Lack of money leaves some storm-damaged Jefferson City properties in limbo

Just over four months after an EF-3 tornado left hundreds of buildings damaged, Jefferson City is still trying to figure out what is next.

Larry Burkhardt with the Jefferson City Building Regulations Department said the city has been in contact with residents whose property was deemed unsafe, making sure they have a plan.

The city has issued 13 demolition permits because of the May tornado, and Burkhardt said that number continues to grow. The department has also issued 170 building permits in relation to storm damage since May. He said the department has been lenient with property owners because he knows it can be a hard and emotional decision.

Burkhardt said the city has sent out two notices to the affected areas, but has still not heard back from some property owners.

“In the next month or two, I anticipate ramping up efforts to get things moving,” Burkhardt said.

He said dealing with these properties has been “more of an art form” as the city has never had to deal with anything like this before. He said a lack of funding and having to prioritize post-storm work will lengthen the timeline of cleaning up some properties.

Rena Kuster, the owner of Mid-Missouri Earth Movers, said her company has demolished four properties damaged in the May 22 twister.

She said getting a demolition permit takes about two to three weeks because of the strain on city government resources.

“The city wants it to be ‘park-like’,” Kuster said. “They don’t want anything dangerous left, no big holes, no ravines, they want it seeded and strawed, the ground to be nice and firm and so if (the property owners) don’t build again at some point, it’s a safe place for kids to be on.”

Kuster said this is not an easy process for anyone, and some property owners can’t afford demolition.

Kuster spoke about one couple in particular her company worked with to demolish the house.

“They’d raised their four kids in this home and then it was taken out,” Kuster said, “They are rebuilding and they are OK but it was really hard.. it’s hard to see that and it’s hard to hear the stories and to know their memories have just been wiped out.”