Tempe residents are still reeling a month after a devastating microburst hit the city, inflicting damage on homes and businesses and displacing families. According to FOX 10 Phoenix, over a thousand structures were affected, and the reconstruction of the Sentry Tempe Apartments has left many, including a single mother named Desiree Blackburn, without a place to work or live.
Blackburn, who has been living out of a hotel with her daughter after her apartment building was condemned, expressed her predicament to FOX 10 Phoenix saying, "It feels like it's been longer because I work from home," and with the lack of a stable home, her ability to earn a living and continue her education has been hindered, she told the publication, her distress compounded by the fact that aid from the Red Cross has run out, and she is relying on faith as she attempts to rebuild her and her daughter's lives.
Meanwhile, Tempe Mayor Corey Woods has issued an emergency declaration, a move aimed at hastening the cleanup and unlocking funds to help the community recover, as reported by AZfamily. The emergency measure follows damage assessments on city properties and anticipates loans for uninsured losses for residents and businesses, depending on the extent of city-wide damages. Federal funding could also be issued.
With the city in disarray, over 550 units in apartment buildings and condos were damaged, and 130 people are now without a home, while 70 small businesses also bore the brunt of the storm, a detail shared by Tempe Fire Medical Assistant Chief Tony Butch in an interview with AZfamily. Business owners like autoshop proprietor Dale Sievwright and local mother Rebecca Davis are uncertain about their insurance coverage post-storm, a situation made more urgent as they face potential financial strains.
In the wake of the destruction, Tempe Community Action Agency, alongside Maricopa County officials, is calling for donations of food and hygiene products to aid the affected families. People interested in helping can find information on what items are needed and where to drop them off on their site. On the educational front, Tempe High School is still assessing the full extent of damage to its campus after experiencing a power outage and minor flooding, with hopes that power restoration will allow classes to resume shortly.
