Weekly Update: Recovery Continues In Florida
Nearly $12 million in aid disbursed as state rebounds from Tropical Storm Fay
Release Date: September 18, 2008
Release Number: 1785-044
» More Information on Florida Tropical Storm Fay
ORLANDO, Fla. -- More than 13,000 people have asked the Federal Emergency Management Agency for assistance following Tropical Storm Fay and the widespread flooding that dumped up to 17 inches of rain in parts of Florida in August.
To date, virtually all of the more than $10 million approved from FEMA's Individuals and Households Program is now in the hands of homeowners and renters in stricken communities.
The U.S. Small Business Administration has also approved nearly $1.8 million in low-interest, disaster loan applications for homes. Another $66,800 was approved for businesses.
In the last week, nine counties were added to the list of areas eligible for Individual Assistance, which makes available federal programs to help individuals and households with disaster-related loss or damage recover from a disaster. A total of 19 counties are now eligible for this aid. The counties are: Baker, Brevard, Collier, Duval, Glades, Hendry, Jefferson, Lake, Lee, Leon, Marion, Nassau, Okeechobee, Orange, Polk, St. Lucie, Seminole, Volusia and Wakulla.
A total of 39 counties are now eligible for the full range of FEMA's Public Assistance program that reimburses local and state agencies and certain non-profit agencies for the expenses and damages that occurred during the response and recovery phase of the disaster. Manatee and Sarasota counties were added to the list of eligible counties impacted by Fay for Public Assistance earlier this week.
Public Assistance grants are awarded to help pay for emergency protective measures such as police overtime, debris clearance to open vital roads and rights-of-way, removal of threats to public safety and permanent repairs to roads, public buildings, utilities and parks.
Fay's aftermath has brought more than 8,784 people to Disaster Recovery Centers throughout the state. Ten DRCs are currently open, with mobile centers scheduled to visit the recently declared areas this month. The DRCs provide a place for individuals and households to register for disaster assistance, talk with recovery specialists about their case, ask questions and learn about other programs that may be able to provide assistance.
A snapshot of week three:
- As of close of business Sept. 16, a total of 13,096 homeowners, renters and businesses from declared counties have applied for disaster assistance.
- Total assistance approved from FEMA's Individual and Households Program now stands at $10.05 million. Disbursed funds total $10.04 million or 99.8 percent of approved funding.
- The Individual and Households Program provides assistance in two main categories - Housing Assistance and Other Needs Assistance. FEMA approved funding to 3,149 applicants.
- Housing Assistance helps pay for emergency rental assistance, temporary lodging and housing repairs. Nearly $8.85 million in Housing Assistance was disbursed to 2,480 households.
- Other Needs Assistance helps cover personal property loss, medical costs and other serious disaster-related expenses not covered by insurance to individuals and households. Other Needs Assistance funding was approved to 1,250 individuals, with nearly $1.2 million disbursed.
- Those who have received SBA applications are urged to complete and return them as soon as possible. Disaster loans up to $200,000 are available to homeowners to repair or replace damaged or destroyed real estate. Homeowners and renters are eligible for up to $40,000 to repair or replace damaged or destroyed personal property. Businesses of any size and private non-profit organizations may borrow up to $2 million to repair or replace damaged or destroyed real estate, machinery and equipment, inventory and other business assets.
- FEMA-contracted housing inspectors have completed 9,903 of 10,494 requests to view reported housing damage (94.6 percent). The average turnaround time from registration to inspection remains about two days.
- Residents with disaster-related damage are urged to register by calling FEMA toll-free at 800-621-FEMA (3362). The hard of hearing, deaf or speech impaired may call the TTY number at 800-462-7585 to apply. Multilingual operators are available to speak to applicants. The toll-free telephone numbers are open from 7 a.m. to midnight daily until further notice. Applicants may also register online at www.fema.gov.
When registering, applicants should have the following information readily available:
- Current and pre-disaster address;
- Current telephone numbers;
- Social Security number; and
- Insurance coverage, policy number(s) and agent's name if possible.
Registration takes about 20 minutes and once all essential information is recorded an application number is assigned.
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.
Disaster recovery assistance is available without regard to race, color, religion, nationality, sex, age, disability, English proficiency or economic status. If you or someone you know has been discriminated against, call FEMA toll-free at 800-621-FEMA (3362). For TTY call 800-462-7585.
SBA's disaster loans are the primary form of federal assistance for non-farm, private sector disaster losses. Disaster loans from SBA helps homeowners, renters, businesses of all sizes and nonprofit organizations fund repair and replacement of disaster damaged real and personal property. These disaster loans cover uninsured and uncompensated losses and do not duplicate benefits of other agencies or organizations. For information about SBA programs, applicants may call 800-659-2955 or visit online at www.sba.gov or email SBA's customer service center at disastercustomerservice@sba.gov.
For statewide disaster information and to find out how you can Get A Plan! for disasters, please visit www.FloridaDisaster.org
Last Modified: Thursday, 18-Sep-2008 14:24:34