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By The Numbers: FEMA Recovery Update in Southwest Louisiana 

Release Date: March 23, 2006
Release Number: 1603-413

» More Information on Louisiana Hurricane Katrina
» More Information on Louisiana Hurricane Rita

LAKE CHARLES, La. -- Here is an update of federal and state agency accomplishments in the nearly six months since Hurricane Rita hit the parishes of Acadia, Allen, Beauregard, Calcasieu, Cameron, De Soto, Evangeline, Iberia, Jefferson Davis, Lafayette, Natchitoches, Rapides, Sabine, St. Landry, St. Mary, Terrebonne, Vermilion, and Vernon in Southwest Louisiana.

1	1 Disaster Recovery Center (DRC) remains open in Southwest Louisiana. DRC's are one-stop information centers where victims can learn more about different types of state and federal disaster assistance, including loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) for homeowners, renters and business owners.
55	To date, 55 vessels have been removed by the U.S. Coast Guard, under a FEMA-funded mission assignment. These wrecked vessels, which have been removed and salvaged, will no longer pose a health or safety threat from environmental pollution or impaired navigation.
90	As a result of Hurricane Rita, FEMA has employed approximately 90 residents of the affected parishes. Serving in various roles, these employees who have also been victims of Hurricane Rita have contributed a unique perspective to the recovery effort. Additionally, this has given FEMA the opportunity to contribute to the economy of this devastated region.
1,968	In addition to household debris removal from rights-of-way, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) has cleared debris from 1,968 residential properties impacted by Rita under a FEMA-funded mission assignment. This cleanup has contributed to the environmental, health and safety recovery of the community. The USACE coordinated work in cases where impacted local governments were in need of federal assistance in arranging for the work to be done.
13,197	At present, 13,197 travel trailers and mobile homes are temporary homes for Hurricane Rita victims. This number represents temporary housing provided to applicants while they are working on permanent housing solutions. Qualified applicants are eligible to receive such temporary housing in one of 3 locations: a commercial site which is leased by FEMA, a group site developed by FEMA or a travel trailer may be place on an individual's private property when certain rules and regulations are satisfied. In this instance, homeowners who are rebuilding have the convenience of continuing to live on their own property while repairs are being made to their home.
18,115	18,115 damaged roofs have been temporarily protected under FEMA's "Blue Roof" program operated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. This program protects buildings from further damage in the wake of the disaster and allows families to remain in their homes as they rebuild.
259,012	FEMA has completed 259,012 housing inspections. Inspectors check for structural soundness to assure safe occupancy. These inspections also provide the information used to determine an applicant's eligibility for temporary housing and the Other Needs Assistance program.
$8.3 million	FEMA has approved more than $8 million in disaster unemployment assistance for 860 eligible victims of Hurricane Rita who signed up during the application period. On March 6, President Bush signed Bill 1777, which extends these benefits an additional 13 weeks-till June 3-to Louisiana residents and displaced evacuees who are unemployed because of Hurricanes Rita. Disaster Unemployment Assistance is traditionally available for a period of up to 26 weeks from the disaster declaration date.
$8.8 million	FEMA has approved $8.8 million in Community Disaster Loans (CDL) to help keep essential services online in communities hardest hit by Rita. CDLs provide operational funding to help local governments that have incurred a significant loss in revenue due to the disaster. These loans are made to local governments in need of financial assistance to perform essential services such as law enforcement and fire services.
$49.5 million	The SBA has approved 659 business disaster assistance loans totaling $49.5 million. These loans assist businesses to recover and rebuild following the disaster.
$76 million	For homeowners and renters, the SBA has approved a total of 1,592 disaster loans, totaling over $76 million in Southwest Louisiana. These loans provide the funds needed following the disaster to assist individuals return their homes and possessions to pre-disaster conditions.
$74.8 million	More than $74.8 million in federal dollars has been obligated for 1,082 Public Assistance projects, such as debris removal and emergency services in Southwest Louisiana parishes. FEMA awards grants to assist state and local governments and certain private non-profit entities with the response to and recovery from the disaster. The program provides assistance for debris removal, implementation of emergency protective measures, and the restoration of infrastructure to pre-disaster conditions.
$89.3 million	More than $89.3 million has been approved for 51,661 Hurricane Rita applicants for Other Needs Assistance. The program provides assistance for serious, disaster-related needs to impacted individuals and provides financial assistance to individuals and households who have other disaster-related necessary expenses, such as: medical, dental, funeral, personal property, transportation, and moving/storage, or serious needs that do not qualify for a low interest loan from SBA.
$399.1 million	FEMA has issued 160,483 housing assistance checks, totaling $399.1 million. This assistance assures that those whose homes have been damaged by disaster have a safe place to live.
$334 million	To date, more than $334 million has been paid out under the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) to policyholders in Southwest Louisiana. Prior to the 2005 Hurricane season, NFIP was self-supporting for the average historical loss year. However, 2005 was not a historically average loss year, but far from it-it becomes the most expensive natural catastrophe to strike America. On average, only 49 percent of those eligible to buy flood insurance nation-wide do so; in the South, 61 percent of the eligible homeowners had purchased the needed insurance. These residents have been prudent in planning by insuring their homes against loss due to flooding. Losses and expenses are not paid for by the taxpayer, but through premiums collected for flood insurance policies.

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 part of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security on March 1, 2003.

Last Modified: Thursday, 23-Mar-2006 13:26:42