stabilize households by targeting critical gaps in support left unaddressed by other federal assistance programs and insurance following the 2023 and 2024 storms. DRAP will distribute $15 million in aid citywide; qualifying households may receive up to $15,000 in financial relief via reimbursement for documented expenses, which include rent or mortgage payments and utility payments.
Storm damage data gathered during and after the qualifying storms informed the development of a City of Chicago CDBG-DR Action Plan, approved by HUD on September 15, 2025. While residents citywide were impacted by the severe storms, winds and flooding and are eligible to apply for assistance, the areas hardest hit by the qualifying storms and in greatest need of repair and recovery investment correspond with zip codes 60644, 60651, 60639, 60641, 60624. Therefore, the DRAP application selection process has been designed to ensure targeted support in the areas identified as having been disproportionately impacted. It will also give weighted consideration to renters and seniors age 60 and up.
“We are proud to extend this new opportunity for assistance to households in need that were never made whole after experiencing storm-related financial losses in 2023 and 2024,” said DFSS Commissioner Angela Green. “Their needs have not been forgotten by City leaders, and today’s launch of the Disaster Relief Assistance Program is a testament to our commitment, especially to those areas and populations we know were hardest hit and most vulnerable.”
Applications for assistance will be accepted on a rolling basis. In order to qualify, applicants’ household income cannot exceed the max annual income limit, and applicants must provide documentation that demonstrates their storm-related financial hardship. For details on eligibility criteria, please visit chi.gov/drap.
Individuals and households who already received assistance through programs provided by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), other agencies, and/or insurance may still qualify for DRAP assistance by demonstrating remaining unmet household need.
