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Mobile Disaster Recovery Centers Closing This Weekend in Katy, Houston

AUSTIN, Texas – Two mobile disaster recovery centers in Katy and Houston, both in Harris County, will close this week.

Location: Lone Star College-University Park

Energy & Manufacturing Institute

11521 Compaq Center West Dr.

Houston, Texas 77070

Closing: 2 p.m. Friday, May 27

Location: Katy Park

24927 Morton Rd

Katy, Texas 77493

Closing: 2 p.m. Saturday, May 28

Mobile disaster recovery centers are operated jointly by FEMA and the state. Visiting a disaster recovery center is not required to register for FEMA assistance.

After the centers close, Texans whose homes or businesses were affected by the storms and flooding that occurred April 17-24 can still register for assistance, get updates about applications, learn about the appeals process or check the status of their claim the following ways:

online at DisasterAssistance.gov
by phone 800-621-3362 (FEMA). Persons who are deaf, hard of hearing or have a speech disability and use a TTY may call 800-462-7585. Applicants who use 711 or Video Relay Service may also call 800-621-3362. The toll-free numbers are open from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., seven days a week. Multilingual operators are available.

Recovery officials encourage Texans who registered for disaster assistance with FEMA to stay in touch. If survivors change their addresses or phone numbers they should update FEMA with the information. Missing or erroneous information could result in delays in getting a home inspection or receiving assistance.

Disaster survivors can also visit other recovery centers that remain open. To find the closest one, go online to the Disaster Recovery Center Locator at asd.fema.gov/inter/locator/home.htm.

For more information on the Texas recovery, visit the disaster webpage for the April storms at fema.gov/disaster/4269 or visit the Texas Division of Emergency Management website at dps.texas.gov/dem/. Follow us on Twitter @femaregion6.

Survivors may also download the FEMA app fema.gov/mobile-app to locate open shelters and disaster recovery centers, receive severe weather alerts, safety tips and much more.

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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.

Download the FEMA app fema.gov/mobile-app to locate open shelters and disaster recovery centers, receive severe weather alerts, safety tips and much more.

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Mobile Disaster Recovery Centers Closing This Weekend in Katy, Houston

Nearly $40 Million in Disaster Help Approved for Texas Survivors

AUSTIN, Texas – Nearly $40 million in disaster assistance has been approved for individuals and families in Texas whose properties were damaged or destroyed in the March 7-29 tornadoes and flooding.

This includes more than $17 million in grants to help eligible survivors with home repairs and temporary rental costs and more than $2 million in grants for expenses related to personal property, transportation, medical, dental, funeral and moving costs.

The deadline to register for federal assistance was May 18.

In the 13 counties included in the March disaster declaration, 1,797 registrations were approved for assistance. Those counties are: Erath, Gregg, Harrison, Henderson, Hood, Jasper, Limestone, Marion, Newton, Orange, Parker, Shelby and Tyler.

The nearly $40 million in federal assistance includes more than $18 million in low-interest disaster loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration to businesses, homeowners and renters.

Texans who registered can update their registration information or check the status of their applications online at DisasterAssistance.gov or by phone at 800-621-3362 (FEMA). Applicants who use 711 or Video Relay Service may also call 800-621-3362. Persons who are deaf, hard of hearing or have a speech disability and use a TTY may call 800-462-7585. The toll-free numbers are open from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., seven days a week. Multilingual operators are available.

For more information on the Texas recovery, visit the disaster webpage for the March storms at fema.gov/disaster/4266; or visit the Texas Division of Emergency Management website at txdps.state.tx.us/dem. Follow us on Twitter @femaregion6.

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Nearly $40 Million in Disaster Help Approved for Texas Survivors

Newton County Disaster Recovery Center to Operate as Disaster Loan Center; Harrison County Center to Close

AUSTIN, Texas – The disaster recovery centers in Harrison and Newton counties will close at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, May 18, coinciding with the deadline to register for federal assistance for the March tornadoes and flooding.

However, the U.S. Small Business Administration will begin operating a Disaster Loan Outreach Center at the same building on Thursday, May 19 in Newton County.

The center is located at the Senior Citizen Center, 43435 State Highway 87 South, Orange, TX 77632. Hours are 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday. The center will not operate on Saturdays and Sundays and will close on Monday, May 30 in observance of Memorial Day.

