Federal, local officials give Selma tornado recovery update

Federal and local officials gave an update on progress being made on long-term recovery efforts from the January 2023 tornado during a briefing at City Hall on Monday.

FEMA leaders as well as Rep. Terri Sewell met with Selma department heads in council chambers to share information on efforts to rebuild the historic city after an EF2 tornado ripped through the center of town on Jan. 12, 2023.

Sewell listed funding that has come into Selma for recovery, including $24 million in federal funds, which includes $7.4 million reimbursed to the city from FEMA. The total FEMA funds to Dallas County of $22 million including public and individual assistance.

The congresswoman also toured Old Live Oak Cemetery, Bloch Park on the west side of Selma to Lannie’s restaurant in east Selma. Sewell said recovery efforts made at many locations showed progress on both sides of Selma.

“We saw development going on on both the west side and the east side of Selma and find that all of us feared an uneven recovery and perhaps that having a level recovery was a dream since some people were insured and a lot of people were not. But the reality is we’re leaving no one behind,” Sewell said.

The update focused on three priorities the city has focused on: replacing housing, preparing for economic development and rebuilding infrastructure.

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Mayor James Perkins Jr. reports that 40% of residential properties were significantly damaged or destroyed, and many of those were rental properties where landlords decided not to rebuild. That has caused a housing shortage, but Perkins points to the new public-private development of homes on Washington Street as a partial solution.

The development built by Neighborhood Assistance Corporation of American in partnership with Selma Housing Authority and the Black Belt Community Foundation already has five new homes with plans for 27 total.

“You can’t look at what’s there now and presume that’s what will be there later,” Perkins said of the area from Broad Street to First Avenue and JL Chestnut to the bypass. “You will see the vision of what we’re talking about. Newly paved roads and curbing. New homes and remodeling what’s there and salvageable … this is hope achieved.”

There is also a strategy to help more Selma residents become homeowners by using Section 8 vouchers usually used to pay rent to pay a mortgage instead, Perkins said.

“It’s a transformative strategy and a model for rest of the world,” Perkins said. “We want it to be right, legal and scalable so it can be transferred to other micropolitans like ours.” 

The city has previously announced funding for repaving 59 blocks of downtown Selma and Disaster Area 1 with a $2 million grant from the Delta Regional Authority. Selma Water and Sewer Board got $15 million to replace contaminated pipes that have lead downtown. That is moving into construction.