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$50 Million in Debris Removal Funding Approved for Plaquemines and St. John Parishes

BATON ROUGE, La. – For scores of Louisiana communities battered by Hurricane Isaac, clearing out piles of debris has been one of the most difficult and time-consuming challenges. Through hard work and persistence over the past two months, debris piles are dwindling and, in many cases, disappearing altogether.

With bills from cleanup crews now reaching the local parishes, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is working to fulfill its role in the process: getting supplementary federal funding through the state into local coffers. FEMA does not perform the actual debris removal work; it reimburses the local governments that contract for the eligible work.
On Monday, FEMA announced it has issued more than $50 million in Public Assistance (PA) grants for reimbursement of debris removal costs for Plaquemines and St. John parishes, two of the hardest hit in Louisiana.

The total includes the largest-to-date PA grant in Louisiana for Hurricane Isaac, amounting to about $29 million for right-of-way debris removal in Plaquemines Parish. An additional grant, for nearly $19 million, has also been awarded to reimburse the parish for private property debris removal there.

Meanwhile, a PA grant totaling about $3.5 million has been awarded to St. John Parish for right-of-way debris removal.

“The parishes have made significant progress in their efforts to clean up and remove tons of debris caused by Hurricane Isaac,” said Gerard M. Stolar, FEMA’s federal coordinating officer. “FEMA is helping to support our parish partners with millions of dollars in supplemental funding.”

Under FEMA’s PA program, the agency obligates funds to the state for 75 percent of eligible costs, while the applicant covers the remaining 25 percent. The state forwards the federal funds to the eligible local governments or organizations that incurred costs.

For debris removal to be eligible the work must be necessary to:

Eliminate an immediate threat to lives, public health and safety,
Eliminate immediate threats of significant damage to improved public and private property when the measures are cost effective, or
Ensure the economic recovery of the affected community to the benefit of the community-at-large.

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.

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$50 Million in Debris Removal Funding Approved for Plaquemines and St. John Parishes

Disaster Recovery Center Opens in Slidell Friday

BATON ROUGE, La. — A State/FEMA Disaster Recovery Center opens Friday in St. Tammany Parish to assist homeowners, renters and business owners who sustained uninsured or underinsured damage to their home or personal property as a result of Hurricane Isaac.

Specialists from the state of Louisiana, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) are on hand to answer questions and provide information on the types of assistance available to survivors.

The center is located at:

Slidell Municipal Auditorium
2056 2nd St.
Slidell, LA 70458

Hours: 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday until further notice. Closed Sunday.

Survivors may register online at www.disasterassistance.gov or via web-enabled phone at m.fema.gov. They may also call 1-800-621-3362 or (TTY) 1-800-462-7585. Those who use 711 Relay or Video Relay Services may call 1-800-621-3362. The toll-free telephone numbers operate from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days a week.

SBA offers federal low-interest disaster loans to residents and businesses. After registering with FEMA, visit any Disaster Recovery Center where SBA representatives will answer questions, explain the application process and help each resident or business owner apply to SBA. For SBA information or to apply online, visit www.sba.gov or call 1-800-659-2955. Individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing may call 1-800-877-8339.

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

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Disaster Recovery Center Opens in Slidell Friday

Volunteering and Donating to Help Hurricane Isaac Survivors

BATON ROUGE, La. — Since Hurricane Isaac struck Louisiana in late August, the public has been an important part of the emergency management team by volunteering time, money, and energy helping disaster survivors and their communities.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and its partner, Louisiana Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (LA VOAD), are committed to fostering the Four Cs: communication, coordination, collaboration and cooperation.

LA VOAD is the primary statewide point of contact for voluntary organizations assisting with Hurricane Isaac disaster needs. It is also the forum where organizations share knowledge and resources throughout the disaster cycle — preparation, response and recovery — to help disaster survivors and their communities.

Members of Louisiana VOAD have done valuable work throughout the state since Isaac struck. Many are community- and faith-based groups, providing people with basic household needs, helping with clean-up and repair, and planning for longer-term recovery. Some have fostered cultural sensitivity and awareness, providing for particular needs of ethnic groups. Others are health care professionals who have counseled survivors at shelters and in their communities as they continue to cope with stress.