At the Newton County Disaster Loan Outreach Center, SBA representatives will meet individually with residents and business owners affected by the March storms. Representatives answer questions, explain SBA’s disaster loan program, help complete loan applications and close approved disaster loans.

After the Harrison County recovery center closes May 18, residents whose homes or businesses were affected by the March 7-29 storms, tornadoes and flooding can get questions answered and update the status of their claims the following ways:

online at DisasterAssistance.gov
by calling 800-621-3362 (FEMA) or TTY 800-462-7585. Applicants who use 711 or Video Relay Service may also call 800-621-3362. Persons who are deaf, hard of hearing or have a speech disability and use a TTY may call 800-462-7585. The toll-free numbers are open from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., seven days a week. Multilingual operators are available.

Recovery officials encourage Texans who registered for disaster assistance to “stay

in touch” with FEMA. If survivors change their addresses or phone numbers they should update FEMA with the new information. Missing or erroneous information could result in delays in getting a home inspection or receiving assistance.

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Newton County Disaster Recovery Center to Operate as Disaster Loan Center; Harrison County Center to Close

Free Legal Help Available to Low-Income Texans Affected by April Floods

AUSTIN, Texas – Disaster often invites chaos, which can result in disagreement: tenants and landlords bicker over re-entry to damaged apartments, homeowners and contractors argue over billing for unfinished or subpar repairs.

“These are just some of the difficulties that Texas survivors may be facing after the recent flooding that may require legal assistance,” said Federal Coordinating Officer Kevin Hannes, who is in charge of FEMA’s operations in Texas. “For those who can’t afford it, help is available.”

The State Bar of Texas, American Bar Association’s Young Lawyers Division, FEMA and other organizations have partnered to help provide assistance to affected individuals and families in the 12 counties designated by the April disaster: Austin, Colorado, Fayette, Fort Bend, Grimes, Harris, Liberty, Montgomery, Parker, San Jacinto, Waller and Wharton. The free service is offered to survivors who need legal assistance dealing with issues related to the storms and flooding and have no means to hire a lawyer.

A toll-free legal hotline (800-504-7030) is open to connect low-income individuals affected by the disaster with local legal aid providers who can help with:

assistance with life, medical and property insurance claims;
counseling on landlord-tenant problems;
assistance securing FEMA and other government benefits available to disaster survivors;
help with home repair contracts and contractors;
replacement of wills and other important documents lost or destroyed in the disaster
consumer protection issues such as price gouging and avoiding contractor scams in rebuliding process and
counseling on mortgage-foreclosure problems.

The hotline is available around the clock, seven days a week, and callers are also invited to leave a message. Individuals who qualify for assistance will be matched with Texas lawyers who have volunteered to provide free, limited legal help. Communications with an attorney are confidential.

Survivors should be aware that there are some limitations on disaster legal services. For example, assistance is not available for cases that will produce a fee (i.e., those cases where attorneys are paid part of the settlement by the court). Such cases are referred to a local lawyer referral service.

Other legal organizations assisting with disaster relief efforts include the Houston Bar Association (hba.org), Lone Star Legal Aid (lonestarlegal.org), the Texas Consumer Complaint Center at the University of Houston Law Center (texasccc.com, or 877-839-8422) and the American Red Cross (877-500-8645). National Disaster Legal Aid Online, or NDLA (available at: disasterlegalaid.org) is a collaborative effort of Lone Star Legal Aid, the American Bar Association (abanet.org/disaster), the Legal Services Corporation, the National Legal Aid and Defender Association, and Pro Bono Net.

Texans can register online at DisasterAssistance.gov or by phone at 800-621-3362 (FEMA). Persons who are deaf, hard of hearing or have a speech disability and use a TTY may call 800-462-7585. Applicants who use 711 or Video Relay Service may also call 800-621-3362. The toll-free numbers are open from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., seven days a week. Multilingual operators are available.

For more information on the Texas recovery, visit the disaster webpage for the April storms at fema.gov/disaster/4269; or visit the Texas Division of Emergency Management website at txdps.state.tx.us/dem. Follow us on Twitter @femaregion6.

