News - Jan Tornado recovery update - Tornado recovery update

Six months after a tornado swept through North Minneapolis and caused widespread damage, more than $25 million in repair work to homes and businesses is complete or under way. The City of Minneapolis and its partners have been working to help people recover from the disaster; from debris cleanups and helping residents make repairs, to planting trees and providing counseling for people struggling with the storm’s aftermath.   

Approximately 3,600 properties were affected by the May 22 tornado. Since that time, many property owners have made repairs—so far, more than 2,600 permits have been issued for more than $25 million worth of tornado-related construction, with around 40 new permits being issued each week. 

At the end of September, the City identified more than 250 owner-occupied homes that still had exterior damage. The top priority for the City and its partners has been to work with every homeowner who wants to stay in their home and to make sure they have the resources to make repairs. 

The City has secured more than $2 million in resources to help property owners with repairs from the May 22 tornado. These resources include $1 million in QuickStart funds and more than $1 million in rehabilitation support programs, both from Minnesota Housing Finance Agency. So far, 50 homeowners have either received QuickStart loans, for a combined total of $175,000, or are being assisted through the application process. In addition, the neighborhood organizations representing the areas most impacted by the storm committed $240,000 from the Rebuilding Our Communities Fund to assist with the cost of roof replacement. 

The City, the Northside Community Response Team and neighborhood organizations have door-knocked at hundreds of properties to connect with residents, learn about their needs, and provide connections to resources. The Northside Community Response Team has a tornado hotline at 612-787-3730 where people can call to ask questions and find out what help is available to assist in the tornado recovery.