SBA Disaster Loan Outreach Center Opens in Tomball (Harris County)

AUSTIN, Texas – The U.S. Small Business Administration opened a disaster loan outreach center this week.

Location:
Tomball Community Center
Library Room
221 Market St.
Tomball, TX 77375

Hours:
9 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Thursday
8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Fridays
Closed Saturdays and Sundays

SBA customer service representatives are available to meet with business owners and residents to answer questions, explain SBA’s disaster loan program and close their approved disaster loans. Business owners and residents can meet with SBA representatives on the days and times indicated. No appointment is necessary.

Applicants for disaster loans may apply online using the electronic loan application via SBA’s secure website at disasterloan.sba.gov/ela

Disaster loan information and application forms are also available from SBA’s Customer Service Center by calling 800-659-2955 or emailing 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 paper applications should be mailed to:

U.S. Small Business Administration
Processing and Disbursement Center
14925 Kingsport Rd.
Fort Worth, TX 76155

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SBA Disaster Loan Outreach Center Opens in Tomball (Harris County)

Disaster Recovery Center Opens in Harris County

AUSTIN, Texas – A State/FEMA Disaster Recovery Center (DRC) is now open in Harris County for homeowners, renters and business owners who sustained damage as a result of the severe storms, tornadoes, straight-line winds and flooding from Oct. 22 to Oct. 31.

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

The DRC location and hours of operation are:

Denver Harbor Multi-Service Center
6402 Market St.

Houston, TX 77020

9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday – Friday
9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday

Closed Sunday

If possible, register for FEMA assistance by phone or online before visiting a center. Going to a DRC is not a requirement of registration, but specialists there can provide guidance regarding disaster recovery and rental resources, explain written correspondence received from FEMA, inform survivors of the status of their application, make referrals to other organizations and answer questions.

Survivors can apply online at DisasterAssistance.gov or by phone (voice, 711 or relay service) at 800-621-3362. TTY users should call 800-462-7585. The toll-free lines are open 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days a week. Applicants will be asked to provide:

  • 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
  • Bank account and routing numbers for those preferring direct deposit of funds

The presidential disaster declaration of Nov. 25 makes federal assistance available to eligible individuals and business owners in 16 counties: Bastrop, Brazoria, Caldwell, Cameron, Comal, Galveston, Guadalupe, Hardin, Harris, Hays, Hidalgo, Liberty, Navarro, Travis, Willacy and Wilson.

Assistance for eligible survivors can include grants for temporary housing and home repairs, and for other serious disaster-related needs, such as medical and dental expenses or funeral and burial costs. Also, low-interest disaster loans from the SBA are available for Businesses of all sizes (including landlords), private nonprofits, homeowners and renters.

Low-interest disaster loans help fund repairs or rebuilding efforts and cover the cost of replacing lost or disaster-damaged personal property. Economic Injury disaster loans are available to businesses and private-nonprofits to assist with working capital needs as a direct result of the disaster.

Renters and homeowners may qualify for grants for other disaster-related necessary expenses and serious needs, such as clothing, child care, room furnishings and appliances, medical and dental costs, specialized tools, heating fuels, vehicles and moving and storage expenses.

Eligible survivors 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.

For more information on Texas recovery, visit the disaster web page at www.fema.gov/disaster/4245, Twitter at https://www.twitter.com/femaregion6 and the Texas Division of Emergency Management website, https://www.txdps.state.tx.us/dem.

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Disaster Recovery Center Opens in Harris County

FEMA Mitigation Advisers Offer Guidance to Flood Survivors in Charleston, Darlington, Dorchester, Greenwood, Horry and Richland Counties

COLUMBIA, S.C. – As South Carolinians rebuild and repair after the recent historic floods, the Federal Emergency Management Agency and local home improvement stores have teamed up to provide free information, tips and literature on making homes stronger and safer.

FEMA mitigation specialists will be on hand to answer questions and offer home improvement tips to prevent and lessen damage from future disasters. Most of the information is geared towards do-it-yourself work and general contractors.

Advisers will be available at the following locations from Nov. 28 through Dec. 1. Hours and location are as follows:

  • Lowe’s located at 1104 Market Center Blvd. in Charleston (Saturday, 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.; Sunday, 8 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.; Monday, 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.; and Tuesday, 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.)

  • Lowe’s located at 513 Bypass 72 Northwest in Greenwood (Saturday, 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.; Sunday, 8 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.; Monday, 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.; and Tuesday, 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.)

  • Lowe’s located at 819 South Fourth St. in Hartsville (Saturday, 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.; Sunday, 8 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.; Monday, 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.; and Tuesday, 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.)

  • Home Depot located at 620 Highway 17 North in North Myrtle Beach (Saturday, 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.; Sunday, 8 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.; Monday, 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.; and Tuesday, 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.)

  • Home Depot located at 285 Forum Drive in Columbia (Saturday, 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.; Sunday, 8 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.; Monday, 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.; and Tuesday, 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.)

  • Ace located at 5726 Memorial Blvd. in Saint George (Saturday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Sunday, closed; Monday and Tuesday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.)                

Mitigation teams will also have free reference booklets in English and Spanish on protecting your home from flood damage. More information about strengthening property can be found at fema.gov/what-mitigation.

Link – 

FEMA Mitigation Advisers Offer Guidance to Flood Survivors in Charleston, Darlington, Dorchester, Greenwood, Horry and Richland Counties

Rebuild with floods and fires in mind

Images shows house that had a ceramic roof when built saved the home from the Valley fires.

