Low-interest Disaster Loans Help Fuel Arkansas Disaster Recovery

NORTH LITTLE ROCK – Disaster recovery experts today urged applicants for federal assistance to complete a disaster loan application from the U.S. Small Business Administration.  Taking a loan is not required; completing the application can open the door to all federal assistance, including possible additional grants from FEMA.

Most Arkansans who register for disaster assistance with the Federal Emergency Management Agency will receive an automated call with information on how to complete the loan application process. Low-interest loans from the SBA are the major source of funding for disaster recovery.

SBA offers low-interest loans to homeowners, renters,  businesses of all sizes (including landlords) and private nonprofit organizations that have sustained disaster damage.  There is no cost to apply and no obligation to accept a disaster loan.

Assistance from FEMA is limited to help jump-start the recovery; it may not cover all damage or property loss. Completing the SBA Loan application may make FEMA assistance available to replace essential household items, replace or repair a damaged vehicle, or cover storage expenses.

Interest rates can be as low as 4 percent for businesses, 2.625 percent for private nonprofit organizations and 1.813 percent for homeowners and renters with terms up to 30 years.

Eligible homeowners may borrow up to $200,000 for home repair or replacement of primary residences, and eligible homeowners and renters may borrow up to $40,000 to replace disaster-damaged or destroyed personal property, including a vehicle. 

Businesses of all sizes may qualify for up to $2 million in low-interest loans to help cover physical damages.

Small businesses and most private nonprofits suffering economic impact due to the severe weather and flooding can apply for up to $2 million for any combination of property damage or economic injury under SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program.

For additional information about SBA disaster loans, the application process, or for help completing the SBA application:

People with storm losses who still need to register with FEMA can register anytime online at www.DisasterAssistance.gov , or with a smartphone or device at m.fema.gov. Survivors can also register by phone from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. by calling FEMA at 800-621-3362. People who use TTY can call 800-462-7585. Multilingual operators are available.

Federal disaster assistance is available to eligible residents of Benton, Carroll, Crawford, Faulkner, Jackson, Jefferson, Lee, Little River, Perry, Sebastian and Sevier counties that suffered damage from the severe storms, tornadoes, straight-line winds and flooding Dec. 26, 2015 – January 22, 2016.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                

# # #

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.

The SBA is the federal government’s primary source of money for the long-term rebuilding of disaster-damaged private property. SBA helps businesses of all sizes, private non-profit organizations, homeowners and renters fund repairs or rebuilding efforts and cover the cost of replacing lost or disaster-damaged personal property. These disaster loans cover losses not fully compensated by insurance or other recoveries and do not duplicate benefits of other agencies or organizations. For more information, applicants may contact SBA’s Disaster Assistance Customer Service Center by calling 800-659-2955, emailing disastercustomerservice@sba.gov, or visiting SBA’s website at www.sba.gov/disaster. Deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals may call 800-877-8339.

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Low-interest Disaster Loans Help Fuel Arkansas Disaster Recovery

Arkansas Storm Survivors Urged to Register for Federal Disaster Assistance

NORTH LITTLE ROCK – State and federal officials are encouraging Arkansas residents in the 11 counties hardest hit by the severe storms of late 2015 – January, 2016 to register for disaster assistance with FEMA as soon as possible.

Residents of Benton, Carroll, Crawford, Faulkner, Jackson, Jefferson, Lee, Little River, Perry, Sebastian and Sevier counties that suffered damage from the severe storms, tornadoes, straight-line winds and flooding Dec. 26, 2015 – January 22, 2016 may be eligible for federal disaster assistance.

The first step is to register. To do so:

•    Call 1-800-621-3362 (FEMA) or TTY 1-800-462-7585 for the speech- and hearing-impaired. If you use 711-Relay or Video Relay Services (VRS), call 1-800-621-3362.
•    Go to www.disasterassistance.gov or via web-enabled phone or tablet at m.fema.gov.

The toll free telephone lines operate from 7 a.m.to 10 p.m. local time, seven days a week.

 “It is important to register with FEMA even though you may have contacted other agencies or volunteer organizations in your area,” said Scott Bass of the Arkansas Department of Emergency Management. “Keep clear records and receipts of any repairs and take photos if possible.”

