Assistance Available To Rita Victims With Eligible Damages
Release Date: October 1, 2005
Release Number: 1606-013
» More Information on Texas Hurricane Rita
AUSTIN, Texas -- Federal and state disaster recovery officials want Texans to know what assistance is available to those who have eligible damages from Hurricane Rita. The 22 counties designated for Individual Assistance are Angelina, Brazoria, Chambers, Fort Bend, Galveston, Hardin, Harris, Jasper, Jefferson, Liberty, Montgomery, Nacogdoches, Newton, Orange, Polk, Sabine, San Augustine, San Jacinto, Shelby, Trinity, Tyler and Walker.
Those who suffered damage from Hurricane Rita can begin the disaster application process by calling 1-800-621-FEMA (3362), or 1-800-462-7585 (TTY) for the hearing and speech impaired. The toll-free numbers are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week until further notice. Applicants can also register online at www.fema.gov. Applicants should be prepared to provide basic information about themselves (name, permanent address, phone number), insurance coverage and any other information to help substantiate losses.
“This financial assistance is intended to ease the pain of serious disaster losses,” said Federal Coordinating Officer Tom Davies with the Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). “The federal and state disaster assistance program is there to offer victims a helping hand to recovery, and although it provides various types of assistance, it is not designed to return victims to their pre-disaster condition.”
The program provides financial and/or direct assistance to storm victims who have necessary disaster-related expenses and/or other serious needs that are not covered by insurance or provided for elsewhere. Assistance for individuals and families who suffered damage can include:
- Grants to rent a different place to live if the damaged house is unlivable. Initial temporary housing assistance may be provided for up to three months for homeowners and at least one month for renters. Assistance may be extended if requested based on a review of individual applicant requirements.
- Grants for home repairs and replacement of essential household items not covered by insurance to make damaged dwellings safe, sanitary and functional.
- Grants to replace personal property and help meet medical, dental, funeral, transportation and other serious disaster-related needs not covered by insurance or other federal, state and charitable aid programs. (Grants are not awarded to reimburse households for spoiled food or the loss of freezer and refrigerator contents due to lack of power.)
- Low-interest disaster loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration to cover residential losses not fully compensated by insurance. Loans up to $200,000 are available for primary residences and $40,000 for personal property, including renter losses. Loans up to $1.5 million for property losses not fully compensated by insurance are available to business owners.
State and federal officials urged applicants to avoid the temptation to pay household bills with the disaster assistance grant money or make purchases unrelated to needs created by the disaster. Applicants should keep receipts of their disaster spending and stay in touch with FEMA if their situation changes.
"Together with our partners in FEMA we will make sure that the benefits of our programs go to the people of our state who are suffering from Hurricane Rita," said the Texas Governor’s Division of Emergency Management Deputy State Coordinating Officer Frank Cantu. “We are working to reach those affected by the storm as soon as we can do so.”
There are penalties for falsely reporting disaster damages. FEMA and GDEM are coordinating a joint effort to uncover fraud attempts. People who encounter fraudulent scams should report them to their local law enforcement or the Attorney General's Office of Consumer Protection at 1-800-337-3928, or FEMA's Hurricane Relief Fraud Hotline at 1-866-720-5721.
FEMA prepares the nation for all hazards and manages federal response and recovery efforts following any national incident. FEMA also initiates mitigation activities, trains first responders, works with state and local emergency managers, and manages the National Flood Insurance Program and the U.S. Fire Administration. FEMA became part of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security on March 1, 2003.
Last Modified: Monday, 03-Oct-2005 09:29:42