Whether or not you live in one of the affected parishes, you can support the ongoing response and recovery efforts in several ways. Listed below are tips for Louisianians who want to donate goods and services or volunteer their time and energy to help disaster survivors:

Register at www.volunteerlouisiana.org to receive updates and information on volunteer opportunities as they are identified.
- For opportunities in Plaquemines Parish, call the Committee for Plaquemines Recovery at 1-504-564-0309.
- For opportunities in St. John Parish, call the hotline at 1-985-359-1024
Visit Louisiana VOAD website at www.lavoad.org and click on the “How to Help” tab for information and links on how to volunteer or donate.
A financial contribution is the most efficient method of donating and offers voluntary agencies the most flexibility in obtaining the most-needed resources. You can donate money directly to Louisiana VOAD members including texting a donation to the American Red Cross or Salvation Army at www.nvoad.org.
If you have a quantity of a given item to donate, and you need help in determining which organizations to give to, you can make your offer through the National Donations Management Network by clicking “Louisiana” on the drop down menu at www.aidmatrixnetwork.org.
Also at this website, click on “Louisiana” on the interactive map for updated parish-specific opportunities for volunteers.
Join up with existing nonprofit organizations before coming to the disaster area. A community easily can become overwhelmed by the amount of generous people who want to help. Contacting and affiliating with an established organization will help to ensure that you are appropriately trained to respond in the most effective way.
Confirm the need before donating goods. Unsolicited donated goods require voluntary agencies to redirect valuable resources away from providing services in order to sort, package, transport, warehouse and distribute items that may not meet the needs of disaster survivors.

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Volunteering and Donating to Help Hurricane Isaac Survivors

Morgan City Disaster Recovery Center Closes Saturday

BATON ROUGE, La. — Time is running out for Hurricane Isaac survivors in St. Martin Parish to visit the State/FEMA Disaster Recovery Center in Morgan City. The center closes at 6 p.m. on Saturday.

Although the center will close, Hurricane Isaac survivors can still contact FEMA online at www.disasterassistance.gov or via web-enabled phone at m.fema.gov. Applicants may also call 1-800-621-3362 or (TTY) 1-800-462-7585. Those who use 711 Relay or Video Relay Services may call 1-800-621-3362. The toll-free telephone numbers operate from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days a week.

Survivors may also contact the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) after the center closes at 1-800-659-2955 or www.sba.gov.

The center is located at:

3257 Hwy. 70
Morgan City, LA 70380

Hours are: 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. through Saturday, Oct. 27.

Recovery centers have opened in many affected parishes to assist homeowners, renters and business owners who sustained uninsured or underinsured losses to their home or personal property as a result of Hurricane Isaac. For a list of open centers in Louisiana go to www.fema.gov/disaster/4080.

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Morgan City Disaster Recovery Center Closes Saturday

FEMA Dollars Continue to Support New Orleans’ Katrina Recovery

NEW ORLEANS – The Federal Emergency Management Agency and the city of New Orleans recently announced additional Katrina-related grants totaling nearly $7 million that will directly benefit two recovery projects within the city – the Joe Brown Center in New Orleans East and the Municipal Yacht Harbor on the south shore of Lake Pontchartrain.

“These federal dollars will supplement important repairs going on at Joe Brown Center and the Municipal Yacht Harbor,” New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu said. “We are making progress every day and will continue to work with FEMA to identify new eligible funding for storm-damaged buildings and infrastructure. FEMA continues to be an important partner in our recovery from Hurricane Katrina.”

“The great thing about these grants is that they support publically recognizable facilities, since both serve various recreational needs in New Orleans,” said FEMA’s Louisiana Recovery Office Deputy Director of Programs Andre Cadogan. “These are projects that, once fully complete, locals will greatly utilize and note as yet another sign of Louisiana’s progress on her path toward full recovery.”

Of FEMA’s latest funding, $1.7 million was provided for recently determined eligible damages at the Joe Brown Center, a popular, pre-Katrina recreational facility. This grant brings FEMA’s total support for recovery efforts at the Joe Brown Center to $3.3 million, and it includes the following work:

Removal and replacement of flood-damaged sidewalks throughout the facility; countertops and millwork in the center’s office; storefront entrance; doors and frames; tile floors; and
Repairs to moisture-damaged bleachers in the main facility area and to damaged windows and skylights.

“We know the city is excited to soon open the Joe Brown Center again for public use, and we are pleased with our steadfast recovery partnership that has led to us working side-by-side with the city to ensure all eligible FEMA dollars, such as these, are provided for such important work,” added Cadogan.

FEMA’s remaining funding, $5.3 million of the $7 million, was provided for the New Orleans’ Municipal Yacht Harbor, a marina docking area that provides secure anchoring for both recreational and commercial boats. The harbor facility was significantly damaged during the storm, necessitating FEMA’s current level of support, which now totals $10.1 million.

FEMA’s most recent grant for the harbor captures scope of work updates and revised estimated project costs to repair the following sites at the facility: concrete piers and pile caps, finger and end piers, fender system, timber mooring piles, watchman’s offices and restrooms, safety equipment, Pier 9 replacement, eastern bulkhead, and the electrical and mechanical distribution systems to the individual boat slips.