To speed the registration process, have the following readily available:

•    A current phone number where you can be contacted;
•    Your address at the time of the disaster and the address where they are now staying;
•    Your Social Security number, if available;
•    A general list of damages and losses; and
•    If insured, the insurance policy number, or the agent and company name.

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

Disaster recovery loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) are available for businesses of all sizes (including landlords), private nonprofit organizations, as well as homeowners and renters. Call the SBA at 1-800-659-2955 or visit the website at: www.sba.gov/disaster.

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.

The SBA is the federal government’s primary source of money for the long-term rebuilding of disaster-damaged private property. SBA helps businesses of all sizes, private non-profit organizations, homeowners and renters fund repairs or rebuilding efforts and cover the cost of replacing lost or disaster-damaged personal property. These disaster loans cover losses not fully compensated by insurance or other recoveries and do not duplicate benefits of other agencies or organizations. For more information, applicants may contact SBA’s Disaster Assistance Customer Service Center by calling 800-659-2955, emailing disastercustomerservice@sba.gov, or visiting SBA’s website at www.sba.gov/disaster. Deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals may call 800-877-8339.

More – 

Arkansas Storm Survivors Urged to Register for Federal Disaster Assistance

Be a Good Neighbor – Remind Storm Survivors to Register for Assistance

NORTH LITTLE ROCK — Residents of the nine Arkansas counties included in the federal disaster declaration are encouraged to remind their neighbors: “Register with FEMA for disaster aid.”

Today’s communication tools provide many high-tech ways to share information, but the most effective way to “get the word out” is still the original one: through personal contact.

Residents of Crawford, Garland, Howard, Jefferson, Little River, Miller, Perry, Sebastian and Sevier counties may be eligible for federal disaster assistance, but the amount of time to register for help is limited.

The deadline to register is Aug. 25, 2015.

“Even if you have already registered for disaster assistance with FEMA, you may know someone, a family member or a neighbor who has not applied for help. Please take a few moments to call or knock on your neighbors’ doors to see if they have applied with FEMA,” said State Coordinating Officer Scott Bass with the Arkansas Department of Emergency Management.

Federal disaster aid may include financial help with rental assistance, home repairs and replacing essential household items not covered by insurance. Other assistance may be available to replace personal property and help meet medical, dental, funeral, transportation and other serious disaster-related needs.

Low-interest disaster loans are available from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) to businesses of all sizes, private nonprofit organizations, homeowners and renters to pay for repair or replacement costs of disaster damaged primary residences, businesses and personal property. These loans cover costs not fully compensated by insurance and cannot duplicate benefits from other agencies or compensation from other organizations.

Individuals and families who suffered losses as a result of the late spring storms have until Aug. 25, 2015 to register with the Federal Emergency Management Agency for disaster assistance. They can do so online at www.DisasterAssistance.gov or by calling 1-800-621- 3362 (FEMA).  Disaster assistance applicants, who have a speech disability or hearing loss and use TTY, should call 1-800-462-7585 directly; for those who use 711 or Video Relay Service (VRS), call 1-800-621-3362.  Multilingual operators are available.

The toll-free telephone numbers will operate from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. (local time) seven days a week until further notice. Multilingual operators are available.

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.

The SBA is the federal government’s primary source of money for the long-term rebuilding of disaster-damaged private property. SBA helps businesses of all sizes, private non-profit organizations, homeowners, and renters fund repairs or rebuilding efforts and cover the cost of replacing lost or disaster-damaged personal property. These disaster loans cover losses not fully compensated by insurance or other recoveries and do not duplicate benefits of other agencies or organizations. For more information, applicants may contact SBA’s Disaster Assistance Customer Service Center by calling (800) 659-2955, emailing disastercustomerservice@sba.gov  or visiting SBA’s website at www.sba.gov/disaster. Deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals may call (800) 877-8339.

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Be a Good Neighbor – Remind Storm Survivors to Register for Assistance

Federal Disaster Aid to Local Governments Helping Rebuild Arkansas Communities

NORTH LITTL ROCK — Federal officials today estimated more than $6 million in disaster assistance will help fund local governments’ storm recovery from this spring’s severe weather.

That funding is in addition to nearly $2 million in federal disaster assistance to date that has helped individuals, families and businesses repair property and replace essential possessions.

