Communities Can Use www.floridapa.org For Public Assistance
Release Date: May 25, 2005
Release Number: 1539-453
» More Information on Florida Hurricane Charley and Tropical Storm Bonnie
ORLANDO, Fla. -- Florida county and local government officials applying for federal funding for emergency work and infrastructure-repair projects can track the progress of their projects by going online. Last fall, the Florida Department of Community Affairs created www.floridapa.org to help local officials track their Public Assistance grants for the four 2004 hurricane disasters.
"We're finding that not all applicants are using the tools available to them to make sure they get their funds as expeditiously as possible," said Florida's Public Assistance Officer Del Streid.
Through this web site, applicants can electronically request Public Assistance funds approved by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). In some cases, after the federal government has obligated money for Public Assistance projects to the state of Florida, the funding is waiting for an applicant who has completed all steps but one - requesting payment from the state.
"To date, FEMA has approved more than $1 billion in federal Public Assistance grants for Florida, but there has been some confusion on the part of a few applicants about how the payment process works," said Scott Morris, the federal long-term recovery director for Florida.
Applicants can use the site www.floridapa.org to track the progress of their Project Worksheets. Authorized users have been given passwords allowing them to read all documentation and, as necessary, supply additional information electronically to the state.
The state mails letters informing applicants that FEMA has obligated funds, but by monitoring the site, an applicant can know that information before the written notification arrives.
Florida's Department of Community Affairs cannot start the payment process until an applicant has all of its paperwork completed. With large projects - those totaling more than $54,100 - the applicant must submit a specific "request for reimbursement or advance" document.
The site also contains the most current information about regulations, deadlines and forms available for the disasters, allowing applicants to more effectively manage their grants.
Under the presidential disaster declarations for Florida's 2004 hurricanes, FEMA will pay 90 percent of the eligible cost for emergency measures and permanent restoration, while the state and local entities pay the remaining 10 percent.
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: Wednesday, 25-May-2005 09:01:12