Ala. gets $8M to help tornado victims

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) - Alabama has up to $8 million to help families repair or replace homes that were destroyed by tornadoes that hit central and north Alabama in April 2011.
    
The director of the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs, Jim Byrad, said Thursday the money is from a federal grand. Owners of single-family homes can receive up to $25,000 each.
    
Three organizations that serve the damaged regions - the Alabama Rural Coalition for the Homeless, the Community Services Program of West Alabama, and the Community Action Partnership of North Alabama - will take applications.
    
Officials with the agencies said the money can help people who didn't know how to access aid immediately after the killer tornadoes and people who had insufficient insurance to rebuild or repair.