When tornadoes rolled in and out of Connecticut on May 15, trees fell onto homes and debris littered yards and some homeowners faced costs up to $70,000 for tree removal without the Federal Emergency Management Agency's help.
On Tuesday, Senator Richard Blumenthal and Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro announced new legislation to change that.
They hope to have homeowners qualify for FEMA funding.
Now, FEMA can't give money to homeowners with trees and debris on their property after a natural disaster.
On top of that, the cost of debris removal can't be included in damage assessments.
The proposed legislation would require FEMA to consider debris removal when providing assistance and allow homeowners to qualify for funding.
After the tornadoes in May, the mayor even urged homeowners to turn in their receipts to his office and in August, Congresswoman DeLauro slammed FEMA's decision to deny individual assistance.
Local
The legislators believe a change of legislation could help those like Michael Blatchley, who had 80-foot oak trees topple onto his property in Hamden.
"If FEMA were to approve individual assistance, it would help me because hopefully I'd be able to take advantage of it. I've got the means, I've got the friends, I've got the access to the saws, the trucks, the equipment, it's my neighbors that don't. A lot of these people are elderly and this is really a hardship on them," Blatchley said.
Meanwhile, Hamden has officially stopped picking up debris from the tornado. City officials said anyone who continues to leave storm debris could be fined.
The mayor said he supports this bill and it would make a difference in how homeowners recover after disaster.
