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State/FEMA Disaster Recovery Center Opens in Bastrop, Texas

AUSTIN, Texas – A State/FEMA Disaster Recovery Center (DRC) is now open in Bastrop County for homeowners, renters and business owners who sustained damage as a result of the ongoing severe storms, tornadoes and flooding.

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 recovery center will serve as a central location for survivors who need one-on-one assistance. State and federal professionals will be available to help eligible survivors get help as quickly as possible.

Location and hours of operation

ROTC Building/Bastrop High School
1200 Cedar St.
Bastrop, TX 78602
Hours of operation daily (until further notice):
10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Visiting with a recovery specialist is not a requirement for survivors who want disaster assistance, but the centers are an excellent way for people to get answers to their questions about disaster aid and help with the application process.

Some of the services may include:

Guidance regarding disaster recovery
Clarification of any written correspondence received
Housing Assistance and Rental Resources information
Answers to questions, resolutions to problems and referrals to agencies that may provide further assistance
Status of applications being processed by FEMA

Flood survivors statewide should call the FEMA helpline at 800-621-3362 and report their damage to give the state and FEMA a better idea of the assistance needed in undesignated counties.

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. Low-interest disaster loans from SBA also may be available to cover losses not fully compensated by insurance or other recoveries and do not duplicate benefits of other agencies or organizations.

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.

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

FEMA’s mission is to support our citizens and first responders to ensure that as a nation we work together to build, sustain, and improve our capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate all hazards. Follow us on Twitter at https://twitter.com/femaregion6.

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.

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

Visit www.fema.gov/texas-disaster-mitigation for publications and reference material on rebuilding and repairing safer and stronger.

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State/FEMA Disaster Recovery Center Opens in Bastrop, Texas

Mobile Registration Intake Center Opens in Williamson County for Texas Flood Survivors

AUSTIN, Texas – A Mobile Registration Intake Center (MRIC) has opened in Taylor, Texas, to serve homeowners, renters and business owners who sustained damage as a result of the ongoing severe storms and flooding.

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

Location and dates of operation

City Hall
400 Porter Street
Taylor, TX 76574
9 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily until further notice

People who had storm damage in Bastrop, Blanco, Caldwell, Denton, Eastland, Fort Bend, Gaines, Guadalupe, Harris, Hays, Henderson, Hidalgo, Johnson, Milam, Montague, Navarro, Rusk, Smith, Travis, Van Zandt, Wichita, Williamson and Wise counties can register for FEMA assistance online at www.DisasterAssistance.gov or call 800-621-3362 toll free from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily until further notice. Multilingual operators are available.

Disaster assistance applicants who have a speech disability or hearing loss and use TTY should call 800-462-7585 directly; for those who use 711 or Video Relay Service (VRS), call 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.

Flood survivors statewide should call and report their damage to give the state and FEMA a better idea of the assistance that is needed in undesignated counties.

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All FEMA disaster assistance will be provided without discrimination on the grounds of race, color, sex (including sexual harassment), religion, national origin, age, disability, limited English proficiency, economic status, or retaliation. If you believe your civil rights are being violated, call 800-621-3362 or 800-462-7585(TTY/TDD).

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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Mobile Registration Intake Center Opens in Williamson County for Texas Flood Survivors

Mobile Registration Intake Center Opens in Henderson County for Texas Flood Survivors

AUSTIN, Texas – A Mobile Registration Intake Center (MRIC) has opened in Athens, Texas, to serve homeowners, renters and business owners who sustained damage as a result of the ongoing severe storms and flooding.

Location and dates of operation

Cain Center
915 S. Palestine
Athens, TX 75751
a.m. to 7 p.m. daily until further notice

Flood survivors statewide should call and report their damage to give the state and FEMA a better idea of the assistance that is needed in undesignated counties.

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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.