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Free Legal Help Available to Low-Income Texans Affected by April Floods

Fill Out an SBA Loan Application or You Could be Leaving Money on the Table

AUSTIN, Texas – Texans who suffered damage or loss from the April flooding and were referred to the U.S. Small Business Administration could lose some income-based FEMA grants if they don’t complete and submit SBA’s loan application.

Other Needs Assistance grants may cover uninsured losses for furniture, appliances and other personal property, even vehicles. Survivors will not be considered for this type of assistance unless they have completed and returned the SBA loan application. The information on the application is used to determine eligibility for income-based assistance.

Applicants from Austin, Colorado, Fayette, Fort Bend, Grimes, Harris, Liberty, Montgomery, Parker, San Jacinto, Waller and Wharton counties should complete the SBA loan application, even if they don’t want a loan.

“If you don’t complete the SBA loan application, you could be leaving ‘money on the table’ for your recovery,” said Federal Coordinating Officer Kevin Hannes, who is in charge of FEMA’s operations in Texas. “We use that application to check eligibility for additional grants.”

Some types of Other Needs Assistance—medical, dental and funeral expenses—are not SBA dependent and completing the loan application is not required. However, it is always recommended by recovery experts.

SBA is the federal government’s primary source of money for the long-term rebuilding of disaster-damaged private property, offering low-interest disaster assistance loans to businesses of all sizes, private nonprofit organizations, homeowners and renters.

Survivors should start the loan process as soon as possible, and those who qualify for an SBA loan are under no obligation to accept it. If approved and the loan is not accepted, the survivor may be ineligible for additional federal assistance.

Submit an SBA loan application even if you are waiting for an insurance settlement. You may be able to begin your recovery immediately with a low-interest SBA disaster loan. The loan balance will be reduced by the settlement from your insurance. SBA loans may also be available for losses not covered by insurance.

Homeowners may borrow up to $200,000 from SBA to repair or replace their primary residence. Homeowners and renters may borrow up to $40,000 from SBA to replace personal property.

Businesses may borrow up to $2 million for any combination of property damage or economic injury. SBA offers low-interest working capital loans (called Economic Injury Disaster Loans) to small businesses and most private nonprofit organizations of all sizes having difficulty meeting obligations as a result of the disaster.

Disaster loan information and application forms are also available from SBA’s Customer Service Center by calling 800-659-2955 or email disastercustomerservice@sba.gov. Individuals who are deaf or hard‑of‑hearing may call 800-877-8339. For more disaster assistance information or to download applications, visit sba.gov/disaster. Completed applications should be mailed to: U.S. Small Business Administration, Processing and Disbursement Center, 14925 Kingsport Road, Fort Worth, TX 76155.

Texans can register online at DisasterAssistance.gov or by phone at 800-621-3362 (FEMA). Persons who are deaf, hard of hearing or have a speech disability and use a TTY, should call 800-462-7585. Those who use 711 or Video Relay Service, call 800-621-3362.Toll-free numbers are open from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., seven days a week. Multilingual operators are available.

For more information on Texas recovery, visit the disaster webpage for the April storms at fema.gov/disaster/4269; or visit the Texas Division of Emergency Management website at txdps.state.tx.us/dem. Follow us on Twitter @femaregion6.

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Fill Out an SBA Loan Application or You Could be Leaving Money on the Table

FEMA Offers Advice for Texans on Lessening Storm Damage in Harris County at the Lowe’s in Baytown and at the North Loop West Home Depot in Houston

AUSTIN, Texas – A team of specialists from FEMA will visit Lowe’s and The Home Depot in Harris County to offer tips and techniques to lessen the impact of disaster-related property damage.

Specialists will be available at the following locations:

Where: Lowe’s, 5002 Garth Road, Baytown, TX 77521

Hours: 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday and Tuesday May 12-17

Where: The Home Depot, 999 N. Loop W., Houston, TX 77008

Hours: 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday and Tuesday May 12-17

FEMA Mitigation specialists will be on hand to answer questions and offer home improvement tips to reduce damage in future disasters. Information is geared to both do-it-yourselfers and general contractors on topics such as storm shelters and safe rooms.

Booklets are available in both English and Spanish on protecting your home from flood damage and other natural disasters. If you have a disability and need an accommodation to access Braille, large print or American Sign Language interpreters, please let our representatives know. More information about strengthening property can be found at fema.gov/what-mitigation and fema.gov/texas-disaster-mitigation.

