FEMA Applicant Assistance Center: A Community Lifeline for Those Affected by the WTC Disaster 

Release Date: August 21, 2002
Release Number: 1391-140

» More Information on New York Terrorist Attack

New York, NY -- More than 90,000 New York residents affected by the World Trade Center attack have visited the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)-sponsored Applicant Assistance Center since it opened in Lower Manhattan on Sept. 28, 2001.

As with other disasters-natural and man-made-the New York service center was quickly established to accommodate the needs of people seeking access to a wide range of assistance programs. The concept behind the assistance center is to locate all of the available city, state, federal and voluntary agency organizations under one roof and help streamline the application process.

"For many, a visit to the center is an opportunity for those affected by a disaster to begin putting their lives back together," said Federal Recovery Officer Brad Gair of FEMA. "There is no substitute for face-to-face interaction between those in need and those who have come to provide help. This is intended to be a place in the community where hope and information are dispensed by caring people."

During the first four months following the Sept. 11 attack, FEMA opened and operated three Disaster Assistance Service Centers (DASCs), providing much-needed aid to a combined total of more than 131,000 New Yorkers. The two supplemental facilities were located at Pier 94 and on Chambers Street, opening in November and January, respectively.

At present, only the original facility-now renamed the FEMA/SBA Applicant Assistance Center-remains open at 141 Worth St., helping individuals, families and businesses with applications and questions about FEMA and the U.S. Small Business Administration. Representatives from New York State's Project Liberty, a state-wide program designed to provide crisis counseling, are also on hand.

But in first few months after the attack on the World Trade Center, thousands streamed through the DASCs each day, able to conveniently access a broad array of services. Visitors were interviewed and directed to representatives of the programs best able to meet their needs. Agencies onsite at the time provided advice and registration information on disaster housing and relocation; mortgage and rental assistance; unemployment benefits; mental health counseling; low-interest disaster related loans, legal and insurance issues and more. Immediate financial assistance for food and emergency expenses was also available.

While voluntary agencies such as Red Cross, Salvation Army and Safe Horizon have since left the facility to serve their constituencies from other locations, the Applicant Assistance Center continues to provide assistance with FEMA, SBA and crisis counseling programs.

Following the late June announcement of expanded eligibility guidelines for FEMA's Mortgage and Rental Assistance (MRA) program, applicant traffic at the center has remained significant, with 400 to 500 visitors on some days. In addition to the caseworkers who provide the services on the first floor of the center, the MRA Task Force, located on the third floor, processes special needs cases, provides applicants' outreach to those requiring additional documentation, handles special languages needs and provides final reviews on difficult cases.

This specially selected group consists of local FEMA employees, representatives from the agency's National Processing Service Center in Texas and highly experienced FEMA Human Services officials. The Task Force has processed more than 7,300 cases needing special handling since the June 28 expansion of the MRA Program.

The Application Assistance Center is located at the corner of Worth and Centre streets in lower Manhattan (formerly, the DMV building). Hours of operations are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday.

For those who have not yet registered but still find a disaster-related unmet need, FEMA has extended the registration period for federal assistance to January 31, 2003. Call the toll free teleregistration number at 1-800-462-9029. Hours of operation are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. TTY service is available at 1-800-462-7585 for those who are speech- or hearing-impaired.

"FEMA and SBA representatives stand ready to help New Yorkers at our Applicant Assistance Center in lower Manhattan for as long as needed," Gair said. "Our staff is comprised largely of New Yorkers who are committed to helping those affected by the World Trade Center attack. Come by and visit if you still need help and haven't yet found it."

Last Modified: Friday, 03-Oct-2003 16:39:51