To date, FEMA has obligated approximately $6.4 billion in public assistance funding for Katrina and Rita related recovery work throughout the city of New Orleans.

Editors: For more information on Louisiana disaster recovery, visit www.fema.gov/latro.

Follow FEMA online at www.twitter.com/femalro, blog.fema.gov, www.facebook.com/fema, and www.youtube.com/fema. The social media links provided are for reference only. FEMA does not endorse any non-government websites, companies or applications.

When FEMA approves projects through its supplemental Public Assistance grant, the funds are made available to the Governor’s Office of Homeland Security & Emergency Preparedness, who disburses them to the applicant for eligible work completed.

The Public Assistance program works with state and local officials to fund recovery measures and the rebuilding of government and certain private nonprofit organizations’ buildings, as well as roads, bridges and water and sewer plants. In order for the process to be successful, federal, state and local partners coordinate to draw up project plans, fund these projects and oversee their completion.

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.

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FEMA Dollars Continue to Support New Orleans’ Katrina Recovery

Survivors Can Take Steps Now to Rebuild

BATON ROUGE, La. – Hurricane Isaac survivors repairing their homes with an eye toward avoiding damage from future storms can take several steps now to rebuild stronger and safer.

Property owners who wish to speed up the rebuilding process do not have to wait for a complete Substantial Damage Inspection, say mitigation experts from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Property owners can provide the local permitting official with a copy of an estimate from a licensed contractor to repair the structure, and a copy of a pre-disaster market value appraisal. With these documents, they can apply for a permit to make needed repairs.

“Storm survivors are anxious to get on with repairs, and we encourage them to do so,” said Patricia McArthur, Hazard Mitigation Branch Director for FEMA’s Hurricane Isaac mission in Louisiana. “The rebuilding phase of any disaster is an ideal time to plan ways to prevent or limit future damage.”

One source of funds for eligible homeowners who have flood insurance and whose homes were determined to be substantially damaged may be Increased Cost of Compliance (ICC) coverage. ICC provides up to $30,000 of insurance coverage for the increased cost of compliance with their community’s floodplain management ordinance.

FEMA assistance for individuals may include grants to help pay for temporary housing and emergency home repairs to make a home habitable. Survivors could also be eligible for grants for serious disaster-related expenses not covered by insurance or low-interest disaster loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration.

FEMA may also assist survivors whose insurance settlements have been delayed longer than 30 days from the time they filed their claims. Any help awarded by FEMA is considered an advance and must be repaid once an insurance settlement is received. The current maximum is $31,400.

To apply for an advance, people with delayed settlements should write a letter to FEMA explaining the situation. Homeowners should include documentation from their insurance companies proving their claim was filed. If they filed by telephone, they should include their claim number, the date they applied, and estimated time before they expect to receive the settlement.

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Survivors Can Take Steps Now to Rebuild

Mandeville Disaster Recovery Center Transitions to SBA Disaster Loan Outreach Center

BATON ROUGE, La. — The State/FEMA Disaster Recovery Center closing Saturday in St. Tammany Parish will convert to a U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) Disaster Loan Outreach Center (DLOC) on Monday, Oct. 22.

At the DLOC, SBA representatives will answer questions, explain the application process and help survivors apply for low-interest disaster loans.
FEMA Individual Assistance and Hazard Mitigation specialists will also be on hand at the DLOC to answer questions and provide information on the types of assistance available to Hurricane Isaac survivors.

The DLOC will be open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday until further notice at:

Mandeville Public Works Department
1100 Mandeville High Blvd.
Mandeville, LA 70471

To be considered for state/federal disaster assistance, survivors should first register with FEMA, online at www.disasterassistance.gov or via web-enabled phone at m.fema.gov. They may also call 1-800-621-3362 or (TTY) 1-800-462-7585. Those who use 711 Relay or Video Relay Services may call 1-800-621-3362. The toll-free telephone numbers operate from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days a week.

SBA provides federal low-interest disaster loans up to $200,000 to homeowners to repair or replace damaged or destroyed real estate. Homeowners and renters are eligible for up to $40,000 to repair or replace damaged or destroyed personal property.

Businesses of any size and private, non-profit organizations may borrow up to $2 million to repair or replace damaged or destroyed real estate, machinery and equipment, inventory, and other business assets. SBA can also lend additional funds to homeowners and businesses to help with the cost of making improvements that protect, prevent or minimize the same type of disaster damage from occurring in the future.

For small businesses and most private, nonprofit organizations of any size, SBA offers Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDLs) to help meet working capital needs caused by the disaster. EIDL assistance is available regardless of whether the business suffered property damage during the storm.

