More Than $7.7 Million Available for Minnesota Recovery
Release Date: September 6, 2007
Release Number: 1717-014
» More Information on Minnesota Severe Storms and Flooding
ROCHESTER, Minn. -- Only two weeks after a presidential disaster declaration was issued for southeastern Minnesota, more than $7.7 million in federal recovery funds has been made available to individuals in the seven designated counties, according to officials from Minnesota Homeland Security and Emergency Management (HSEM) and the U.S Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
Recovery officials continue to deliver aid to eligible residents and business owners in areas affected by the severe storms and flooding that swept through the area beginning Aug. 18, 2007.
"Recovery operations are running swiftly and smoothly. FEMA specialists and our state partners have done a great job informing people of available aid and how to apply for it," said Federal Coordinating Officer Carlos Mitchell. "We'll continue our efforts until assistance has reached every eligible Minnesota resident and community."
"A wide variety of state and federal programs are in place to help Minnesotans affected by the storms and flooding," said Kris Eide, director of Minnesota Homeland Security and Emergency Management. "People should use programs for which they might be eligible to speed their recovery and the recovery of their communities."
The presidential disaster declaration was issued Aug. 23. Residents in seven counties - Dodge, Fillmore, Houston, Olmsted, Steele, Wabasha and Winona - may be eligible to receive FEMA Individual Assistance funds. By the close of business on Wednesday, Sept. 5, a total of 3,064 people in the designated counties had registered for Individual Assistance, and $6,897,362 in Housing Assistance and $533,545 in Other Needs Assistance had already been approved.
Individual Assistance is available for homeowners and renters to help replace losses not fully covered by insurance. It can include rental payments for temporary housing for those whose homes are unlivable; grants to repair homes and replace essential household items to make damaged dwellings safe and sanitary; and grants to meet serious disaster-related needs not covered by other programs.
Those affected by the severe storms and flooding can begin applying for assistance by calling 1-800-621-FEMA (3362) or TTY 1-800-462-7585 for the speech- or hearing-impaired. The toll-free telephone numbers operate from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. (local time) seven days a week. Individuals can also register online at www.fema.gov.
Residents and business owners may also be eligible for low-interest loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration to help them recover from the disaster, including loans to recover from property losses not fully covered by insurance or grants. In addition, small businesses may receive loans to help provide working capital to recover from the disaster's economic impact. By the close of business on Wednesday, Sept. 5, a total of 2,304 applications for home loans and 484 applications for business loans had been issued; $317,000 in home loans had already been approved.
Six Disaster Recovery Centers (DRCs) are operating in affected areas to serve residents and business owners. At the DRCs, disaster recovery specialists are answering questions and providing information about available disaster assistance programs. By the night of Wednesday, Sept. 5, a total of 1,820 people had visited the DRCs.
Disaster Legal Services
The Disaster Legal Services hotline became operational Tuesday, Sept. 4, and is staffed from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Affected residents can call 1-866-408-8017. The hotline is staffed by attorneys of the American Bar Association's Young Lawyers Division. The program is funded by FEMA and administered by the state of Minnesota.
Hotline attorneys can handle questions regarding disaster-related subjects such as insurance claims, landlord/tenant issues, drawing up powers of attorney, and replacement of wills and other important documents that were lost or destroyed. To be eligible for the legal assistance, individuals must not have a lawyer or the resources to hire one, must live in one of the seven counties designated for FEMA Individual Assistance programs, and must need legal assistance as a direct result of the severe storms and flooding.
Disaster Unemployment Assistance
Individuals who are out of work due to the disaster may qualify for Disaster Unemployment Assistance, a program funded by FEMA and administered by the state of Minnesota. The DUA program provides temporary income assistance to workers and self-employed individuals whose work has been lost or interrupted as a direct result of recent flooding. The deadline for applying for assistance is Friday, Sept. 28, 2007.
Applications are available at the Winona and Rochester WorkForce Centers and online at www.uimn.org. To receive applications by mail, contact Unemployment Insurance Customer Service toll free at 1-877-504-5050, TTY 1-866-814-1252 or within the Twin Cities calling area at 651-284-3033.
People may qualify for DUA if they work or were scheduled to begin work in one of the disaster-designated counties and cannot work as a direct result of the flooding; the work they are prevented from performing by the flooding is their primary source of livelihood; and they do not qualify for regular unemployment insurance benefits.
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, 06-Sep-2007 13:07:38