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Hurricane Harvey 2017

FEMA Fact Sheet: Home Inspections for Hurricane Harvey Survivors

FEMA Update: September 21, 2017After you register for disaster assistance with the Federal Emergency Management Agency, a FEMA inspector will contact you to schedule an inspection for your damaged home.What you need to know:

  • If your original registration said your home was inaccessible, call the FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362 to update your status or visit DisasterAssistance.gov to update its status. 
    • On-hold wait times of 2.5 to 4 hours have been reported, so please be patient as no inspection is scheduled until the applicant informs FEMA the home is accessible.
    • FEMA is taking calls daily from 5 am – 2 am, so you may call during late hours to eliminate some of the wait time.
  • It may take up to 30 days for a FEMA-contracted inspector to contact an applicant.
  • If you are unable to meet the inspector, you can request an “authorized agent” – such as a trusted neighbor or relative – be at the inspection. If you do not have someone who can serve as your agent, and the home can be accessed for inspection, the inspector can arrange for a FEMA employee to act as your agent and represent your interests.

 

 

Scam AlertBe aware of scams. Disasters often bring out criminals who prey on the needs of survivors. Call law enforcement immediately if someone claiming to be an inspector does not show you a badge with a photo or asks for money. Guard your personal information.

  • When the inspector arrives, ask for official ID. A FEMA shirt or jacket is not proof.
    • The badge should include the inspector’s name, company and photo.
  • The inspector will assess and verify damage caused by the disaster.
    • There is no inspection fee.
    • Generally, the inspection lasts about 30 minutes or less.
  • If you are a homeowner, the inspector will verify identification, proof of ownership and occupancy. If you are a renter, the inspector will verify identification and occupancy via a rental agreement, recent utility bill, etc.

Reporting Fraud and Scams. For more information on Reporting Fraud and Scams click here.

Check out more of FEMA’s fact sheets here.

FEMA Fact Sheet: Clean and Removal Assistance (CRA)

FEMA has authorized Clean and Removal Assistance (CRA) for homeowners with disaster-related real property damage that do not qualify for Home Repair Assistance because the damage did not render their home uninhabitable. This assistance is intended to prevent additional loss and potential health and safety concerns and reduce contamination from floodwater.

Clean and Removal Assistance is awarded as a one-time payment per household. This amount represents the average cost of cleaning, sanitizing and removing carpet in a flooded dwelling in the designated area.

CRA payments are part of FEMA’s Other Needs Assistance program. Applicants must register with FEMA at DisasterAssistance.gov and meet all eligibility requirements. An inspector must verify that floodwater caused the damage to at least one item in the home.

 

FEMA Fact Sheet: Why Should I Return the SBA Loan Application?

After you apply for disaster assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), you may be contacted by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). If you are asked to submit an application for a low-interest SBA disaster loan, don’t hesitate.

If SBA determines you are eligible for a loan, you don’t have to accept it. If you don’t qualify for a loan, SBA will refer you back to FEMA and you could be considered for other FEMA grants for Other Needs Assistance, which covers items like disaster-related car repairs, clothing, household items and other expenses. You can’t be considered for these grants unless you complete and return the SBA loan application.

Some types of Other Needs Assistance do not depend on completing the SBA application. These include, medical, dental and funeral expenses. So it’s not necessary to submit the application for those kinds of grants.

In planning your recovery, give yourself the widest possible set of options. Submitting the application makes it possible for you to be considered for additional grants, and if you qualify for a loan you will have that resource available if you choose to use it.

Applicants may apply online using SBA’s secure website at https://disasterloan.sba.gov/ela. Applicants may receive additional disaster assistance information by visiting www.sba.gov/harvey. Applicants may also call SBA’s Customer Service Center at 800-659-2955 or email disastercustomerservice@sba.gov for more information on SBA disaster assistance. Individuals who are deaf or hard‑of‑hearing may call 800-877-8339.

Homeowners may borrow up to $200,000 from SBA to repair or replace their primary residence. Homeowners and renters may borrow up to $40,000 to repair or replace personal property. Businesses may borrow up to $2 million for any combination of property damage or economic injury. The filing deadline to return applications for property damage is Oct. 24, 2017. The deadline to return economic injury applications is May 25, 2018.

Last Updated:
September 12, 2017 – 11:50

FEMA Fact Sheet: Did You Receive HUD Rental Assistance Before Hurricane Harvey? You May Be Eligible for FEMA Help

If you were directly impacted by Hurricane Harvey and were receiving rental assistance from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) prior to the hurricane, you should register with FEMA.

You can apply for FEMA help if you were displaced from your HUD-assisted housing because of Hurricane Harvey. This includes if you were:

  • Living in HUD-assisted public housing
  • Living in a privately owned apartment that provides rental assistance from HUD
  • Living in a private home using a Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher from a housing authority

Some of the assistance you may be eligible for is:

  • Temporary assistance to pay for a place for you and your family to live
  • Grants to replace essential contents—such as clothing and essential household items—and medical, dental and burial expenses

Those who have HUD rental assistance may receive FEMA help to pay for a place to live until:

  • You relocate back to public housing.
  • You relocate back to the private housing that provides HUD assistance.
  • You sign a lease with a private property owner using a Section 8 voucher.

Federal law prevents FEMA from duplicating benefits provided by another agency. When a HUD-assisted resident’s home becomes unlivable, HUD stops paying rental assistance for that residence. The survivor may then apply for FEMA Individual Assistance. There is no duplication of benefits because HUD is not paying rental assistance.

When the survivor moves back into a HUD-assisted residence, or signs a new lease for rental housing under the Section 8 program, HUD assistance resumes. At that point, the survivor may no longer receive FEMA assistance.

The first step to be considered for FEMA help is to apply. There are three ways:

  • Log onto DisasterAssistance.gov with any computer, smartphone or tablet.
  • Download and use the FEMA app. You can also use the app to check the status of your application.
  • If you cannot access the website or FEMA app, call the FEMA helpline at 800-621-3362. If you use TTY, call 800-462-7585. If you use 711 or Video Relay Service (VRS), call 800-621-3362.

Free Medical Care 9/9 – 9/15 at Our Lady of Guadalupe

Our Lady of Guadalupe Church is hosting a free medical clinic September 9th, 2017 – September 15th, 2017. The clinic will be open from 8 am – 6 pm.  Medical exams, tetanus shots, prescriptions, first aid and more will be available. Check out the flyers below for more information! 

An English version of the flyer can be found here. 

A Spanish version of the flyer can be found here. 

 

Fort Bend County Mosquito Control

Mosquitoes can become a big problem after flooding.  The Fort Bend County Road and Bridge department is countering the mosquito increase by spraying throughout the county.  Check out the spray route from Fort Bend County Road and Bridge here to see when your area is being sprayed. 

You should also take steps to protect yourself and your family from mosquitoes inside and outside your home.  Check out what the CDC has to say about Controlling Mosquitoes at your Home.