Disaster Recovery Update: Registrations Slow; Aid Tops $1.1 Million
Release Date: April 17, 2008
Release Number: 1750-019
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ATLANTA, Ga. -- As the Georgia disaster recovery nears the one month mark, recovery officials report a leveling off of registrations in the seven counties declared eligible for disaster assistance by President Bush.
In the week of April 10-16, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) officials report 82 residents registered for Individual and Households Program assistance. A wide range of state-FEMA assistance programs are available to eligible residents with disaster-related damage in Bartow, Burke, DeKalb, Floyd, Fulton, Jefferson and Polk counties. The deadline to register for disaster assistance is May 19.
Funding assistance also slowed with a week-to-week comparison showing a rise of $66,319 in approved FEMA individual assistance totals. Since the March 20 presidential declaration, more than 99 percent of all approved Individual and Households Program assistance has been disbursed to applicants.
4-week snapshot:
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As of close of business April 15, a total of 1,469 individuals, households and businesses have applied for disaster assistance.
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Total assistance, including FEMA's Individual and Households Program and low-interest disaster loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), now stands at $1,170,472.
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FEMA's Individual and Households Program (IHP) provides assistance in two main categories, Housing Assistance and Other Needs Assistance. IHP approved funding to 312 applicants totals $893,352. Disbursed funds total $887,914 or 99.3 percent.
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Housing Assistance helps pay for rental assistance, temporary lodging and housing repairs. Approved Housing Assistance funding to 279 homeowners and renters totals more than $695,200.
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Other Needs Assistance helps cover personal property loss, medical costs and other serious disaster-related expenses not covered by insurance to individuals and households. Approved Other Needs Assistance funding to 129 individuals and households totals more than $198,100.
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The SBA provides disaster loans to homeowners, renters, non-profit organizations and businesses of all sizes. The SBA has issued 873 applications for disaster loans to individuals and businesses. To date, 13 households have been approved for a total of $277,100 in low-interest disaster-related loans.
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Disaster outreach continues in Fulton County, where an SBA Disaster Loan Outreach Center (DLOC), also serving DeKalb County residents and businesses, is located at City Hall East, 675 Ponce de Leon Avenue N.E. (fifth floor), Atlanta. Hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., until further notice. A FEMA recovery specialist is also at the center to provide one-on-one assistance to individuals with disaster-related needs.
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A second SBA Disaster Loan Outreach Center serving residents and businesses of Bartow, Floyd and Polk counties will cease operations on Friday, April 18, at close of business. The DLOC is located at the Polk County Emergency Management Office, 55 Cline Ingram Jackson Road, Cedartown. Operating hours are Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., until it closes Friday afternoon.
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FEMA-contracted housing inspectors have completed more than 775 of 789 requests to view reported housing damages (98 percent). Turnaround time from registration to inspection averages less than two days.
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To date, 29 Disaster Unemployment Assistance claims have been filed for this state-run, FEMA-funded program. Disaster Unemployment Assistance claims may be filed at any Georgia Department of Labor Career Center. The deadline for Fulton County applicants is April 21. Residents of Bartow, Burke, DeKalb, Floyd, Jefferson and Polk counties must apply by April 23. Disaster Unemployment Assistance provides benefits for workers who would not normally qualify for unemployment compensation, including farmers, farm workers, diversified farming operators, loggers, commission-paid employees, those who are self-employed and others who are not eligible for the state's program.
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FEMA Public Assistance specialists have completed all 17 scheduled kickoff meetings with applicants seeking reimbursement for various disaster-related expenses, such as debris removal, emergency public services as well as repair to damaged facilities. FEMA pays 75 percent of eligible costs; the state of Georgia and the applicant share the remaining amount. Under the declaration, Burke, Fulton and Jefferson counties are eligible to apply for Public Assistance reimbursement.
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Residents with disaster-related damage are urged to register by calling FEMA toll-free 800-621-3362 (FEMA) by the May 19 deadline. Those with a speech or hearing impairment may call TTY 800-462-7585 to apply. Multilingual operators are available to speak to applicants. The toll-free telephone numbers are open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily until further notice. Applicants may also register online at www.fema.gov.
FEMA coordinates the federal government's role in preparing for, preventing, mitigating the effects of, responding to, and recovering from all domestic disasters, whether natural or man-made, including acts of terror.
Last Modified: Thursday, 17-Apr-2008 14:12:01