When disaster strikes, the first response is to ensure personal and family safety and then address the loss of property and possessions. The federal Individual Assistance program responds to these urgent needs of individuals and business owners.

Public Assistance is another essential element of disaster response. The PA program benefits everyone – neighborhoods, cities and states, as well as certain private nonprofit organizations.

PA dollars:

  • clean up the community and repair bridges
  • put water systems and utilities back in order
  • repair hospitals and emergency services
  • rebuild libraries and replace damaged books
  • rebuild schools and universities and
  • restore damaged public parks so families can enjoy them again.

PA provides a minimum of 75 percent of the cost to repair or replace disaster-damaged infrastructure.

FEMA estimates the federal share of more than $1.8 million will help reimburse local governments for the emergency work and debris removal that took place in the storm’s immediate aftermath. Other PA projects are now being developed and approved by local, state, and federal officials. The estimated cost when complete is more than $4.1 million.

“Public Assistance grants support the work that helps an entire community recover,” said FEMA’s Federal Coordinating Officer Nancy M. Casper. “These are federal tax dollars coming back to Arkansas to rebuild taxpayer-funded infrastructure.”

Public Assistance grant recipients can include:

  • state agencies
  • local and county governments
  • private nonprofit organizations that own or operate facilities that provide essential government-type services

Recovery officials are currently working with more than 65 applicants to develop specifications and costs for about 75 projects in the 28 counties eligible for disaster assistance.

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.

The SBA is the federal government’s primary source of money for the long-term rebuilding of disaster-damaged private property. SBA helps businesses of all sizes, private non-profit organizations, homeowners, and renters fund repairs or rebuilding efforts and cover the cost of replacing lost or disaster-damaged personal property. These disaster loans cover losses not fully compensated by insurance or other recoveries and do not duplicate benefits of other agencies or organizations. For more information, applicants may contact SBA’s Disaster Assistance Customer Service Center by calling (800) 659-2955, emailing disastercustomerservice@sba.gov  or visiting SBA’s website at www.sba.gov/disaster. Deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals may call (800) 877-8339.

Link:

Federal Disaster Aid to Local Governments Helping Rebuild Arkansas Communities

FEMA Mitigation Teams to End Community Outreach

NORTH LITTLE ROCK – There are only a few days left to meet with FEMA specialsts at select home building supply stores and learn how to lessen the impact of disaster-related property damage.

The experts are available at the stores to talk to any Arkansas resident interested in building or remodeling their property to better withstand heavy rain, wind, and flooding.

FEMA specialists offer “how-to” information on both retrofitting buildings to make them more resistant to wind damage and ways to elevate utilities against  flood damage. They also provide tips to clean and help prevent mold and mildew

These locations, hours, and end dates were announced:

  • Garland County: Lowe’s, 300 Cornerstone Blvd., Hot Springs

    • from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Monday and Tuesday and from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday.The teams end their work their on Aug. 5, 2015.

  • Sebastian County: Lowe’s 8001 Rogers Ave., Fort Smith

    • from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday through Saturday.The team ends their work COB on Saturday, Aug. 1, 2015.

  • Miller County: Davis Lumber Company,  Hwy 71, South, Texarkana

    • from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday and on Friday and Saturday from 8 a.m. to noon. The team ends their work COB on Aug. 1, 2015.

Many of the tips and techniques offered are specifically geared for the do-it-yourselfer and for building contractors. If you have a disability and need an accommodation to access materials such as Braille, large print, please let our representatives know. ASL interpreters are available by appointment by calling 870-451-9241.

FEMA offers a number of free online resources for home and property owners. To get started, go to

www.fema.gov/safer-stronger-protected-homes-communities.

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.

The SBA is the federal government’s primary source of money for the long-term rebuilding of disaster-damaged private property. SBA helps businesses of all sizes, private non-profit organizations, homeowners, and renters fund repairs or rebuilding efforts and cover the cost of replacing lost or disaster-damaged personal property. These disaster loans cover losses not fully compensated by insurance or other recoveries and do not duplicate benefits of other agencies or organizations. For more information, applicants may contact SBA’s Disaster Assistance Customer Service Center by calling (800) 659-2955, emailing disastercustomerservice@sba.gov, or visiting SBA’s website at www.sba.gov/disaster. Deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals may call (800) 877-8339.

