Three weeks after Hurricane Harvey, Federal Emergency Management Agency reports more than $1 billion in federal funds have been issued to Texans still trying to recover.
“There were 50,000 applicants of homeowners and renters for $333 million in grants, 214,000 homeowners and renters were approved for grants for replacement of personal property, and we also received 86,000 flood insurance policies which received more than $327 million,” says FEMA spokesman Leo Skinner.
The Small Business Association also has approved more than $265 million in low-interest loans to homeowners and businesses. Anyone who suffered damage during Harvey is welcome to apply.
“You do not need flood insurance to apply for FEMA, but if you do have flood insurance we encourage you to go ahead and file you claim with your insurance, the NFIP, and also register with FEMA if you have unmet needs,” he says.
Officials also are trying to ease concerns of immigrants and refugees.
“If a child or one of the adults in the family is a documented alien, then we go ahead and offer FEMA assistance,” says Skinner. “We have disaster recovery centers, about 23 around the state, we're not enforcing any of those regulations.”
FEMA will open four more disaster recovery centers Tuesday, including locations in Houston, Orange, Bay City and Brookshire.
Meanwhile, more than 2,600 evacuees remain housed at NRG Center and the new Red Cross shelter inside a Houston Community College warehouse.