Bell County Disaster Recovery Center Opens In Killeen
Hurricane Katrina and Rita Victims Can Meet with Specialists This Friday and Saturday
Release Date: December 14, 2005
Release Number: 1606-004b
» More Information on Texas Hurricane Rita
AUSTIN, Texas -- Responding to a request from Bell County officials, the Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Texas Governor's Division of Emergency Management will open a Disaster Recovery Center (DRC) in Killeen to address the needs of Hurricane Katrina and Rita evacuees. The DRC will operate Friday, Dec. 16, and Saturday, Dec. 17, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Killeen Special Events Center, 3301 South WS Young Drive.
At the center, visitors can speak one-on-one with experts about disaster assistance, including:
- Grants to help pay for temporary housing, rental assistance and minor home repairs.
- Grants to replace damaged personal property not covered by insurance or other sources.
- Grants to cover disaster-related expenses not covered by insurance or other sources.
- Long-term, low-interest loans for homeowners, business owners and renters from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) to cover uninsured or underinsured losses.
Visitors may discuss housing options or receive referrals to other agencies or organizations for certain services, such as free legal aid or crisis counseling. Loan officers will be on hand to help applicants fill out their SBA loan application.
To speed up the process, applicants should be prepared to show a photo ID, Social Security card, birth certificate, insurance papers, home repair bids, utility and phone bills, and any other documents to help establish eligibility and proof of occupancy. NOTE: Missing paperwork and invalid FEMA registration numbers may slow down the assistance process.
Eligibility for assistance is determined on a case-by-case basis. A FEMA inspector may visit the damaged property to verify losses. For continued rental assistance-which comes in 3-month increments-applicants must show rent receipts and have a long-term housing plan.
Applicants unable to visit the center should call FEMA at 1-800-621-FEMA (3362) or TTY 1-800-462-7585 for the speech- or hearing-impaired. Applicants may use the Helpline to speak with a FEMA representative, update their contact information, or check the status of their application. Or visit FEMA online at www.fema.gov.
Last Modified: Thursday, 15-Dec-2005 08:38:17