Flooded streets in Chicago are pictured on July 2, 2023. (Paris Schutz / WTTW News)

President Joe Biden issued a disaster declaration Tuesday for Cook County, making residents whose homes and businesses flooded during severe storms between June 29 and July 2 eligible for federal relief.

Mayor Brandon Johnson thanked Biden for responding to calls for help from Chicago officials.

“West Side residents and other Chicagoans impacted by July’s flooding will now continue to get the assistance and resources needed for recovery,” Johnson said in a statement posted to X, once known as Twitter.

Gov. J.B. Pritzker and Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle had already issued disaster declarations, making residents and business owners eligible for local aid.

More than 8,000 Chicagoans called city officials to report their basements flooded as a result of deluge, which dumped nearly 9 inches of rain on Chicago on July 2, officials said.

Assistance includes grants for temporary housing and home repairs, low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses, and other programs designed to help individuals and business owners recover from the effects of the disaster, officials said.

Chicago’s West Side bore the brunt of the fury of the July 2 storm that also caused widespread flash flooding and delayed NASCAR’s Chicago road race through the streets of downtown, with at least 8.12 inches of rain falling in Garfield Park between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. By comparison, 3.35 inches of rain fell at O’Hare International Airport, on the city’s Far Northwest Side, according to the National Weather Service.

Residents and business owners who sustained losses in the designated areas can apply for assistance online at disasterassistance.gov, by calling 800-621-3362 or by using the FEMA App.

Contact Heather Cherone: @HeatherCherone | (773) 569-1863 | [email protected]