FEMA’s National Flood Insurance Program has a call center to answer policyholder questions, service claims, provide general information and offer technical assistance. To speak with a flood insurance specialist, call 800-621-3362 (FEMA), select option 2, between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. Monday through Friday.

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FEMA Offers Advice for Texans on Lessening Storm Damage in Harris County at the Lowe’s in Baytown and at the North Loop West Home Depot in Houston

Federal Officials Visit Texas Communities with Resources for Recovery

AUSTIN, Texas – Residents in each of the state’s disaster-affected counties can expect to see FEMA’s Disaster Survivor Assistance teams in their communities, offering a personal link to the resources for recovery.

FEMA officials are in the counties to meet with residents who suffered damage from severe storms and flooding April 17-24.

Using the latest mobile technology, DSA team members help survivors register for disaster assistance, update information on applications, assist with determining ongoing needs and make referrals to whole community partners.

The DSA teams are there in partnership with the Texas Division of Emergency Management and local officials. DSA team members wear FEMA attire and carry FEMA photo IDs. If the photo ID is not displayed, ask to see it.

They may request the following information:

Social Security number;
Address of the damaged primary residence;
Description of the damage;
Information about insurance coverage;
A current contact telephone number;
An address where they can receive mail; and
Bank account and routing numbers for direct deposit of funds.

Residents in Austin, Colorado, Fayette, Grimes, Harris, Parker, Waller and Wharton counties do not have to wait until they meet with a DSA team member to register for FEMA assistance. Register with FEMA at DisasterAssistance.gov or by phone (voice, 711 or video relay service) at 800-621-3362, TTY 800-462-7585. Toll-free lines are open 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., seven days a week and multilingual operators are available.

Disaster assistance can include grants for temporary housing and home repairs, low-interest loans to cover uninsured property losses, and other programs to help individuals and business owners recover from the effects of the disaster.

For more information on Texas recovery, visit the disaster webpage for the April storms at fema.gov/disaster/4269; or visit the Texas Division of Emergency Management website, txdps.state.tx.us/dem. Follow us on Twitter @femaregion6.

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Federal Officials Visit Texas Communities with Resources for Recovery

Four More Texas Counties May Apply for Disaster Aid for April Storms

AUSTIN, Texas – Individuals and families in Austin, Colorado, Waller and Wharton counties can now register for assistance for the April 17-24 severe storms and floods after the Federal Emergency Management Agency granted the state’s request to add them to the disaster declaration.

They join the four counties already designated for FEMA’s individual assistance program under the April 25 federal disaster declaration: Fayette, Grimes, Harris and Parker counties.

Texans who suffered damage or losses as a result of April severe storms and flooding are encouraged to apply for assistance. Disaster assistance for homeowners and renters may include grants to help pay for temporary housing and essential home repairs, as well as other serious disaster-related needs, such as medical and dental expenses.

Texans in the eight counties who sustained disaster related damage or losses can register online at DisasterAssistance.gov or by phone at 800-621-3362 (FEMA) or TTY 800-462-7585. Applicants who use 711 or Video Relay Service may call 800-621-3362. Multilingual operators are available. The toll-free numbers are open from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., seven days a week.

Those who had flood or storm damage should register with FEMA even if they have insurance. FEMA cannot duplicate insurance payments, but underinsured applicants may be eligible for help after their insurance claims have been settled.

Low-interest disaster loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration are available for eligible survivors. SBA helps businesses of all sizes (including landlords), private non-profit organizations, homeowners and renters fund repairs or rebuilding efforts and cover the cost of replacing lost or disaster-damaged personal property. Disaster loans cover losses not fully compensated by insurance or other recoveries.

For more information, survivors may contact SBA Disaster Assistance Customer Service Center by calling 800-659-2955, emailing disastercustomerservice@sba.gov, or visiting the SBA website at https://disasterloan.sba.gov/ela. Deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals may call 800-877-8339

For more information on Texas recovery, visit the disaster webpage for the April storms at fema.gov/disaster/4269; or visit the Texas Division of Emergency Management website, txdps.state.tx.us/dem. Follow us Twitter at twitter.com/femaregion6.

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Four More Texas Counties May Apply for Disaster Aid for April Storms

Disaster Recovery: How Texans Can Volunteer and Help Texas Survivors

AUSTIN, Texas — In the face of disaster, Texans always come together with courage, compassion and unity to ask, “How can I help?”

