Bexar County Disaster Assistance Funds Exceed $9 Million
Release Date: August 21, 2002
Release Number: 1425-74
» More Information on Texas Severe Storms and Flooding
San Antonio, TX -- Federal and state disaster assistance for the recent storms and flooding in central and south Texas counties this year has exceeded $65 million. Through August 19, federal and state disaster assistance for individuals, families, businesses and local government entities has reached $65,564,134.
Bexar County was one of 39 counties included in a Presidential disaster declaration issued July 4 for losses due to flooding. Of the 23,309 registrations for assistance across the 39-county declared disaster area, 5,181 or 22% have been from Bexar County.
Bexar County has received $9,474,357 in grants and low-interest loans for emergency rental assistance, home and business repair, and replacement of personal property. This includes funding from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Disaster Housing Program, the state-run Individual and Family Grant Program and the U.S. Small Business Administration disaster loan program.
In the near future, Bexar County will be receiving funding from FEMA and the state through FEMA's Public Assistance Program. The program provides grants to state agencies, local governments and certain private non-profit agencies for the repair or restoration of disaster-damaged public facilities such as roads, buildings and utilities and for debris removal and emergency services.
More than $20 million in grants has been made available to Texans from the Disaster Housing Program and more than $11 million has been approved for Individual and Family Grants program, Department of Human Services. Public Assistance estimated grants exceed $37 million statewide. Disaster Unemployment Assistance, which is administered through the Texas Workforce Commission for individuals who lost income because of the disaster, has paid more than $42,660.
Individuals who have questions about disaster assistance programs or who need to update their registration information can call the FEMA Helpline at 800-621-FEMA (3362) OR TTY at 800-462-7585 for speech-and-hearing-impaired. The line is open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Sunday.
Last Modified: Wednesday, 13-Aug-2003 13:38:12