Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds has sent a letter to President Joe Biden to request federal assistance for Scott County after the collapse of the Hotel Davenport Apartments on May 28. The request for an emergency declaration includes help with debris removal, demolition, reimbursement for response activities and technical assistance. 

The letter reads:  

“HSEMD has communicated the need for support with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), and the United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE). However, FEMA and the USACE have conveyed that, absent the issuance of a Presidential Declaration, they are unable to render assistance to support the State of Iowa’s ongoing response and recovery efforts, and NIST does not believe this collapse will meet their requirements for engagement.” 

The governor’s letter to President Biden can be read in its entirety here. 

Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds, center, talks with Davenport Mayor Mike Matson, left, while touring the site of an apartment building collapse, Monday, June 5, 2023, in Davenport, Iowa. The six-story, 80-unit building partially collapsed May 28. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)