The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) will not offer federal assistance to Nappanee after last month's tornado.

It destroyed 50 homes and damaged more than 400 other homes and businesses. FEMA says the damage wasn't severe enough, but the city isn't giving up.

Some homes in Nappanee are already being rebuilt or repaired with insurance following the October 18 tornado. But work has not started on others that were damaged in the twister.

The city had hoped it would received a disaster declaration — a move that would prompt FEMA to grant federal assistance to help rebuild the homes. But it was not to be.

“Obviously they didn’t have good news for us, and I think it’s even hard for them to tell people, ‘Well at this point you don’t qualify for any federal assistance,’” said Mayor Larry Thompson.

But the city can start an appeals process to change that decision, and plans to do that with the help of state and federal lawmakers.

“We’re still going to work with Mark Souder’s office, and Jackie Walorski, Bill Friend, some of our state representatives that said they would help us,” Thompson explained.

Bill Anglin's home was damaged by the tornado and since demolished. He could benefit from the federal assistance.

“Our insurance was one of the better ones,” Anglin said. “They’ve been good, but yes there’s a lot of out-of-pocket expense involved here.”

He says he was one of the fortunate ones to have enough insurance to cover the costs of building a new home on the lot where his home once stood.

Some homeowners have not been as lucky.

“[They’re] still waiting on answers if their house is actually going to get rebuilt, or torn down, or what to do,” Anglin said.

The city plans to meet with tornado victims next week to see who needs the most help. Those meetings will be held at the Nappanee Public Library Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.