Cincinnati will create a grant fund for businesses damaged by back-to-back flooding along Madison Road and Hyde Park Square, Mayor Aftab Pureval confirmed at a July 23 press conference. No dollar amount, eligibility criteria, application process, or announcement date has been disclosed.

The day before, Pureval told WVXU the city's emergency declaration relaxes procurement rules so money can move faster. He issued that declaration July 22, covering the period from July 17 through September 15 and enabling the city to pursue state and federal support.

At the same Thursday press conference, City Manager Sheryl Long confirmed the Madison Road floodgate on Duck Creek failed to close automatically during the July 17 storm and remains stuck on manual operation with no repair timeline. Long said even a functioning gate would have protected only about 40 properties because water rose within 45 minutes.

The Metropolitan Sewer District received about 1,500 calls for potential sewer backups. Of 900 investigations completed, 500 properties qualified for the city's sewer backup program, which covers cleanup costs. Business owners can file sewer backup claims at msdgc.org/sbu or by calling 513-352-4900.

MSD Director Diana Christy said at the press conference that fixing the flooding problem in Hyde Park would require a long-term, coordinated effort.

"It is very expensive. So, we also have to consider what our community can afford," Christy said.

The fund would target businesses like Neko Sushi, Dovetale Bakery, Poeme, Zip's Cafe, VV The Italian Experience, and The Crystalary, all of which closed or sustained damage after 5 to 6 inches of rain fell in roughly an hour on July 17. A second storm hit July 22, re-flooding many of the same properties while cleanup crews were still on-site.