A Range of Individual and Business Disaster Help: Grants, Loans, Unemployment Pay, Counseling
Release Date: March 8, 2000
Release Number: 1320-06
» More Information on Kentucky Severe Storms And Flooding
FRANKFORT, Ky. -- Kentucky and federal officials today urged those who incurred losses in the February storms and flooding to get help on the way by promptly calling the toll-free disaster assistance registration line.
Individuals and families may be eligible for disaster assistance if they live in the 10 declared counties and had property or personal belonging losses not reimbursed by insurance. To apply, call 1-800-462-9029 (TTY: 1-800-462-7585).
"The bottom line is, all affected residents should call the number now, if they haven't already, to register for assistance," said Director W.R. Padgett of the Kentucky Division of Emergency Management. Counties in the Feb. 28 disaster declaration are Bath, Boyd, Carter, Fleming, Greenup, Lewis, Mason, Nicholas, Robertson and Rowan.
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) temporary housing assistance is available for those with disaster-related damage to homes. Eligible applicants may receive grants to reimburse temporary lodging costs. If their homes can be made safe and livable with minor repairs, applicants may receive grants to cover the costs of necessary repairs. Receipts should be saved for all disaster-related expenses.
The largest amount of federal assistance to disaster victims comes in the form of low-interest loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) to renters, homeowners and business operators to cover property losses not covered by insurance or other state or federal disaster programs.
Individuals may qualify for loans at 3.812 percent interest to cover personal property losses. Homeowners may qualify for loans at the same rate to replace or repair damaged homes. Business operators may qualify for loans at 4 percent interest to repair or replace business property.
Applicants who do not qualify for SBA loans may be eligible for individual or family grants for necessary expenses and unmet serious needs including medical, dental and funeral expenses incurred as a result of the disaster. These grants can be up to $13,900 but usually range from two to three thousand dollars.
Other assistance may include technical advice on how to rebuild to reduce losses in future disasters, special unemployment pay, stress counseling for victims, federal tax refunds for casualty losses, and help for military veterans with questions on veterans' death benefits, pensions, insurance settlements and adjustments to home mortgages.
Some applicants may have obtained national flood insurance policies, running through May of this year, under disaster individual and family grants received in 1997. Officials pointed out that applicants receiving insurance settlements now under these policies may be eligible for further assistance under the current disaster declaration. Those who received maximum grants in 1997 may be eligible for further assistance to cover their current losses.
Applicants can obtain complete information about disaster assistance programs and check on the status of their applications by visiting a disaster recovery center or by calling the toll-free disaster helplines: 1-800-525-0321, or TTY 1-800-462-7585 for those with hearing or speech impairments.
Last Modified: Friday, 14-Nov-2003 09:58:09