Texas Disaster Assistance Nearly $70 Million Applications for Assistance Approach 24,000
Release Date: December 24, 1998
Release Number: 1257-058
» More Information on Texas Severe Storms, Flooding and Tornadoes
SAN ANTONIO, Texas -- In the two months since the October and November flooding disasters that hit south Texas, state and federal officials have approved nearly $70 million in disaster recovery funds to help nearly 24,000 individuals who have applied for help.
Officials with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Texas Division of Emergency Management (DEM) to day released the following figures on the status of disaster recovery assistance in the 43 declared counties:
- 23,852 registrations for assistance were received at the toll-free application number (1-800-462-9029, TTY: 1-800-462-7585). Those who suffered flood losses had called to register for federal and state aid including housing assistance, disaster unemployment assistance, low-interest loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), income tax and social security assistance, veteran's assistance, other serious needs and necessary expenses and flood insurance information.
Following is a list of the 43 Texas counties declared eligible for federal and state disaster assistance and the number of applications received in each of those counties:
| Atascosa | 38 | Goliad | 65 | Montgomery | 673 |
| Austin | 137 | Gonzales | 651 | Nueces | 2,263 |
| Bastrop | 245 | Grimes | 10 | Polk | 28 |
| Bexar | 5,097 | Guadalupe | 3,328 | Refugio | 61 |
| Blanco | 11 | Harris | 862 | San Jacinto | 243 |
| Brazoria | 70 | Hayes | 1,145 | San Patricio | 219 |
| Burleson | 136 | Jackson | 25 | Travis | 399 |
| Caldwell | 485 | Jefferson | 37 | Trinity | 4 |
| Calhoun | 56 | Jim Wells | 24 | Victoria | 1,278 |
| Colorado | 90 | Karnes | 123 | Walker | 24 |
| Comal | 2,172 | Kendall | 9 | Waller | 304 |
| DeWitt | 1,702 | Lavaca | 8 | Wharton | 770 |
| Fayette | 53 | Liberty | 272 | Wilson | 436 |
| Fort Bend | 152 | Matagorda | 34 | ||
| Galveston | 98 | Medina | 15 |
- The FEMA Helpline (1-800-525-0321, TTY: 1-800-660-8005) was contacted 38,057 times by individuals with questions about the status of their disaster assistance applications, filling out SBA forms or ways to rebuild to reduce future damages.
- 17,205 individual visits were recorded at the Disaster Recovery Centers (DRC) after people had registered for assistance. The centers give flood victims the opportunity to speak face-to-face with recovery specialists about disaster assistance and ask questions about their applications. Two centers, Cuero and Victoria, remain open as of Dec. 21.
- 3,767 families and individuals have been approved by the Texas Department of Human Services to receive $16,521,898 in state-administered, FEMA- and state-funded grants for serious needs and necessary expenses not covered by other assistance programs.
- 11,897 checks totaling $23.1 million have been approved for minor home repairs or temporary rental assistance.
- $29.9 million in U.S. Small Business Administration loans have been approved for 830 homeowners, renters and businesses.
- 359 claims totaling $107,106 were approved for disaster unemployment assistance. This program is funded by FEMA and administered by the Texas Workforce Commission through the U.S. Department of Labor.
Last Modified: Friday, 16-Jan-2004 11:18:53