Hurricane Rita Disaster Assistance And Loans Top $888.9 Million; $689.3 Million In Public Assistance Reimbursed
Release Date: April 28, 2006
Release Number: 1606-203
» More Information on Texas Hurricane Rita
AUSTIN, Texas -- Families and individuals who suffered damage from Hurricane Rita have been approved to receive more than $888.9 million in assistance from the U. S. Department of Homeland Securitys Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA).
Recovery Services Summary as of April 27, 2006:
- 479,891 individuals have registered for Individual Assistance.
- $594,116,762 have been approved through the Individuals and Household Program. Of that, FEMA has provided $505,908,831 in Individual Assistance and $88,207,931 in Other Needs Assistance.
- $294,794,700 in loans have been approved by the SBA for individuals and businesses affected by Hurricane Rita in Texas.
- $5,121,780 have been disbursed in Disaster Unemployment Assistance; 7,814 claims have been approved. On March 6, President Bush signed legislation that extended the benefit period to June 3. Disaster Unemployment Assistance is traditionally available for a period of up to 13 weeks from the disaster declaration date September 24, 2005.
- 347,084 home inspections have been requested. Of these, 99.9 percent have been completed and 249 inspections remain. There are 21 inspectors in the field. At the peak of operations, more than 900 inspectors were in the field.
- 4,869 applicants have requested travel trailers. Some 3,959 households have leased 4,231 units. Accessible units with a wider entrance, handrails, and low-step tub entry also are available.
- $689.3 million in Public Assistance has been obligated to Texas by FEMA. The funds will be used by the State of Texas to reimburse local governments and agencies for eligible and documented debris removal, temporary sheltering, interim housing and emergency protective measures associated with Hurricanes Rita and Katrina.
- Homeowners, renters and business owners who sustained damage from the hurricanes may check the status of their applications by calling the FEMA tele-registration number, 1-800-621-FEMA (3362), TTY 800-462-7585 for the speech-or hearing-impaired, or online at www.fema.gov.
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: Tuesday, 16-May-2006 09:21:55