 

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FEMA Mitigation Teams to End Community Outreach

Disaster Recovery Center in Howard County to Close Aug. 5; Deadline to Register is Aug. 25

NORTH LITTLE ROCK – The disaster recovery center in Howard County will close at the end of the business day on Wednesday, Aug. 5, 2015.

Located at the Carter Day Training Center, 200 Lake Nichols Drive in Nashville, the center was opened to provide help to those whose homes or businesses were affected by the severe storms May 7 to June 15, 2015.

The center is open Monday through Friday,  from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. through Aug. 5. After the center closes, help is still be available online or by a toll-free call.

Individuals and families who suffered losses as a result of the late spring storms have until Aug. 25, 2015 to register with the Federal Emergency Management Agency for disaster assistance. They can do so online at www.DisasterAssistance.gov or by calling 1-800-621- 3362 (FEMA).  Disaster assistance applicants, who have a speech disability or hearing loss and use TTY, should call 1-800-462-7585 directly; for those who use 711 or Video Relay Service (VRS), call 1-800-621-3362.  Multilingual operators are available.

Those who have registered for assistance can get answers to questions and check on the status of their claim online, or at the same toll-free number.

The toll-free telephone numbers will operate from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. (local time) seven days a week until further notice. Multilingual operators are available.

Federal disaster assistance for individuals and families can include money for rental assistance, essential home repairs, personal property loss and other serious disaster-related needs not covered by insurance.

Each disaster recovery center has assistive technologies for people with disabilities. ASL assistance is available at the DRCs by appointment by calling 870-451-9241.

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.

The SBA is the federal government’s primary source of money for the long-term rebuilding of disaster-damaged private property. SBA helps businesses of all sizes, private non-profit organizations, homeowners, and renters fund repairs or rebuilding efforts and cover the cost of replacing lost or disaster-damaged personal property. These disaster loans cover losses not fully compensated by insurance or other recoveries and do not duplicate benefits of other agencies or organizations. For more information, applicants may contact SBA’s Disaster Assistance Customer Service Center by calling (800) 659-2955, emailing disastercustomerservice@sba.gov, or visiting SBA’s website at www.sba.gov/disaster. Deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals may call (800) 877-8339.

 

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Disaster Recovery Center in Howard County to Close Aug. 5; Deadline to Register is Aug. 25

FEMA Offers Resources for Property Owners Rebuilding After Disaster

NORTH LITTLE ROCK –  FEMA offers a wide range of free resources for Arkansas homeowners who are either rebuilding after the spring storms or preparing for the next time disaster strikes.

FEMA maintains an extensive online library, including bilingual and multimedia resources, which describe the measures contractors or do-it-yourselfers can take to reduce risks to property. FEMA publications can be viewed online and downloaded to any computer.

For rebuilding information, go to www.fema.gov and click on “Plan, Prepare and Mitigate.” There are numerous links to resources and topics including “Protecting Homes,” “Protecting Your Business” and “Safe, Strong and Protected Homes and Communities.” There are also links to information about disaster preparedness.

The decision to rebuild stronger, safer and smarter may save lives and property in a future disaster.

http://www.fema.gov/protect-your-property – offers a comprehensive overview of available publications to help protect your home or business against hazards including earthquakes, fire, flood, high winds and others.

http://www.fema.gov/small-business-toolkit/protect-your-property-or-business-disaster – provides links to resources for protecting your community, your business and places of worship, and offers helpful links like these:

# # #

 

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 Offers Resources for Property Owners Rebuilding After Disaster

FEMA Registration Deadline Now Just a Month Away

FEMA Registration Deadline Now Just a Month Away

NORTH LITTLE ROCK – Residents of nine Arkansas counties who suffered damage from the severe storms of May 7 through June 15, 2015, have only about one month left to register for disaster assistance with the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

The deadline to register for disaster assistance is Tuesday, Aug. 25, 2015.

Individuals and families who suffered losses as a result of the late spring storms may register online at www.disasterassistance.gov; those without access to the internet can call FEMA’s toll-free registration number, 800-621-3362 (FEMA). Disaster assistance applicants, who have a speech disability or hearing loss and use TTY, should call 800-462-7585 directly; those who use 711 or Video Relay Service (VRS) call 1-800-621-3362.

