Flood damage is seen in Long Lake on the morning of July 11. (Enterprise photo — Arthur Maiorella)

People whose homes were damaged by severe flooding across the state last month may be eligible for grants of up to $50,000 for “urgent repairs.” Eligible homeowners can apply for funding starting Friday.

Gov. Kathy Hochul announced up to $3 million in emergency assistance on Wednesday for low- and moderate-income homeowners in eight counties, including Clinton and Essex counties.

The program’s website can be found at hcr.ny.gov/ahc-flood-assistance-program.

The grants are for people whose primary residences were directly damaged by the flooding to cover the cost of “urgent repairs necessary to bring their home into a safe and habitable condition.” These repair costs must not already be covered by any other federal, state or local recovery program funds, or any third-party insurers.

“The program is not intended as a substitute for insurance,” according to the AHC Flood Assistance Program webpage.

The money is designated for people with incomes at or below 80% of the area median income. The 2022 AMI in Essex County was $61,563 in 2021 dollars, according to Census data. Eighty percent of that AMI comes to $49,250. The 2022 AMI in Clinton County was $62,470 in 2021 dollars, according to U.S. Census data. Eighty percent of that AMI comes to $49,976.

Applicants are asked to support their claims with photographs, videos, receipts or other evidence, “to the extent practicable.”

The state Homes and Community Renewal will oversee the program, and local non-profit organizations will be in charge of reviewing and approving the applications.

“Eligible work may include repair or replacement of electrical and plumbing systems, heating systems and appliances, flooring, drywall, insulation, windows, doors, siding and roofing,” according to a news release from Hochul’s office.

A full list of qualified repairs and eligibility criteria are available on the HCR flood program website.

Though there’s a long list of potential uses for the money — from appliances to foundations — bridges and driveways are not included, which doesn’t do much to help Long Lake residents Bruce and Nadine Jennings who are taking the long way to get to their home.

“My home wasn’t damaged, but my bridge was,” Bruce said.

Their driveway was connected to Route 28N by a steel and concrete bridge built over a brook in the 1960s. The bridge was hit sideways by water that overflowed down the road after a culvert upstream got plugged. The water pushed the bridge’s abutments right off its foundation, according to Bruce.

The Jennings would still be largely stranded if not for their neighbors, who are letting them take the quarter-mile hike through their backyard to get into town.

“I’ve got to do a lot of walking,” Bruce said.

Wthout a driveway, he’s a little worried about emergency access to his property.

“If I had a fire, I’d be burned down,” he said.

“Her grant doesn’t do me much good,” Bruce said of Hochul. “I won’t vote for her anyway.”

But the community has rallied around residents impacted by flooding — like the Jennings — through online fundraising platforms like GoFundMe.

A GoFundMe campaign set up on July 12 to help the Jennings rebuild their bridge at tinyurl.com/bdf46vxz had raised $26,460 as of Wednesday. Bruce said he is thankful to everyone who has donated. With the money, they’ve been able to get the materials they need. Now, with permits and plans in place, they’re just waiting for the 28N to be fixed to start work on the bridge.

Bruce said their neighbor Valerie Galvagni can probably use the grant. Her home was hit with a major stream of water and mud, which flooded the first story of the house and left sediment up to the bottom of her windows.

A GoFundMe campaign for Galvagni at tinyurl.com/2hracfu3 was created on July 11 and has raised $82,557 as of Wednesday.

“Essex County is enormously grateful to Governor Hochul for the additional resources,” Essex County Chairman Shaun Gilliliand said in a statement. “Our large county suffered quite widespread and pointed damage effects in numerous towns and hamlets. Essex County is not alone with New York State at our side as we face these increasingly unprecedented meteorological events.”

“We welcome the needed aid and are grateful to the governor for this much needed assistance to our home owners,” Clinton County Legislature Chairman Mark Henry said in a statement. “And we look forward to working with New York State and the Governor to obtain additional aid to our municipalities from the July flooding events.”