Mobile Registration Intake Center Opens in Henderson County for Texas Flood Survivors

Rumors versus Facts About Texas Flood Disaster Assistance

FEMA Registration

RUMOR: Survivors can’t register for FEMA assistance if they have insurance.
FACT: Survivors may be eligible for FEMA disaster aid for their uninsured and underinsured losses and damage.

RUMOR: When survivors register, they immediately qualify and receive payments from FEMA.
FACT: After survivors register, their completed applications are reviewed, and an inspector may call to schedule an inspection at their home. If survivors are eligible for assistance, they should receive a U.S. Treasury/State check or notification of a direct deposit to their bank accounts. Other types of assistance may be provided later, based on specific eligibility and need.

RUMOR: Survivors can’t register if their county isn’t listed in the Presidential declaration.
FACT: If Texans had storm-related damages or losses, please register! Other counties may be designated for assistance as floodwaters recede and damage assessments are completed. Please call toll-free 800-621-3362 or (TTY) 800-462-7585 to register.

FEMA Disaster Assistance

RUMOR: It takes a long time for disaster aid to reach survivors.
FACT: FEMA already has Individual Assistance specialists on the ground in Texas and some survivors already have received grants. Specialists will continue to process assistance for eligible survivors as applications are received.

RUMOR: If survivors receive FEMA assistance, it could reduce their Social Security benefits.
FACT: Disaster assistance does not count as income. FEMA assistance will not affect Social Security or other federal benefits.

Disaster Assistance for Noncitizens

RUMOR: Federal assistance is available only to U.S. citizens.
FACT: Storm survivors who are in the United States legally, but who are not U.S. citizens, may be eligible for disaster assistance. Applicants must be U.S. citizens, noncitizen nationals or qualified aliens to receive federal monetary assistance. The legal status of qualified aliens will not be jeopardized by applying for aid.

Disaster assistance also may be available to a household if a parent or guardian who is not eligible for assistance applies on behalf of a minor child who is a U.S. citizen, non-citizen national or qualified alien. The guardian only certifies for the child.

Additionally, low-interest disaster assistance loans for noncitizen-owned businesses of all sizes (including landlords), homeowners and renters may be available from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA).

Renters

RUMOR: Renters can’t get FEMA aid.
FACT: Renters in designated counties whose homes were made unlivable by a disaster may be eligible for FEMA disaster grants to help pay for rent and other serious disaster-related needs.

U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA)

RUMOR: Only businesses can get low-interest disaster loans from SBA.
FACT: SBA low-interest disaster loans are available to homeowners and renters, as well as businesses of all sizes (including landlords) and private nonprofit organizations, for disaster damages not fully covered by insurance or other compensation.

FEMA Inspectors

RUMOR: It takes weeks before a FEMA housing inspector visits.
FACT: On this recovery operation, it is taking between one and two days for an inspector to call and schedule a property inspection.

Debris Removal

RUMOR: The county will charge individuals if they don’t have debris removed in a week.
FACT: Debris removal guidelines vary by location. For accurate information about what’s happening in your area, contact your county or city offices.

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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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Rumors versus Facts About Texas Flood Disaster Assistance

Mobile Registration Intake Center Opens in Caldwell County for Texas Flood Survivors

AUSTIN, Texas – A Mobile Registration Intake Center (MRIC) has opened in Martindale, Texas, to serve homeowners, renters and business owners who sustained damage as a result of the ongoing severe storms and flooding.

Location and dates of operation

Caldwell County
Martindale Baptist Church
12351 Highway 142
Martindale, TX 78655
10 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily until further notice

Flood survivors statewide should call and report their damage to give the state and FEMA a better idea of the assistance that is needed in undesignated counties.

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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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Mobile Registration Intake Center Opens in Caldwell County for Texas Flood Survivors

Survivors Cautioned to Beware of Frauds and Scams

AUSTIN, Texas – State and federal recovery officials urge Texans affected by the ongoing severe storms and floods to watch for and report any suspicious activity or potential fraud.

