Only 30 Days Left to Apply for Assistance
Release Date: September 1, 2006
Release Number: 1656-015
» More Information on Ohio Severe Storms, Straight Line Winds, and Flooding
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Individuals and businesses affected by the severe storms and flooding of July 27 through August 4 have 30 days to apply for state and federal disaster assistance before the September 30 deadline. More than 5,800 residents in the designated counties of Ashtabula , Geauga, and Lake have applied for assistance and more than $15.7 million in grants and low-interest loans have been approved.
Following is an update of recovery activities from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Ohio Emergency Management Agency (Ohio EMA) as of close of business Wednesday, August 30.
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5,802 individuals (homeowners and renters) from the declared counties have applied for assistance.
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$8.1 Million in federal and state grants have been approved to date for applicants through the Individuals and Household Program. (This assistance may be used for temporary disaster housing assistance; repairing disaster-damaged, uninsured homes to a safe, sanitary and functional condition and replacement grants for serious, disaster-related needs and expenses not covered by insurance or other assistance programs.)
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$7.6 Million in U.S. Small Business Administration low-interest disaster loans have been approved.
- 5,034 disaster loan applications have been issued by the SBA, including 4,577 for homeowners and renters and 457 for businesses. SBA officials encourage anyone who has received an application from the SBA to submit it in as soon as possible in order to avoid delaying other forms of possible assistance.
Assistance Still Just a Toll-Free Call Away
Federal and state officials urge anyone who suffered damages or loss from the severe storms, straight line winds and flooding from July 27 through August 4 to apply for assistance by calling the FEMA toll-free registration number 1-800-621-FEMA (3362) or TTY 1-800-462-7585 for the speech or hearing impaired. The lines are open 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily until further notice. Individuals also may register through the Internet at www.fema.gov . The deadline to apply for assistance is September 30.
SBA Disaster Loan Assistance Centers Available
There are five (5) SBA Disaster Loan Assistance Centers, at which SBA representatives are available to answer questions and help individuals complete their low-interest loan applications. A FEMA representative also is on site to answer FEMA-related questions. The SBA loan centers are open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. (except for the Eastlake and Painesville centers that will close at 4:30 p.m.). All SBA loan assistance centers will close for the Labor Day holiday Monday, September 4.
Northwest Ambulance District
1480 S. Broadway (State Route 534)
Geneva, OH 44041Lakeland Community College East
201 Water Tower Drive
Madison , OH 44057
Mentor Senior Center (West Entrance)
6313 Center Street
Mentor , OH 44060First Congregational United Church of Christ
22 Liberty Street
Painesville , OH 44077
On Sept 5, this center will relocate to:
Lake County Administrative Building
Election Department
105 Main Street
Painesville , OH 44077
(Hours are 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Mon. Fri.)Eastlake City Hall Building
35150 Lake Shore Boulevard
Eastlake, OH 44077
(Hours are 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Mon. - Fri.)
SBA offers disaster loans up to $200,000 to repair disaster-damaged primary residences. Homeowners and renters are eligible for up to $40,000 to replace damaged personal property such as furniture and clothing. Loans to businesses of all sizes and private nonprofit organizations up to $1.5 million are available to repair or replace damaged real estate, machinery and equipment, supplies and inventory. Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDLs) are also available to small businesses unable to pay bills or meet operating expenses because of the disaster.
FEMA manages federal response and recovery efforts following any national incident. FEMA also initiates mitigation activities, works with state and local emergency managers, and manages the National Flood Insurance Program. FEMA became a part of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security on March 1, 2003.
Last Modified: Tuesday, 05-Sep-2006 08:28:22