Published: September 14, 2008 05:35 pm         

Residents in 29 counties eligible for federal assistance

AUSTIN, Texas ¡X Residents of 29 Texas counties who suffered damage from Hurricane Ike may be eligible for federal disaster assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA).

The designated Texas counties are: Angelina, Austin, Brazoria, Chambers, Cherokee, Fort Bend, Galveston, Grimes, Hardin, Harris, Houston, Jasper, Jefferson, Liberty, Madison, Matagorda, Montgomery, Nacogdoches, Newton, Orange, Polk, Sabine, San Augustine, San Jacinto, Trinity, Tyler, Walker, Waller, and Washington Counties.



¡§Anyone who was affected by the hurricane could be eligible, but there's no way to know if they don¡¦t register,¡¨ said

Federal Coordinating Officer Sandy Coachman of FEMA. ¡§Registration is the first step to receive federal assistance.¡¨

Homeowners, renters, businesses of all sizes and nonprofit organizations can register online anytime at www.fema.gov, or by calling 1-800-621-FEMA (3362), (TTY 1-800-462-7585). These toll-free telephone numbers will operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week until further notice.

Assistance to individuals could include grants to help pay for uninsured temporary housing needs, essential home repairs and/or other serious disaster-related expenses, such as medical and dental expenses or funer

al and burial costs.

Texans should register with FEMA even if they have insurance. FEMA cannot duplicate insurance payments, but under-insured applicants may receive help after their insurance claims have been settled.

Registering with FEMA is required for federal aid, even if the person has registered with another disaster relief organization such as the American Red Cross, local officials or churches. Registrants with FEMA must use the name that appears on their Social Security card. Applicants will be asked to provide:

„X Social Security number

„X Address of the damaged home or apartment

„X Description of the damage

„X Information about insurance coverage

„X A current contact telephone number

„X An address where you can get mail

„X Bank account and routing numbers if they want direct deposit of any financial assistance.

###

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 act

s of terror.

SBA is the federal government¡¦s primary source of money for the long-term rebuilding of disaster-damaged private property. SBA helps homeowners, renters, businesses of all sizes, and private non-profit organizations fund repairs or rebuilding efforts, and cover the cost of replacing lost or disaster-damaged personal property. These disaster

loans cover uninsured and uncompensated losses and do not duplicate benefits of other agencies or organizations. For information about SBA programs, applicants may call 800-659-2955 (TTY 800-877-8339).

Disaster recovery assistance is available without regard to race, color, sex, religion, nationality, age, disability, English proficiency, economic status, or retaliation. If you or someone you known has been discriminated against, call FEMA toll-free at 800-621-FEMA (3362). ForTTY Call 800-462-7585.

     

• Click to discuss this story with other readers on our forums.