If you want to volunteer for disaster work, there are many tasks that can aid in recovery – cleaning-up and rebuilding are two of the biggest. The Federal Emergency Management Agency suggests that volunteering through a local voluntary organization may be the best way to find meaningful volunteer work after the disaster.

Such organizations are often in the best position to know about opportunities for immediate volunteer needs as well as volunteers in the long and difficult recovery phase. In addition, going through an established organization provides a better chance of having insurance and liability protection when you work as a volunteer.

The Texas Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (TXVOAD) is a good source to find the local organizations in need of volunteers. TXVOAD represents more than three dozen faith-based, community, nonprofit and non-governmental groups that include volunteer engagement as a key component of their operations. Showing up at a disaster site unexpectedly can create an additional burden for first responders. If you want to help, it is advised to first reach out to an organization that is coordinating recovery needs in your community.

For a complete list of these organizations, with links to their websites, visit Texas Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster.

In the immediate disaster response period there are often many people who want to volunteer at the same time. Be patient because it may not be clear until weeks after the incident how volunteers can get involved. There are often greater needs for volunteer help when the community enters the long-term recovery period which can be weeks or even months after a disaster.

Texans can learn more about volunteering and the benefits of volunteering during a disaster by viewing this video at go.usa.gov/cuX3V.

If you cannot volunteer your time or talent, FEMA officials say making a donation to an organization involved in disaster recovery is a sensible, efficient way of helping the people in need. Cash contributions to volunteer organizations make good sense for a number of reasons:

Financial contributions help ensure a steady flow of important services to disaster survivors in need;
Local organizations spend the money in the local disaster area, accelerating recovery of the local economy;
Cash donations – rather than unsolicited donated goods – avoid the complicated, costly and time-consuming process of collecting, transporting and distributing the goods; and
With a receipt, cash donations to recognized relief organizations are tax-deductible.

If a disaster survivor has needs, they can call 211 to be matched with a volunteer group that can help.

For more information on Texas recovery, visit us at Twitter at twitter.com/femaregion6 and the Texas Division of Emergency Management website, txdps.state.tx.us/dem.

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Disaster Recovery: How Texans Can Volunteer and Help Texas Survivors

FEMA Rental Assistance May Be an Option for Texas Survivors

AUSTIN, Texas – Homeowners and renters in four Texas counties affected by the storms and flooding April 17-24 may be eligible to receive rental assistance from FEMA. The funds are meant to help pay for a clean and safe place for them to stay while making repairs or rebuilding their storm-damaged home.

First, file a claim with your homeowner’s insurance company. Talk to your homeowners’ or renters’ insurance agent about additional living expenses (ALE) coverage as part of your policy that may assist in relocating to a temporary residence.
Register for FEMA assistance. If you are insured, you will need to submit your settlement documents for review before FEMA can determine your eligibility status. If your policy does not include ALE, or you exhaust this coverage and your home remains uninhabitable, you may be eligible for rental assistance from FEMA.
An inspector may arrange a visit to your damaged home or apartment to determine disaster losses. If the inspector determines your home is uninhabitable, you may be offered an option of initial rental assistance to help you find another home to live in while you repair or rebuild.
Find available rental property. The FEMA Housing Portal provides resources for individuals and families who are displaced by a disaster. The portal consolidates resources of available rental property throughout the United States. Rental resources are identified and provided by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, U.S. Department of Agriculture, U.S. Veterans Administration, private organizations and individuals.

Survivors in Fayette, Grimes, Harris and Parker counties can register for FEMA assistance online at DisasterAssistance.gov or by phone at 800-621-3362, TTY 800-462-7585. Applicants who use 711 or Video Relay Service may call 800-621-3362. The toll-free numbers are open from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., seven days a week.

Landlords with available rental properties can send an email to FEMA-Housing@fema.dhs.gov. The email should include your contact name, the state that the property is located in, and your phone number.

For more information on Texas recovery, visit the disaster webpage at fema.gov/disaster/4269 , Twitter at twitter.com/femaregion6 and the Texas Division of Emergency Management website, txdps.state.tx.us/dem.

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FEMA Rental Assistance May Be an Option for Texas Survivors

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