Recent flooding in Durango and surrounding areas has left many homeowners facing costly repairs, prompting city officials to highlight two new resources aimed at helping residents recover.
According to the City of Durango’s website, the U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development’s Section 504 Home Repair Program is available to eligible homeowners whose homes were damaged by the floods. The program offers low‑interest loans of up to $40,000 with a fixed 1% rate that can be repaid over as many as 20 years. Homeowners aged 62 and older with very low incomes may also qualify for grants of up to $10,000 to remove health and safety hazards. In some cases, applicants can receive both a loan and a grant for a combined total of up to $50,000 in assistance.
To qualify, applicants must own and occupy the home, meet income requirements, be unable to obtain affordable credit elsewhere, and reside in an eligible rural area. Applications are accepted year‑round as long as funding remains available. Interested residents can request more information or begin the application process by emailing USDA Rural Development at [email protected], where additional eligibility details and application materials are provided.
In parallel, La Plata County, working with the Colorado Department of Local Affairs, has established a Disaster Assistance Center to help flood‑impacted residents access a broader range of services. The center is located in the La Plata County Fairgrounds Extension Building at 2500 Main Avenue, Durango, and will be open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday through Tuesday. Representatives from Region 9 Economic Development District, the Workforce Center, Public Health, La Plata County Department of Human Services, CSU Extension, Axis Health, Manna Soup Kitchen, and the Red Cross will be on hand to connect community members with employment assistance, health resources, food support, and other aid.
Residents can find additional flood‑related information on the La Plata County website at www.lpcgov.org/flood. The Disaster Assistance Center provides a one‑stop location for those who have been evacuated or whose employment has been disrupted by the flooding.
What’s next: The Disaster Assistance Center will operate Saturday through Tuesday, 9 a.m.‑4 p.m., at the fairgrounds extension building. Homeowners seeking repair funding should contact USDA Rural Development via email to begin the application process while funds are available. For further questions, the city’s Public Information Officer, Tom Sluis, can be reached at (970) 375‑5090.
Sources: durangoco.gov, durangoco.gov
