It could take weeks or months for Harpswell residents and business owners who suffered property damage in January’s back-to-back storms to learn how much, if any, financial assistance they’ll receive to help them rebuild.
Any federal aid would be contingent upon a disaster declaration by the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Gov. Janet Mills took the first step by declaring a state of civil emergency for coastal Maine on Jan. 11, but no federal determination had been made as of Wednesday, Jan. 24.
According to FEMA, it only provides funds for basic work to make a home livable, including items such as toilets, roofing, critical utilities, windows and doors. As of the federal government’s current fiscal year, the maximum amount of financial assistance available is $41,000 per property for home repair. FEMA issues grants that don’t need to be repaid.
Businesses and nonprofits in federally declared disaster areas generally aren’t eligible for FEMA grants but often can qualify for low-interest disaster recovery loans through the U.S. Small Business Administration.
Meanwhile, several local and state organizations and businesses have stepped up to raise funds and recruit volunteers to help those most affected by the two storms, which struck primarily on Wednesday, Jan. 10, and Saturday, Jan. 13.
As of Thursday, Jan. 18, the town of Harpswell had nearly completed reporting its infrastructure damage to the Maine Emergency Management Agency, said town Fire Administrator Michael Drake.
Drake said Harpswell suffered at least $200,000 worth of damage to public infrastructure. The town dock at Potts Point was destroyed, he said, and some public roads sustained damage.
Emergency management officials were still working to develop an official estimate of Harpswell’s private property damage from the storms. Drake said that information would be shared with the public as soon as it’s available.
The storms left many beaches and roads covered with rocks and debris, in Harpswell and all along the Maine coast. Drake said it would take some time to organize cleanup efforts to return the local environment to its prior state.
“There’s some volunteer organizations that have reached out to the town to bring people down and help residents clean up,” he said, “but right now, we’re kind of in a waiting phase to see what government resources we can pull in, or nonprofit resources, and stuff like that.”
Private damage severe
Based on his own observations, Drake said it would likely cost millions of dollars to fix all the storm-related damage to coastal homes and waterfront structures in Harpswell.
Local and state officials have urged property owners to report any storm-related damage to their insurance companies and the Maine Emergency Management Agency. They also said property owners who hope to receive aid should document all repair work and keep receipts for any purchases related to the repairs.
Only those who pay for federal flood insurance should expect to file a successful insurance claim for storm-related flooding, experts said, although wind-related damage would be covered by a typical homeowner policy.
“When it comes to homeowners’ insurance coverage and storm damage, property damage to the home caused by wind, tree strike, fire and lightning would be covered,” said Dave Phillips, a spokesperson for State Farm.
That includes damage to the home and other structures on the property such as a detached garage, carport, pool or fencing, Phillips said.
“However, flooding is not covered,” he said. “This would require a flood policy issued by the National Flood Insurance Program.”
According to FEMA, only 1.3% of Maine properties had federal flood insurance as of 2021.
Storm damage to a cottage on the east side of Bailey Island, Jan. 10. (Daniel Hoebeke photo)
Another issue relevant to Harpswell is that seasonal homes, which comprise almost 40% of the town’s housing stock, are far less likely than primary homes to be eligible for federal grants if FEMA declares a disaster.
But such properties, as well as long- or short-term rentals, might qualify for subsidized, low-interest disaster recovery loans through the Small Business Administration, state officials have said. Roughly 20% of Harpswell homes are rentals, according to recent estimates by the Midcoast Council of Governments.
Select Board Chair Kevin Johnson has been building a list of residents whose properties took major damage, including those who lost wharves.
He said fewer Harpswell wharves were destroyed than in the infamous storm of February 1978, but that the recent storms still managed to take out several.
Henry Allen’s Seafood, on Lookout Point, suffered substantial damage to its wharf, as did two wharf owners on Mackerel Cove — Scott Wyman and Norm Dobransky, Johnson said. So did Frank Bichrest, of Cundy’s Harbor.
“Lord knows how many private wharves went,” Johnson said.
Dave Conrad, owner of the Driftwood Inn on Bailey Island, said his property also sustained damage in the storm. Four buildings were damaged, including surfside windows, lattice work, walls and roof shingles.
“A two-bedroom cabin floated and was moved about 10 feet,” he said.
Conrad said he has “some insurance,” as well as workers who can easily handle jobs such as roof repairs.
Locals rally to help
Several businesses and organizations in and around Harpswell have organized efforts to help those affected by the storms, either by raising money or gathering volunteers to help with cleanup, repairs and recovery of lost property.
The Maine Coast Fishermen’s Association has been gathering and disseminating information about resources available to commercial fishermen affected by the storms.
“This includes mental health resources, as well as the availability of goods and services to begin rebuilding Maine’s working waterfront,” the group said in an announcement. “Visit mainecoastfishermen.org to learn more or to donate to our Working Waterfront Support Fund.”
Harpswell Aging at Home, a group of about 400 volunteers who help the town’s older residents, organized a sale of soup and baked goods on Tuesday, Jan. 23, that raised more than $3,000 to be split between the Working Waterfront Support Fund and the Harpswell Santa Fund.
“We still have more money coming in — that was just from today,” said LeAnne Grillo, a member of Harpswell Aging at Home’s Steering Committee. “We know that there are more donations to come.”
Grillo said about 60 volunteer cooks contributed 200 pints of soup and dozens of breads, muffins and other baked goods to the fundraiser.
Cook’s Lobster & Ale House on Bailey Island said it plans to host a fundraiser on Saturday, Feb. 10, as well as set up a GoFundMe page for storm relief. More information is available on the eatery’s Facebook page.
The business said it also is serving as a collection site for valuable debris washed up by the storms and is trying to help reunite lost items with their owners.
The nonprofit Island Institute said it is expanding its Business Resilience Grant program to help marine businesses recover from the impacts of January’s coastal storms.
It said grants of up to $5,000 are available for working waterfront businesses that directly support fishing and aquaculture on islands and in fishing-dependent communities impacted by the storms. More information is available on the group’s website.
The Quahog Bay Conservancy, which cleans up debris after storms, said it is seeking volunteers to help with cleanup efforts.
Cleanup activities are conducted on foot and by boat, it said, and collected debris is safely disposed of and sorted at a recycling facility. To volunteer, email office@quahogbay.org or call 207-522-1105.
Grillo, of Harpswell Aging at Home, said many of the volunteers who showed up at the group’s Jan. 23 fundraiser were grateful to have an opportunity to help their neighbors in need.
“Harpswell is a resilient and caring community with lots of people who want to lend a hand,” she said.
Have a comment or news tip? Email J. Craig Anderson at craig@harpswellanchor.org.
