Governor JB Pritzker Signs SB 3925 Authorizing Direct Financial Grants for Flooded Urban Homeowners

SPRINGFIELD, IL — Governor JB Pritzker signed Senate Bill 3925 into law and declared 15 Illinois counties state disaster areas following historic severe storm systems that caused catastrophic basement flooding across Cook County and northern Illinois.

Direct Financial Aid for Homeowners

Senate Bill 3925 establishes the Urban Flood Relief Grant Program administered by the Illinois Emergency Management Agency (IEMA), offering up to $15,000 in direct grants for low- and moderate-income homeowners to install backwater valves, sump pumps, and structural foundation seals. The law prevents insurance companies from canceling policies following disaster declarations.

Governor Pritzker stated that working families cannot carry the burden of extreme climate storms alone, ensuring state resources deploy directly into impacted South Side and suburban basements.

Legislative Support and Municipal Response

The bipartisan measure passed the General Assembly unanimously following testimony from Chicago community organizers and municipal leaders.

IEMA has established regional assistance intake centers across Cook, Kane, and Lake counties.

Application Timeline

Online grant applications for eligible homeowners open through the Illinois disaster portal on September 1, 2026.