Hundreds of Residents Look for Help on How to Repair Flood Damage

Rockford, IL - Nearly 160 homes and businesses are left severely damaged after Labor Days flooding. Those property owners have been cleaning all week and are now worried about how to move forward with repairs. Brandy and Clint Robbins live on 6th Ave. in the Churchill Park neighborhood, one of the areas hit hardest by the storm. Their basement was flooded with six feet of water. "All of the stuff, it`s just a total loss," says Brandy. "I don`t know what they`re going to do about the foundation. All of this crumbled, fell apart." Theyre worried about how to fix and replace everything since their insurance is limited. Thats why they joined about a hundred other residents whose homes are severely damaged in attending a public meeting on Thursday evening at the Stockholm Inn. Local leaders organized the meeting to make sure those home and business owners dont get taken advantage of by questionable contractors. About 15 experts were on hand to answer questions and offer advice. Some tips they mentioned are: call the Better Business Bureau to verify the legitimacy of a company, dont pre-pay, get a second opinion, and finance through a bank or state loan program.