Disaster Assistance Tops $2.2 Million in East Baton Rouge Parish

BATON ROUGE, La. – Nearly three months since the Aug. 29 federal disaster declaration for Hurricane Isaac in Louisiana, more than $365 million in state and federal disaster assistance has been approved for the state. Disaster assistance for survivors in East Baton Rouge Parish now totals $2,221,280.

East Baton Rouge by the Numbers

Number of survivors who registered for assistance with FEMA: 5,403

Amount of Housing Assistance approved: $1,274,248

Amount of Other Needs Assistance approved: $386,455

TOTAL Individual Assistance grants: $1,660,703

TOTAL Public Assistance obligations: $242,677

TOTAL U.S. Small Business Administration disaster loans: $317,900

Timeline

Aug. 27 – President Obama issued an Emergency Declaration in Louisiana, in advance of Hurricane Isaac, for emergency protective measures (Category B), limited to direct federal assistance under the Public Assistance program.

Aug. 29 – President Obama issued a Federal Disaster Declaration for 35 parishes in Louisiana, including East Baton Rouge. The declaration made Public Assistance (PA) funds available for reimbursement of  costs for debris removal and emergency protective measures (Categories A & B), including direct federal assistance. A total of 55 parishes are now designated for PA.

Aug. 29 – The federal disaster declaration also made all parishes in the state eligible to apply for assistance under the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program.

Sept. 14 – An amendment designated three parishes in Louisiana, including East Baton Rouge, eligible for Individual Assistance (IA). With subsequent amendments, IA is now available in 26 parishes: Allen, Ascension, Assumption, East Baton Rouge, East Feliciana, Iberville, Jefferson, Lafourche, Livingston, Morehouse, Orleans, Plaquemines, Pointe Coupee, St. Bernard, St. Charles, St. Helena, St. James, St. John, St. Martin, St. Mary, St. Tammany, Tangipahoa, Terrebonne, Washington, West Baton Rouge and West Feliciana.

Sept. 21 – FEMA extended the PA program in eight parishes, including East Baton Rouge, to include supplemental funding for infrastructure repairs in the wake of Hurricane Isaac. Applicants in East Baton Rouge are now eligible to apply for the full range of PA funding (Categories A-G).

Survivors in St. John Parish affected by Hurricane Isaac can apply for disaster assistance until the Nov. 29 deadline. They may apply online at www.disasterassistance.gov, at m.fema.gov with a smartphone, or by phone at 800-621-3362 or TTY 800-462-7585. Survivors who use 711 Relay or Video Relay Services may call 800-621-3362.

For more information on Louisiana disaster recovery, click www.fema.gov/disaster/4080 or www.gohsep.la.gov. You can follow FEMA on Twitter at www.twitter.com/femaregion6 or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/FEMA. Also visit our blog at www.fema.gov/blog.

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

FEMA’s mission is to support our citizens and first responders to ensure that as a nation we work together to build, sustain, and improve our capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate all hazards.

SBA is the federal government’s primary source of funding 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).