Building permits signal halfway point in Joplin recovery

As of the final week in December, at least half of Joplin property owners who were affected by the May 22 tornado have filed permits with the city to rebuild or repair their homes, according to a city news release

Joplin city officials are hailing the statistic as a benchmark for storm recovery.

"We are making remarkable progress in the rebuilding effort," said City Manager Mark Rohr in the news release. "While I'd like to thank our partners at the state and national levels who have provided assistance, the spirit and determination of our residents has been the driving force in our recovery. The commitment they have made to staying and rebuilding in Joplin is inspiring."

The city is encouraging home and business owners who haven't begun making repairs or rebuilding to take advantage of several resources to get started. The city has a published list of programs and organizations on its Web site that provides everything from assistance getting a mortgage loan, making repairs to homes or acquiring funding to offset the cost of reconstruction.

Additionally, the city is celebrating the addition of two new programs to that roster, including Rebuild Joplin and the USDA Rural Development's Section 502 Direct Housing Loan.

Officials say the city is actively pursuing additional resources by working with new groups and organizations in an ongoing effort to bring these programs to Joplin.[[In-content Ad]]