FEMA/State Still Housing Displaced Victims
Release Date: April 27, 2005
Release Number: 1539-438
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Florida Individual Assistance County Data
ORLANDO, Fla. -- Efforts to aid victims in making home repairs, and provide safe and sanitary housing for displaced individuals, continue eight months after four hurricanes descended on Florida last year.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), has approved a total of $1.175 billion in Individuals and Households Program assistance funds. Nearly $556 million of that covers grants to pay for lodging expenses, rental assistance and minimal home repairs. Another $619 million covers assistance for other needs, which include repair or replacement of personal property, funeral expenses, and medical and dental costs related to the hurricanes.
Since the onset of the 2004 hurricanes, Floridians have occupied 16,000 free housing units – 13,500 travel trailers and 2,500 mobile homes – placed on residents’ private property, in short-term housing sites or on commercial park space leased after Hurricanes Charley, Frances, Ivan and Jeanne damaged or destroyed many properties. Approximately 28,600 people with no other housing alternative currently occupy 11,400 units.
With the guidance of state and local governments, FEMA created housing group sites ¬¬in hard-hit Charlotte, De Soto, Escambia, Hardee, Okaloosa, Santa Rosa, St. Lucie and Martin counties. A new longer-term site in Martin County will be unveiled May 2.
The housing efforts highlight one way FEMA has assisted the more than 1.247 million victims who have applied for federal and state aid from the four hurricanes.
To date, FEMA’s Public Assistance (infrastructure) program has funded nearly $953 million in supplemental federal disaster grants to the state of Florida, local government entities and certain non-profits to repair, restore and rebuild facilities in counties the President declared a disaster. For the 2004 hurricanes, the federal government is reimbursing 90 percent of the eligible cost for emergency measures and permanent restoration. The state and local governments will contribute the remaining 10 percent.
FEMA approved nearly $1.2 billion for ice, generators, water and other immediate needs that were distributed in the disasters’ aftermath.
Through the U.S. Small Business Administration, more than $1.7 billion has been authorized in low-interest disaster loans for homeowners, renters and businesses.
Floridians continue to visit seven fixed-site Disaster Recovery Centers (DRCs) throughout the state that assist with application and federal disaster aid program questions. Since last August, more than 587,000 individuals have stopped by one of 92 mobile and fixed-site DRCs set up to help hurricane victims.
Applicants with questions about their application status or general disaster inquiries may call the FEMA Helpline at 1-800-621-FEMA (3362), or TTY 1-800-462-7585 for the hearing- and speech-impaired. The lines operate Monday-Friday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., Eastern Daylight Time.
Attached is a county-by-county breakdown of individual disaster assistance provided to Floridians.
The State Emergency Response Team (SERT) is a collaboration of Florida’s state agencies led by the state coordinating officer. SERT’s mission is to ensure that Florida is prepared to respond to emergencies, recover from them, and mitigate their impacts. Visit www.floridadisaster.org for the latest information on the hurricane relief efforts.
FEMA prepares the nation for all hazards and manages federal response and recovery efforts following any national incident. FEMA also initiates mitigation activities, trains first responders, works with state and local emergency managers, and manages the National Flood Insurance Program and the U.S. Fire Administration. FEMA became part of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security on March 1, 2003.
Last Modified: Thursday, 28-Apr-2005 09:08:26