Hurricane Aid Tops $2.2 Billion In Texas 

Release Date: June 2, 2006
Release Number: 1606-216

» More Information on Texas Hurricane Rita

AUSTIN, Texas -- Individuals and jurisdictions in Texas affected by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita have been approved to receive more than $2.2 billion in disaster assistance from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

INDIVIDUALS

FEMA approved more than $897 million in Individual Assistance to Hurricane Katrina evacuees from Alabama, Louisiana, and Mississippi who are currently residing in Texas.

This financial assistance falls under FEMA's standard Section 408 Individual Assistance program. Assistance may include grants to help pay for temporary housing, minor home repairs, personal property replacement, and other serious disaster-related needs not covered by insurance or other sources.

FEMA has also approved more than $598 million in Individual Assistance to Texans who suffered damages from Hurricane Rita, which includes 25 percent of Other Needs Assistance provided by the State of Texas. It does not include the cost of housing 4,072 households in 4,355 travel trailers in southeast Texas. (Larger households may occupy multiple units.)

The table below represents only the number of individuals who applied for FEMA assistance and gave a current Texas mailing address. (All of these individuals may not qualify for assistance from FEMA.)  Nationwide, FEMA approved Individual Assistance for more than 1,064,000 households affected by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.

Disaster Declarations
by State		 # of Applicants with Texas mailing addresses
As of 06/01/06
DR-1603-Louisiana Katrina

143,563
DR-1604-Mississippi Katrina

 5,510
DR-1605-Alabama Katrina

 299

Total Hurricane Katrina

149,372
DR-1606-Texas Rita (where current zip code differs from damaged-dwelling zip code)

 104,214
DR-1606-Texas Rita (where current zip matches the damaged-dwelling zip code)

 353,566
DR-1607-Louisiana Rita

 27,818

Total Hurricane Rita

 485,598

Totals

 635,970

JURISDICTIONS

Apart from the Individual Assistance cited above, FEMA has obligated $465 million to date in Public Assistance funds to the State of Texas for costs associated with Hurricane Katrina. The funds cover 100 percent reimbursements to local jurisdictions and agencies for eligible expenses-including mass sheltering and emergency sheltering for all hurricane evacuees.

FEMA further obligated $274 million in Public Assistance funds to the State of Texas to reimburse local jurisdictions for eligible expenses associated with Hurricane Rita, including documented debris removal and emergency protective measures.

During peak operations nationwide, FEMA housed evacuees in more than 55,000 rental units under its emergency sheltering program. With all funding for the program scheduled to end shortly, some 12,000 households may no longer qualify for continued housing assistance from FEMA.

In Texas, FEMA currently houses hurricane evacuees in more than 47,000 rental units under its emergency sheltering program. Those same households may have also received grants from FEMA under its Individual Assistance program to help pay for minor home repairs, personal property replacement, and other serious disaster-related needs not covered by insurance.

Although the total economic impact of the hurricanes on Texas has yet to be tallied, $2.2 billion in disaster assistance from FEMA-$1.5 billion approved for Individual Assistance and $740 million obligated for Public Assistance-makes a substantial impact on disaster recovery efforts.

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: Friday, 02-Jun-2006 09:07:19