Hurricane Rita Disaster Assistance And Loans Top $914.8 Million; $748.8 Million In Public Assistance Funded
Release Date: May 12, 2006
Release Number: 1606-212
» More Information on Texas Hurricane Rita
AUSTIN, Texas -- Families and individuals who suffered damage from Hurricane Rita have been approved to receive more than $914.8 million in assistance from the U. S. Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA).
Recovery Services Summary as of May 11, 2006:
- 479,910 individuals have registered for Individual Assistance.
- $595,818,785 has been approved through the Individuals and Household Program. Of that, FEMA has provided $506,714,482 in Individual Assistance and $89,104,303 in Other Needs Assistance. The State of Texas provided 25 percent or $22,276,075 of the Other Needs Assistance.
- $319,072,600 in loans has been approved by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) for individuals and businesses affected by Hurricane Rita in Texas . Of that amount, $224,562,500 was approved for home loans, $83,002,700 for business loans and $11,507,400 for economic injury.
- $5,225,801 has been disbursed in Disaster Unemployment Assistance; 7,877 claims have been approved.
- 347,907 home inspections have been requested. Of these, 99.9 percent have been completed and 88 inspections remain. There are 21 inspectors in the field. At the peak of operations, more than 900 inspectors were in the field.
- 4,930 applicants have requested travel trailers. Some 4,177 households have leased 4,466 units (some larger households have multiple trailers). Accessible units with a wider entrance, handrails, and low-step tub entry also are available.
- $748.8 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/assistance.
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, 03-May-2007 11:19:57