1.) FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency)

Role & Positive Impacts

  • Provides Funding to help families affected by repeating flooding and other disasters
  • Supports relocation for residents living in homes that flood consistently
  • Funds projects designed to prevent future flooding and improve long term safety

How Residents Access FEMA Funds

  • Residents can apply directly at disasterassistance.gov to request disaster relief support.

2.) HUD (U.S Department of Housing and Urban Development)

Role & Positive Impacts

  • Helps residents rebuild or relocate to safer areas after disasters.
  • Purchases homes in repeatedly flooded zones and converts the land into open green space to absorb water and reduce flooding.
  • Supports community rebuilding and infrastructure improvement.

HUD Programs that support Cahokia Heights

  • Main Disaster Recovery Program

Funds can be used for:

  • Home repairs
  • Home buyouts
  • Rebuilding public Facilities
  • Improving drainage systems

Section 108 Loan Guarantee Program

  • Allows for local governments to borrow against future CDBG (Community Development Block Grant) funds
  • Typically used to rebuild major infrastructures, housing developments, and community facilities after disasters

How Residents Access HUD Support

  • Residents receive help through local programs funded by HUD disaster recovery dollars.

3.) Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

Main focus areas

  • Water quality
  • lead pipe contamination
  • Sewage overflow communication and management

Impact on Cahokia Heights

Pros

  • Increased transparency about water safety and contamination
  • Improved public alert systems that can warn residents faster about unsafe water or sewage overflow
  • Pressure on local and state officials to upgrade water and sewer infrastructure for long term health protection

Cons

  • Lead pipes and sewer leaks still pose a major health risks until fully replaced
  • Delays in communication between local and federal agencies can leave residents unsure about water safety
  • long history of contamination causes many residents to distrust government testing and reporting

4.) U.S Army Corps of Engineers

The U.S Army Corps of Engineers works on major flood control and drainage projects that local governments cannot complete on their own. Their goal is to reduce flooding and improve sewer systems.

How Their Work Helps Residents

  • Improves drainage systems so neighborhoods flood less often after heavy rain
  • Repairs and upgrades aging sewer lines, reducing sewage backups into streets and homes

Specific Projects Relevant to Residents

  • Trunk Line Replacement Project:

Expands and repairs the main sewer “trunk line” that carries wastewater out of neighborhoods

reduces sewage overflow into yards, streets, and basements

Helps stabilize the entire sewer system so future rainstorms cause fewer backups

  • Flooding-Reduction Planning

USACE studies flood patterns in Cahokia Heights to identify which neighborhoods are hit the hardest

They create long term plans to redirect water, and flood storage areas, or rebuild levees where needed.