Commissioner Frank J. Aguilar Welcomes Over $96 Million in Federal Housing and Urban Development Funds for Cicero (Cook County, IL) – More investment is on the way! In response to the intense storms and subsequent flood damage that the Town of Cicero and the surrounding communities experienced during the summers of 2023 and 2024, more funding is being allocated. The Federal Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced that the Town of Cicero will receive $96,004,000 to combat storm and flood damage.
This funding is separate from an additional $244 million distributed by HUD to Cook County as a whole, which will provide relief for homeowners, businesses, and residents who experienced hardships and damages from the summer storms.
“We all remember the challenges those storms caused our community. But even through the damages, I saw the incredible resiliency of our residents – neighbors helping neighbors, first responders, and local leaders all working hard to get residents some relief,” said Commissioner Frank J. Aguilar. “This funding was only possible due to the tireless efforts, communication, and collaboration of so many officials. Thank you to President Biden, HUD officials, Congressman Garcia, President Preckwinkle and County EMRS Director Ted Berger, and especially President Larry Dominick and all Cicero officials and first responders.”
This funding was due to the quick actions of all leadership and first responders that allowed for a massive effort to collect data on damages incurred through this storm. Township, Chicago, State and Federal Officials stayed in communication with Commissioner Aguilar and his office, who served as a hub between officials, to effectively relay information to residents, working together to ensure that people had their immediate needs met, their damages documented, and their applications for relief submitted.
“On behalf of Cicero Town President Larry Dominick, we are so grateful to everyone for their work in helping secure these funds. Thank you to our Federal partners at HUD for working together for the Town of Cicero in securing these funds,” said Cicero Town Clerk Maria Punzo-Arias. “We all know that this funding is very much needed to remediate the flooding issues that impacted Cicero and surrounding areas. We will make sure this money is put to good use, working with our department of HUD to follow guidelines, and keep residents informed. Thank you to everyone who made this possible – including Commissioner Aguilar, Congressman Garcia, and State Rep. Lisa Hernandez. This was a team effort!”
Through the collaboration and communication of all parties, including residents, to document the all damages, Commissioner Aguilar, President Preckwinkle, and President Dominick were able to make a strong case to the federal government for specific additional resources, knowing that this was an accurate reflection of further needed assistance. Due to the massive efforts of all parties to collect accurate data, requests for aid were expedited, leading to, among other avenues of funding, the $244 million Cook County received and the $96 million the Town of Cicero received through HUD.
“These federal disaster recovery grant funds represent a transformative investment in the future of Cook County’s communities,” said Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle. “As we face the increasing impacts of severe weather fueled by climate change, these funds will allow us to make critical improvements in affordable, flood-resistant housing, stormwater infrastructure and other projects that enhance our resilience. Cook County remains committed to working alongside our municipal, state and federal partners to recover from past disasters – and to build stronger, safer and more prepared communities for the future.”
This funding allows Cook County and Cicero to not only further address the damages from the previous storms and flooding, but also prepare for future major weather events, making sure residents and their homes and businesses have the tools needed to be protected. Commissioner Aguilar will continue to serve as a central hub, working closely with local leadership to make sure all necessary support is documented, applied for, and used successfully.
This is just one more step on the continuous road of bringing life-changing funding to our residents throughout Cook County, looking ahead to the next challenge, and making sure everyone is safe and protected.
Commissioner Frank J. Aguilar Welcomes Over $96 Million in Federal Housing and Urban Development Funds for Cicero
