Hurricane Katrina Mississippi Recovery Update: September 2008
Release Date: October 8, 2008
Release Number: 1604-681
» More Information on Mississippi Hurricane Katrina
BILOXI, Miss. -- The following is a summary of Hurricane Katrina recovery efforts in Mississippi as of Oct. 1, 2008:
Individual support continues with nearly $1.3 billion to individuals and families:
- 274,758 individuals and families have been approved for the Individuals and Households Program (IHP) totaling more than $1.2 billion;
- 216,557 individuals and families have been approved for Housing Assistance totaling more than $851 million;
- 134,892 Mississippians have been approved for more than $416 million in Other Needs Assistance (ONA);
- 3,627 temporary housing units (travel trailers and mobile homes) in service. More than 39,000 units have been deactivated;
- 2,235 total occupied units in the three lower counties.
- Hancock 507
- Harrison 1,171
- Jackson 557
More than 2,800 Mississippi families who are Katrina survivors have moved from FEMA temporary housing to a Mississippi Cottage. The Mississippi Cottage is a part of the Mississippi Alternative Housing Program, which is administered by MEMA and is funded by a $280 million federal grant.
For more information about the program, visit www.mscottage.org.
Through an intra-agency agreement between FEMA and the U.S. Coast Guard, the marine debris removal effort restores Mississippi's coastal and inland waterways following Hurricane Katrina:
- The U.S. Coast Guard, utilizing local companies, has completed all 15 debris removal contracts as of Aug. 5.
- The only remaining contract is for monitoring of the Harrison Wetlands, which will run for a period of five years.
- A total of approximately 390,000 cubic yards of marine debris has been collected from coastal waters in Harrison, Hancock and Jackson counties since May 2006.
- Jackson County: 74,350 cubic yards
- Harrison County: 199,331 cubic yards
- Hancock County: 116,253 cubic yards
More than $2.8 billion has been obligated in various Public Assistance (PA) categories since Hurricane Katrina:
- More than $700 million obligated for land-based debris removal; more than $900 million in Direct Federal Assistance funds were obligated to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for the land-based debris removal mission.
- To date, more than 46 million cubic yards of debris has been removed - that's equal to a football field stacked approximately 4.9 miles high.
- $832 million to repair public utilities;
- $599 million to repair or replace public buildings;
- $383 million for emergency protective measures;
- $63 million to repair roads and bridges;
- $1.3 million to repair water control devices such as ditches and irrigation channels.
- $157 million to repair and restore public recreational facilities such as state parks;
- $129 million to meet the costs of administering the PA grants.
MEMA administers PA funds. To date, MEMA has disbursed more than $1.5 billion to PA applicants for debris removal and rebuilding projects including bridges, public buildings and utilities.
Preparing today for tomorrow's disasters:
- FEMA's Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) brings together federal, state, and local governments to prepare communities for future events.
- MEMA, as designated by the governor of Mississippi, administers the HMGP. MEMA provides eligible grant applicants with assistance in mitigation planning, project selection, application development and reimbursement.
- FEMA has already obligated $133 million for various Hazard Mitigation projects throughout Mississippi.
- Currently, FEMA has 156 state-approved applications for new Hazard Mitigation projects totaling $133 million. HMGP funds will cover nearly $70 million of the total project costs.
- Specific efforts are being directed to non-profit rural water system and drainage projects.
- The amount of federal funding available for the HMGP following a disaster is equal to - but separate from - 7.5 percent of the total amount of federal funds spent on Public and Individual Assistance. More than $413 million in HMGP funds are available for Mississippi.
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: Wednesday, 08-Oct-2008 21:14:40