EDINBURG – The Hidalgo County Office of Emergency Management announced Monday morning that Hidalgo County residents whose homes or businesses were damaged from recent storms and flooding may be eligible for federal assistance after the county was among 20 to be included in a federal disaster declaration.
Hidalgo County was the only county in the Rio Grande Valley to be included in the expanded list designated for individual assistance from the Federal Emergency management Agency (FEMA). The other counties on the expanded list are Bastrop, Blanco, Caldwell, Denton, Eastland, Fort Bend, Gaines, Guadalupe, Henderson, Johnson, Milam, Montague, Navarro, Rusk, Smith, Travis, Wichita, Williamson and Wise. Harris, Hays and Van Zandt counties had been designated for assistance on May 29.
Residents who suffered damages from the storms that began on May 4 are encouraged to register with FEMA by calling 800-621-3362. Once registered, residents can expect to receive an application from the Small Business Administration. It is important to fill out the application, whether a resident is interested in an SBA loan or not, to qualify for full FEMA benefits. Once registered, an inspector will be sent to the resident’s home. There is no charge for the inspections.
Disaster assistance for homeowners and renters may include grants to help pay for rent, temporary housing and home repairs, as well as other serious disaster-related needs. The goal of the assistance is to repair the home to a safe and sanitary living or functioning condition. Up to $32,900 is available for home repair, which may include:
- Structural parts of a home
- Windows, doors, floors, walls, ceilings, cabinetry
- Septic or sewage system
- Well or other water system
- Heating, ventilating, and air conditioning system
- Utilities
- Entrance and exit ways from the home, including privately owned access roads
- Blocking, leveling and anchoring of a mobile home and reconnecting or resetting its sewer, water, electrical and fuel lines and tanks.
Residents with damage received from the recent storms and flooding are encouraged to register by calling FEMA at 800-621-3362.
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