Even as government agencies and charitable groups continue to provide disaster assistance, scam artists, identity thieves and other criminals may attempt to prey on vulnerable survivors. The most common post-disaster fraud practices include phony housing inspectors, fraudulent building contractors, bogus pleas for disaster donations and fake offers of state or federal aid.

“Scam attempts can be made over the phone, by mail or email, or in person,” said Federal Coordinating Officer Kevin Hannes of Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). “Con artists are creative and resourceful, so we urge Texans to remain alert, ask questions and require identification when someone claims to represent a government agency.”

Survivors should also keep in mind that state and federal workers never ask for or accept money, and always carry identification badges with a photograph. There is no fee required to apply for or to get disaster assistance from FEMA, the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) or the state. Additionally, no state or federal government disaster assistance agency will call to ask for your financial account information; unless you place a call to the agency yourself, you should not provide personal information over the phone – it can lead to identity theft.

Those who suspect fraud can call the FEMA Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721 (toll free). Complaints may also be made to local law enforcement agencies.

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.

Survivors Cautioned to Beware of Frauds and Scams

Mobile Registration Intake Center Opens in Van Zandt County

AUSTIN, Texas – A Mobile Registration Intake Center (MRIC) has opened in Van, Texas, to serve homeowners, renters and business owners who sustained damage as a result of the ongoing severe storms and flooding.

Location and dates of operation:

Van Zandt County
Van Memorial Stadium & Sports Complex
1085 N. Maple St., Van, Texas
9 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily until further notice

People who had storm damage in Harris, Hays, and Van Zandt counties can register for FEMA assistance online at www.DisasterAssistance.gov or via smartphone or web-enabled device at m.fema.gov. Applicants may also call 800-621-3362 or (TTY) 800-462-7585 from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily. Multilingual operators are available. Flood survivors statewide can call and report their damage to give the state and FEMA a better idea of the assistance that is needed in undesignated counties.

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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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Mobile Registration Intake Center Opens in Van Zandt County

Mobile Registration Intake Center Opens in Wimberley

AUSTIN, Texas – A Mobile Registration Intake Center (MRIC) has opened in Wimberley, Texas, to serve homeowners, renters and business owners who sustained damage as a result of the ongoing severe storms and flooding.

Location and dates of operation:

Hays County
Wimberley Community Center
14068 Ranch Road 12
Wimberley, TX 78676
9 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily until further notice

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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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Mobile Registration Intake Center Opens in Wimberley

Federal Aid Programs for State of Texas Declaration

Following is a summary of key federal disaster aid programs that can be made available as needed and warranted under President Obama’s disaster declaration issued for the State of Texas.

Assistance for Affected Individuals and Families Can Include as Required:

Rental payments for temporary housing for those whose homes are unlivable. Initial assistance may be provided for up to three months for homeowners and at least one month for renters. Assistance may be extended if requested after the initial period based on a review of individual applicant requirements. (Source: FEMA funded and administered.)
Grants for home repairs and replacement of essential household items not covered by insurance to make damaged dwellings safe, sanitary and functional. (Source: FEMA funded and administered.)
Grants to replace personal property and help meet medical, dental, funeral, transportation and other serious disaster-related needs not covered by insurance or other federal, state and charitable aid programs. (Source: FEMA funded at 75 percent of total eligible costs; 25 percent funded by the state.)
Unemployment payments up to 26 weeks for workers who temporarily lost jobs because of the disaster and who do not qualify for state benefits, such as self-employed individuals. (Source: FEMA funded; state administered.)
Low-interest loans to cover residential losses not fully compensated by insurance. Loans available up to $200,000 for primary residence; $40,000 for personal property, including renter losses. Loans available up to $2 million for business property losses not fully compensated by insurance. (Source: U.S. Small Business Administration.)
Loans up to $2 million for small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives and most private, non-profit organizations of all sizes that have suffered disaster-related cash flow problems and need funds for working capital to recover from the disaster’s adverse economic impact. This loan in combination with a property loss loan cannot exceed a total of $2 million. (Source: U.S. Small Business Administration.)
Loans up to $500,000 for farmers, ranchers and aquaculture operators to cover production and property losses, excluding primary residence. (Source: Farm Service Agency, U.S. Dept. of Agriculture.)
Other relief programs: Crisis counseling for those traumatized by the disaster; income tax assistance for filing casualty losses; advisory assistance for legal, veterans’ benefits and social security matters.