The toll-free telephone numbers will operate from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. (local time) seven days a week until further notice. Multilingual operators are available.

Residents of Crawford, Garland, Howard, Jefferson, Little River, Miller, Perry, Sebastian and Sevier counties may be eligible for federal disaster assistance. That assistance can include money for rental assistance, essential home repairs, personal property loss and other serious disaster-related needs not covered by insurance.

Low-interest disaster loans from the Small Business Administration (SBA) are available to help with residential and business losses not covered by insurance. The SBA is the federal government’s primary source of money for the rebuilding of disaster-damaged private property. SBA helps businesses of all sizes, private non-profit organizations, homeowners and renters fund repairs or rebuilding efforts and cover the cost of replacing lost or disaster-damaged personal property.

For more information on SBA programs, applicants may contact SBA’s Disaster Assistance Customer Service Center by calling (800) 659-2955, emailing disastercustomerservice@sba.gov, or visiting SBA’s website at www.sba.gov/disaster. Deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals may call (800) 877-8339.

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.

This article: 

FEMA Registration Deadline Now Just a Month Away

DRC in Jefferson County to Cut Hours, Then Close July 29

NORTH LITTLE ROCK – The disaster recovery center in Jefferson County will be closed this weekend, July 25 and 26, 2015 and then close permanently at the end of the business day on Wednesday, July 29.

The center will be open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Wednesday. After business hours and after the center closes, the toll-free Helpline, 1-800-621-3362, is still available seven days a week from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. (local time).

The center provides help to those whose homes or businesses were affected by the severe storms, tornadoes, straight-line winds, and flooding during the period of May 7 to June 15, 2015.

Representatives from the Arkansas Department of Emergency Management, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the U.S. Small Business Administration and other agencies are at the center to explain disaster assistance programs and help survivors apply for aid.

The center is located:

Jefferson County

Pine Bluff Convention Center

(Entrance D)

500 East 8th Ave

Pine Bluff, AR 71601

Individuals and families who suffered losses as a result of the late spring storms have until Aug. 25, 2015 to register for disaster assistance. They can do so online at www.DisasterAssistance.gov or by calling 1-800-621- 3362 (FEMA).  Disaster assistance applicants, who have a speech disability or hearing loss and use TTY, should call 1-800-462-7585 directly; for those who use 711 or Video Relay Service (VRS), call 1-800-621-3362.  Multilingual operators are available.

Each disaster recovery center has assistive technologies for people with disabilities. ASL interpreters are available at the DRCs by appointment by calling 870-451-9241.

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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DRC in Jefferson County to Cut Hours, Then Close July 29

Undocumented Immigrants May Qualify for Some Disaster Aid

NORTH LITTLE ROCK – Parents and guardians of children who are citizens, noncitizen nationals or qualified aliens living in the federally-declared Arkansas disaster area, may apply for assistance on behalf of their child, according to the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

Individuals and business owners who sustained losses can apply for assistance by registering online at www.DisasterAssistance.gov or by calling 1-800-621-FEMA (3362). Disaster assistance applicants, who have a speech disability or hearing loss and use TTY, should call 1-800-462-7585 directly; for those who use 711 or Video Relay Service (VRS), call 1-800-621-3362.  Multilingual operators are available.

Once registered, FEMA disaster recovery specialists answer questions about applications or collect information FEMA needs to process the application. Recovery specialists can supply contacts for other programs — those operated by volunteer organizations such as the American Red Cross — that may be able to help.

An applicant’s information is confidential. FEMA shares that information only with the state and designated agencies that provide disaster assistance.

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.

Residents of Crawford, Garland, Howard, Jefferson, Little River, Miller, Perry, Sebastian and Sevier counties affected by the severe storms, tornadoes, straight-line winds, and flooding during the period of May 7 to June 15, 2015 may be eligible for disaster assistance and are encouraged to register for assistance with FEMA by the Aug. 25, 2015 deadline.

The toll-free telephone numbers will operate from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. (local time) seven days a week until further notice.

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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Undocumented Immigrants May Qualify for Some Disaster Aid

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