Disaster Assistance In Texas' Galveston County Tops $465 Million
Release Date: December 13, 2008
Release Number: 1791-332
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AUSTIN, Texas -- More than $465 million in federal disaster assistance has been approved for Galveston County three months after Hurricane Ike made landfall. That's more than 34 percent of the total disaster-wide disaster assistance to date.
The funds include individual assistance grants for temporary housing and home repairs from Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) low-interest disaster loans, and public assistance funding for infrastructure damage and debris removal.
Throughout the state more than $1.36 billion in federal disaster assistance has been approved. The following is a summary of activities in Galveston County as of close of business Thursday, Dec. 11, 2008:
- More than $103 million has been approved for housing assistance.
- More than $32 million has been approved for other disaster-related needs such as medical and dental costs, personal property, and moving and storage.
- More than $165 million has been billed for FEMA-paid hotel rooms.
- Nearly 2.3 million cubic yards, or 56 percent of the estimated debris has been removed. This is 100 percent reimbursable by FEMA.
- The SBA approved $149 million in low-interest disaster loans for homeowners, renters and business owners.
- More than $16.9 million has been obligated for Public Assistance (PA) funding.
- A total of 140 temporary manufactured housing units are occupied by eligible applicants.
- Five disaster recovery centers remain open for face-to-face assistance.
More disaster recovery information is available at www.fema.gov or www.txdps.state.tx.us/dem.
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: Monday, 15-Dec-2008 13:27:17