How to Apply for Assistance:

Affected individuals and business owners in designated areas can begin the disaster application process by registering online at www.DisasterAssistance.gov or by calling 1-800-621-FEMA (3362) or by web enabled mobile device at m.fema.gov. 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. The toll-free telephone numbers will operate from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. (local time) seven days a week until further notice. Applicants registering for aid should be prepared to provide basic information about themselves (name, permanent address, phone number), insurance coverage and any other information to help substantiate losses.

Assistance for the State, Tribal and Affected Local Governments Can Include as Required:

Payment of not less than 75 percent of the eligible costs for emergency protective measures, including direct federal assistance, taken to save lives and protect property and public health. Emergency protective measures assistance is available to state and eligible local governments on a cost-sharing basis. (Source: FEMA funded, state administered.)
Payment of not less than 75 percent of the eligible costs for repairing or replacing damaged public facilities, such as roads, bridges, utilities, buildings, schools, recreational areas and similar publicly owned property, as well as certain private non-profit organizations engaged in community service activities. (Source: FEMA funded, state administered.)
Payment of not more than 75 percent of the approved costs for hazard mitigation projects undertaken by state and local governments to prevent or reduce long-term risk to life and property from natural or technological disasters. (Source: FEMA funded, state administered.)

How to Apply for Assistance:

Application procedures for state and local governments will be explained at a series of federal/state applicant briefings with locations to be announced in the affected area by recovery officials. Approved public repair projects are paid through the state from funding provided by FEMA and other participating federal agencies.

FEMA’s mission is to support our citizens and first responders and 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.

Stay informed of FEMA’s activities online: videos and podcasts available at www.fema.gov/media-library and www.youtube.com/fema; follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/fema and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/fema.

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Federal Aid Programs for State of Texas Declaration

Monitoring for Potential Flooding in Texas

DENTON, Texas – People who live in Texas are urged to get ready now for the possibility of flooding, following days of rain and with more potential rain in the forecast.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Region 6 office continues to monitor the flooding threat across parts of the state and stands ready to support state and local partners as needed and requested in any affected areas.

Know Your Risk Before a Flood:

• Do your homework. Be aware of the potential flooding risks for the particular area where you live.
• Familiarize yourself with the terms used to identify a flooding hazard. Some of the more common terms used are:

A Flash Flood Watch: Flash flooding is possible. Be prepared to move to higher ground; monitor NOAA Weather Radio, commercial radio, or television for information.
A Flash Flood Warning: A flash flood is occurring; seek higher ground on foot immediately.

Take Action Before and During a Flood:

•   Build an emergency kit and make a family communications plan.
•   Listen to local officials and monitor your local radio or television for information.
•   Do not drive into flooded areas. Turn Around; Don’t Drown. Two feet of rushing water can carry away most vehicles.
•   Do not walk through flowing water. Six inches of swiftly moving water can knock you off your feet.
•   Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEAs) are now being sent directly to many cell phones on participating wireless carriers’ networks. WEAs sent by public safety officials such as the National Weather Service are designed to get your attention and to provide brief, critical instructions to warn about imminent threats like severe weather. Take the alert seriously and follow instructions. More information is available on WEA at www.fema.gov/wireless-emergency-alerts.

Visit www.ready.gov or www.nws.noaa.gov for more information on preparing for floods or other disasters.

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Monitoring for Potential Flooding in Texas

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