Ceramic tile roofing is a best practice to mitigate embers from igniting the roof structure when considering living with the threat of wildfires. When one home with a shake shingle roof is destroyed, another homeowner with a ceramic tile roof mitigated the penetrating flames and saved the structure and all personal belongings. Adam Dubrowa/ FEMA

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SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Decisions made now in rebuilding homes destroyed or damaged in the September wildfires can pay big dividends by minimizing future fire and flood damage.

Free publications from the Federal Emergency Management Agency will explain how. They are available at the Disaster Recovery Centers, at FEMA display locations listed below and online by searching for the titles at FEMA.gov.

Flood after Fire Risks – FloodSmart.gov describes the importance of buying flood insurance. The insurance is available to both homeowners and renters. Standard homeowner and rental insurance may not cover flood damage. Charred, barren ground increases the risk of flash flooding because it is less able to absorb rainfall. Forecasters are predicting above average rainfall this coming rainy season because of an El Niño weather pattern.

Rebuilding After a Wildfire Fact Sheet presents many ways to rebuild safer, stronger and more resilient to wildfires.

FEMA displays are at the following locations:

Sender’s Market
8111 Garabaldi St.
Mountain Ranch, CA 95246

Mendo Mill & Lumber Co.
5255 Old Hwy. 53
Clearlake, CA 95422

Four Corners Builders Supply
14918 Olympic Dr.
Clearlake, CA 95422

Ace Hardware
155 S. Main St.
Angels Camp, CA 95221

These sites have all the information that is provided at the Disaster Recovery Centers about rebuilding and protecting your property and also information about flood insurance. To locate the nearest Disaster Recovery Center, go to www.fema.gov/DRC. The publications listed above also are available online for download at www.fema.gov. Click on Search and type in the full title shown above.

Survivors can register for FEMA assistance online at DisasterAssistance.gov or by calling 800-621-3362; TTY 800-462-7585; 711 or Video Relay Service (VRS), call 800-621-3362. The deadline to register is Nov. 23, 2015.

For more information on California’s wildfire recovery, visit: caloes.ca.gov or fema.gov/disaster/4240 and follow us on Twitter @femaregion9

and at Facebook.com/FEMA.

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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Rebuild with floods and fires in mind

Hamilton County Residents Invited to See Preliminary Flood Maps

ATLANTA–Newly revised digital flood insurance rate maps for Hamilton County, TN; will be available for residents to review at a public open house on April 13. Flood maps show the extent to which areas are at risk for flooding, and are used to help determine flood insurance and building requirements.

The open house provides the residents of Hamilton County and its municipalities the opportunity to see the preliminary maps, learn about their risk of flooding, and ask questions about what the new maps will mean for their property. Residents can meet one-on-one with a variety of specialists who will be available to talk about flood insurance, engineering, building permits and more. 

The April 13th open house will be held between 4-7 p.m. at:

Development Resource Center Room 1A

1250 Market St.

Chattanooga, TN 37402

The new maps were produced through a partnership among Hamilton County, the state of Tennessee, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). They are more precise than older maps because better flood hazard and risk data make the maps more accurate. The ultimate goal is protecting property owners and the community from the risks associated with flooding. Over time, flood risks change due to construction and development, environmental changes, floodplain widening or shifting, and other factors. Flood maps are updated periodically to reflect these changes.

Home and business owners, renters, realtors, mortgage lenders, surveyors and insurance agents are encouraged to attend the open house. All who attend can meet with specialists to ask questions and learn more about flood risk and hazard mitigation within their communities. Residents may also visit their local community’s permitting and development office to view the maps in person, or call their local floodplain manager with questions about where their property is located on the preliminary flood maps.

By law, federally regulated or insured mortgage lenders require flood insurance on properties that are located in areas at high risk of flooding. Standard homeowners’, business owners’, and renters’ insurance policies typically don’t cover flood damage, so flood insurance is an important consideration for everyone. Flood insurance policies can be purchased from any state licensed property and casualty insurance agent Visit www.floodsmart.gov  for more information about flood insurance and to locate a local agent.

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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Hamilton County Residents Invited to See Preliminary Flood Maps

Fema Mitigation Specialists To Answer Questions At Community Events In Hernando And Suwannee

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Mitigation specialists from the Federal Emergency Management Agency will provide information and advice on cleaning up and rebuilding homes after Tropical Storm Debby at community events in Suwannee and Hernando counties this week.

FEMA mitigation specialists – who can explain disaster-resistant ways to repair and rebuild –  will be at the Smokin’ on the Suwannee BBQ at 13944 48th St. in Live Oak. They will be available Friday, July 27, from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. and on Saturday, July 28, from 8 a.m. to 5 p. m.

The specialists will also be at the Hernando County Farmers Market in Spring Hill at 2450 U.S. 19 (Commercial Way) on Saturday, July 28, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Mitigation specialists offer suggestions on cleaning mold and mildew. They also provide information on flood insurance.

For more information on Florida’s disaster recovery, visit  www.fema.gov or www.floridadisaster.org. On Facebook, go to www.facebook.com/FloridaSERT. To receive Twitter updates: www.twitter.com/FLSERT or www.twitter.com/femaregion4.

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.

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). If you have a speech disability or hearing loss and use a TTY, call 800-462-7585 directly; if you use 711 or Video Relay Service (VRS), call 800-621-3362.

FEMA’s temporary housing assistance and grants for public transportation expenses, medical and dental expenses, and funeral and burial expenses do not require individuals to apply for an SBA loan. However, applicants who receive SBA loan applications must submit them to SBA loan officers to be eligible for assistance that covers personal property, vehicle repair or replacement, and moving and storage expenses.

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Fema Mitigation Specialists To Answer Questions At Community Events In Hernando And Suwannee