The Salt Lake City Council voted Tuesday to set aside $50,000 to assist families displaced by a water main rupture in the Poplar Grove neighborhood, according to a report published October 12. The funds are intended to support temporary relocation, the stabilization of damaged properties, and case-by-case repair assistance.
The allocation comes two months after a broken water main inundated 15 homes in the neighborhood. This funding is separate from individual property-damage claims currently being processed through the city’s Risk Management office. According to the city, the $50,000 is limited and intended to complement, rather than replace, the standard claims process. Money may be used for relocation, stabilization, rehabilitation, or repairs depending on each family's specific circumstances and the remaining funds.
Individual claims are managed by the Risk Management division within the City Attorney’s Office. A third-party contractor prepares estimates using actual cash value, which accounts for depreciation under city code. While city officials are reviewing appraisals with homeowners, they declined to disclose the number of estimates provided or the range of those estimates. A release is signed once a homeowner and the city reach an agreement.
Currently, five homes remain unoccupied. Assistance has been offered to all five families: one family is in housing coordinated by the city and the Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT), two families are staying on-site, and two are staying with relatives. Austin Shavanaux, the son of resident Willa Mae Graham, is staying in an RV provided through UDOT after previously sleeping in a tent beside a shared trailer.
The flooding has caused significant structural damage for some residents. Willa Mae Graham reported that her home is unsafe, with floors and walls collapsing. A structural engineer inspected the property on Wednesday but could not determine if it can be repaired or must be rebuilt. Graham noted that an appraisal sent to her partner, Tom Newman, estimated $36,000 for repairs, which she believes is insufficient to cover necessary work such as installing a new foundation.
