St. Louis still struggling to rebuild six months after deadly EF-3 tornado

Six months after an EF-3 tornado ripped through St. Louis, killing five people and causing an estimated $1.6 billion in damage, parts of the city are still littered with broken windows, blue tarps and homes that haven’t been touched since May.

Missouri Sen. Josh Hawley has already warned that tornado-damaged communities cannot rebuild without strong federal involvement.

In St. Louis, residents say they are still waiting for the help they were told.

GOP SENATOR SAYS FEDERAL GOVERNMENT ‘WOULD HAVE TO PLAY A BIG ROLE’ AFTER TORNADOES RAVE THE MIDWEST

A home in St. Louis partially collapsed after the EF-3 tornado in May, leaving bricks and debris piled up along the street. (FOX NEWS)

Benjamin Anderson has lived in one of the hardest hit neighborhoods for seven years and owns several rental properties in the area. When the storm hit, he was at work a few miles away.

“I was bombarded with about 37 text messages from my dad with pictures of our buildings. Totally…some of them were literally totally destroyed,” he said, adding that one of his multi-unit buildings suffered six figures worth of damage. “After spending a year and a half putting your heart and soul into a building…it was not a fun experience to come back to.”

He said the turnaround process has been slow and confusing, even for someone familiar with contractors and insurance systems.

“I applied for FEMA five times on 4 or 5 different properties. And we were denied every time,” Anderson said. “I haven’t had anyone come up to me and say, I got a $10,000 check from FEMA, and this is really going to help me do these things.”

Millions of dollars in federal aid have been approved for Missouri storm survivors, including temporary housing assistance and low-interest SBA loans, according to FEMA. But the agency noted in an October recovery update that many applications require follow-up documentation and some denials are later overturned on appeal.

The tornado tore the roof and upper floors off this St. Louis building, leaving exposed beams and debris behind. (FOX NEWS)

On the ground, residents say the needs exceed the aid.

Anderson said some neighbors have already left indefinitely, so contractors can work, while others don’t know where to start. While walking around the neighborhood, he encountered a man who was still camped outside their house because the house was boarded up and had no electricity.

At the same time, some tried to take advantage of the situation.

“There were people passing through the neighborhood on the same day … kind of like opportunistic roofers and windows,” Anderson said, adding that he turned down a man with Florida license plates who offered to put a tarp on his roof for $2,000.

He later saw similar tarps on other homes and worried neighbors paid up out of fear.

TORNADOES DAMAGE THOUSANDS OF HOUSES PER YEAR: HERE’S WHAT TO DO IF YOURS IS ONE OF THEM

Not everyone has lost their home entirely, but many are going through a long and confusing recovery.

Owner Misty Williams considers herself lucky, but she still feels the pressure.

“Everything is fine. We had some damage to our house,” Williams said. “Thank God, you know, it was as minor as it was. My heart goes out to the people, you know, it’s a total loss.”

Boarded up windows and a shredded tarp remain on this St. Louis home six months after the tornado, showing how much work remains unfinished. (FOX NEWS)

Still, she said the money they received doesn’t cover everything. “Sometimes the cost of repairs far exceeds the amount you are given,” she said.

Williams said she is hopeful about a new city program called STL Recovers, which helps tornado survivors determine what assistance they qualify for and how to begin repairing their homes.

Experts say the emotional impact is often strongest after six months.

“Six months after a significant natural disaster is an important psychological time,” said Dr. Joshua Klapow, a clinical psychologist. “Six months, if you will, is often the end of the adrenaline rush. And now we’re tapping into much deeper resilience efforts.”

He said survivors often feel more exhausted months later than they did right after the storm. “Individuals often feel like they don’t have the strength to continue,” he said. “This is the time when those feelings of sadness and loss can really hit.”

Winter conditions can make this even more difficult. “Cold temperatures, less daylight… when you’re also trying to get your life back together, both of those things can get worse,” Klapow said.

A tent is set up in the yard of a storm-damaged St. Louis home, where someone appears to be camping on the property months after the tornado. (FOX NEWS)

In St. Louis, residents like Anderson just hope the next six months will be different than the last six.

“There are still people sleeping outside and it’s starting to get cold,” he said. “Hopefully their situation will be resolved so that maybe they can get some help…to get back inside this winter.”

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

City leaders recently announced an expanded rebuilding effort, including a temporary housing and shelter program unveiled by Mayor Cara Spencer, aimed at helping families who still can’t return home six months after the storm.