Cameron, Hidalgo And Willacy Residents Eligible For Individual Assistance
Release Date: July 31, 2008
Release Number: 1780-001
» More Information on Texas Hurricane Dolly
McALLEN, Texas -- Homeowners, renters and business owners in three Texas counties who suffered damage or loss as a result of Hurricane Dolly now can register for federal and state disaster assistance.
Individual Assistance was added for Cameron, Hidalgo and Willacy counties after a review of damage assessments, according to officials from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Texas Governor's Division of Emergency Management (GDEM).
Residents of those counties can register on line at www.fema.gov or by calling toll-free 800-621-FEMA (3362). Applicants with speech or hearing impairments may call TTY 1-800-462-7585.
Disaster assistance for eligible individuals may include:
- Grants to help pay for temporary housing and home repairs to make a home habitable.
- Grants for serious disaster-related expenses not covered by insurance.
- Low-interest disaster loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) for homeowners, renters, businesses of all sizes and private non-profit organizations to cover losses not fully compensated by insurance.
Additional federal assistance was extended to state agencies, local jurisdictions and eligible nonprofit organizations for Public Assistance Category A, debris removal, in 15 counties: Aransas, Bexar, Brooks, Calhoun, Cameron, Hidalgo, Jim Wells, Kenedy, Kleberg, Nueces, Refugio, San Patricio, Starr, Willacy and Victoria counties.
President Bush declared a major disaster for Texas on Thursday, July 24, designating Public Assistance Category B, including direct federal assistance, for emergency protective measures taken by the state and local jurisdictions before, during and after Hurricane Dolly hit.
FEMA's Public Assistance program will reimburse 75 percent of eligible costs for debris removal and emergency protective measures, with the remaining 25 percent to come from state and local sources.
FEMA coordinates the federal government's role in preparing for, preventing, mitigating the effects of, responding to, and recovering from all domestic disasters, whether natural or man-made, including acts of terror.
Last Modified: Monday, 04-Aug-2008 09:18:43