3 Months After Flooding, Federal Assistance to South Carolina Continues

COLUMBIA, S.C. – Ninety days after severe storms and flooding in South Carolina, the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the U.S. Small Business Administration have provided more than $219 million in grants and loans to assist in recovery.

FEMA is coordinating the full resources of the federal government to support the state as it leads recovery efforts. South Carolinians experienced severe losses as a result of the historic Oct. 1-23 flooding. Residents have visited disaster recovery centers more than 48,000 times. More than 25,000 people have participated in 113 public meetings in which FEMA representatives provided information about assistance. More than 101,000 South Carolinians have contacted FEMA to determine whether they qualify for assistance.

FEMA has operated 30 disaster recovery center locations in 24 counties. The federal agency is assisting the state as it works with long-term recovery organizations forming in South Carolina to help individuals and families who have unmet needs. The federal disaster recovery coordinator is working with the state recovery coordinator to identify gaps in assistance for communities that can be met by using resources from federal, state and private sources.

FEMA has awarded more than $79 million in grants to survivors for housing and other essential needs through FEMA’s Individuals and Households Assistance Program. Of that total, $68.9 million was for temporary rental assistance and $10.6 million was for other needs, such as medical, dental and other disaster-related expenses. FEMA has inspected more than 83,300 properties and approved 26,693 applicants for assistance.

FEMA’s Public Assistance Program has provided $17.2 million in grants to state and local governments and local communities to cover not less than 75 percent of the eligible costs of emergency response, debris removal and the repair, restoration, replacement and mitigation of damaged public facilities. Additional projects are being formulated and reviewed and the amount of Public Assistance provided by FEMA will increase as more work is approved.

The U.S. Small Business Administration has approved 4,300 low-interest disaster loans totaling more than $122.7 million.

Here is a breakdown of the assistance provided by FEMA and loans approved by the SBA as of close of business Jan. 4, 2016:

• Individuals and Households Assistance

  • More than $79.5 million approved to help survivors in their recovery.

    • More than $68.9 million of that amount approved for housing assistance such as temporary rentals and essential home repairs.

    • More than $10.6 million approved for Other Needs Assistance such as medical, dental and other serious disaster-related needs.

• Public Assistance
  • More than $17.2 million obligated for eligible projects.
• SBA Loans

  • More than $122.7 million approved.

• More than $105.3 million approved in disaster home loans.

• More than $16 million approved in business loans.

• More than $1.3 million approved in economic injury disaster loans.