For SBA information or to apply online, visit www.sba.gov or call 1-800-659-2955. Individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing may call 1-800-877-8339.

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Mandeville Disaster Recovery Center Transitions to SBA Disaster Loan Outreach Center

FEMA Support Eases Local Nonprofit’s Recovery Costs

NEW ORLEANS – The Federal Emergency Management Agency recently announced nearly half-a-million dollars in recovery aid to a local nonprofit, the Family Center of Hope, bringing the federal agency’s overall Katrina and Rita recovery support for private, nonprofits within Louisiana to approximately $1.3 billion.

“Louisiana’s recovery continues to progress through joint efforts,” said FEMA’s Louisiana Recovery Office Deputy Director of Programs Andre Cadogan. “Nonprofits, such as the Family Center of Hope in New Orleans, are key recovery partners, driving overall growth through providing essential community services to local residents.”

As a community center, The Family Center of Hope, located at 4137 Washington Avenue, offers social services, including counseling, tutoring, and conflict resolution and outreach programs at local schools.

“The Family Center of Hope is very thankful and excited to receive these funds from FEMA for the completion of our project. We have served this community well for more than 20 years, and we will maintain our strong partnership with the city of New Orleans and our state officials to ensure that our new facility continues to address the many social ills plaguing children and their families in this community,” said Family Center of Hope Executive Director Patricia Watson.

During Hurricane Katrina, the community center’s roof was significantly damaged, allowing rain waters to enter the facility, which caused second floor damages. Likewise, approximately eight feet of floodwaters inundated and destroyed the first floor. As a result, the Family Center of Hope applied for and initially received both Community Block Grants and Capital Outlay Grants to fund the majority of necessary repair work.

Still, there were remaining repair costs, and in 2011, the Family Center of Hope became aware of their eligibility as a nonprofit to also apply for FEMA aid under the agency’s Public Assistance Program. Their request for recovery assistance recently resulted in FEMA providing $445,377 for eligible, Katrina-related building repairs not previously funded under CBDG and COG.

With remaining repairs underway, the Family Center of Hope community center will soon maintain the same capacity and function as it did pre-Katrina. It is anticipated to reopen in the summer of 2013.

Editors: For more information on Louisiana disaster recovery, visit www.fema.gov/latro.

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FEMA Support Eases Local Nonprofit’s Recovery Costs

FEMA Adds Pointe Coupee Parish for Individual Assistance

BATON ROUGE, La. – Residents of Pointe Coupee Parish working to recover from Hurricane Isaac may now apply for federal and state disaster assistance through the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), as the parish was added Wednesday to the major disaster declaration for the hurricane.

“Our Individual Assistance experts are ready to get help to eligible Hurricane Isaac survivors in Pointe Coupee Parish,” said Federal Coordinating Officer Gerard M. Stolar. “Survivors should register with FEMA as soon as possible so we can begin to work with them and determine their needs.”

Homeowners, renters and business owners with uninsured or underinsured property damage may register online at www.disasterassistance.gov or via smartphone at m.fema.gov. Applicants may also call 1-800-621-3362 or (TTY) 1-800-462-7585. Those who use 711 Relay or Video Relay Services may call 1-800-621-3362. The toll-free telephone numbers are open from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days a week.

Disaster assistance for individuals may include:

Grants to help pay for temporary housing and emergency home repairs to make a home habitable;
Grants for serious disaster-related expenses not covered by insurance;
Low-interest disaster loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration.

Survivors should register with FEMA even if they have insurance. FEMA cannot duplicate insurance payments, but underinsured 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 or local community or church organization. FEMA registrants must use the name that appears on their Social Security card. Applicants will be asked to provide:

Social Security number
Address of the damaged home or apartment
Description of the damage
Information about insurance coverage
A current contact telephone number
An address where they can get mail
Bank account and routing numbers if they want direct deposit of any financial assistance.

The latest addition brings to 26 the total number of parishes for which Individual Assistance has been made available in Louisiana: 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.

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FEMA Adds Pointe Coupee Parish for Individual Assistance

Disaster Recovery Center Opens Wednesday in St. Martin Parish

BATON ROUGE, La. — A State/FEMA Disaster Recovery Center will open Wednesday in St. Martin Parish to assist homeowners, renters and business owners who sustained uninsured or underinsured damage to their home or personal property as a result of Hurricane Isaac.

The center is open from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 17 and from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Oct. 18 through Oct. 31, closed Sundays, at:

3257 Hwy 70
Morgan City, LA 70380 (in parking lot)

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Disaster Recovery Center Opens Wednesday in St. Martin Parish

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