More Than $765 Million in Disaster Assistance for Texans
Release Date: November 14, 2008
Release Number: 1791-256
» More Information on Texas Hurricane Ike
AUSTIN, Texas -- Two months into the recovery effort, more than $765 million has been approved to help storm-struck Texas residents, businesses and communities that suffered disaster damage from Hurricane Ike.
The following is a summary of ongoing recovery efforts by the Texas Governor's Division of Emergency Management and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) at close of business Nov. 13:
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More than $294 million has been approved for temporary housing assistance and home repairs, under the Individuals and Households Program (IHP). More than 492,000 applicants have been referred to IHP for assistance. Registration deadline has been extended to Dec.12.
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More than $70 million in Other Needs Assistance (ONA) has been disbursed - more than a million dollars a day - to help meet serious disaster-related expenses not covered by insurance or other aid programs. These include personal property, moving and storage, transportation, medical and burial expenses.
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The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) has approved more than $284 million in low-interest loans to homeowners, renters, and businesses of all sizes and private nonprofits. SBA has approved more than $50 million in the last week alone. More than 34,000 applications for home and business loans have been received.
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Individuals who have been unable to work because of the disaster have received $2 million from a special Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA) program which may assist people not normally covered by unemployment insurance. The DUA application deadline has been extended to Dec.12.
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FEMA has obligated $112 million in Public Assistance aid for eligible local governments for debris removal and emergency protective services.
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To date, more than 2,500 applicants have been found eligible for manufactured housing. Agreements have been signed by 921 occupants and they have moved in or will be moving in soon. Installation has begun on 372 more private and commercial sites. Recovery specialists are going door to door in all affected communities to identify residents who may not want to leave their homes as they repair and rebuild. FEMA may be able to provide them with temporary manufactured homes.
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FEMA's Transitional Sheltering Assistance Program (TSA) currently has 4,552 applicants checked into hotels and motels. Under TSA, FEMA provides payments directly to hotels for disaster victims who have not yet found long-term housing. The number is decreasing daily as Texans move into more stable housing environments. The deadline for the TSA program has been extended to Jan. 15, 2009 for eligible applicants.
- FEMA inspectors have completed 374,078 inspections of damaged homes. Inspectors have completed 99 percent of inspections.
Residents and business owners with Ike-related losses may register for disaster assistance online at www.fema.gov or by calling 1-800-621-FEMA (3362), or (TTY) 1-800-462-7585. Personnel are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week to take applications.
FEMA coordinates the federal government's role in preparing for, preventing, mitigating the effects of, responding to, and recovering from all domestic disasters, whether natural or man-made, including acts of terror.
Last Modified: Friday, 14-Nov-2008 15:10:05