July 5, 2007

COLLEGE STATION – If the rain clouds hanging over Texas have a silver lining, it might be this: Some people affected by the recent flooding could be eligible for federal aid, said a Texas Cooperative Extension expert.

But not everybody, said Dr. Joyce Cavanagh, Extension family economics specialist.

"Only the people who live in the counties declared by the president to be disaster areas are eligible for FEMA assistance," she said. Those counties are Cooke, Coryell, Denton, Grayson, Lampasas and Tarrant.

To apply call 800-621-3362 or go online at http://www.fema.gov/ .

According to the Texas Department of Public Safety's Web site ( http://www.txdps.state.tx.us/ ) , the Federal Emergency Management Agency has set up disaster recovery centers for residents of those counties who eligible for assistance. The centers are at:

- Gainesville Factory Stores, Suite 500, 4321 N. Interstate 35 (exit 501), Gainesville (Cooke County).

- MDRC Copperas Cove (Human Resources Center), 1012 North Drive, Copperas Cove (Coryell and Lampasas counties).

- Old Ready Mix Administration Building, 5517 Denton Highway (U.S. Highway 377), Haltom City, (Denton and Tarrant counties)

- Shafer Crossing, Suite 400, 2918 U.S. Highway 75, Sherman (Grayson County).

Although only these counties are eligible for federal aid, other areas of the state might find relief through other agencies.

"Counties declared by the governor to be disaster areas might be eligible for state assistance," Cavanagh said.

On June 29, Governor Perry declared 37 counties as disaster areas, she said. However, residents of these counties are not eligible for FEMA aid unless and until they are declared disaster areas by the president.

According to information on the governor's Web site (http://www.governor.state.tx.us/) , "The president's disaster approval allows residents in eligible counties to apply for Individual Assistance programs intended for losses by individuals and families that are uninsured. Individual Assistance can include financial assistance, temporary housing, tax relief, legal services, crisis counseling and Disaster Unemployment Assistance. ...

"The governor's disaster declaration opens the door to a variety of assistance from state agencies, including the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs, the Natural Resource Conservation Service and the office of Rural and Community Affairs."

However, Cavanagh said, residents applying for federal aid need to know that "FEMA does not cover loses that are insured."

Most of the federal aid available in disaster areas "comes in the form of low-interest loans and not outright grants," she said.

These loans are handled through the Small Business Administration, even those loans granted to homeowners and renters, Cavanagh said.

More information on federal aid can be found on the FEMA Web site at http://www.fema.gov/index.shtm .

Extension's publication, "Obtaining Disaster Assistance" (ER-024), is available free through the TCE Bookstore at http://tcebookstore.org/ . Click on the link to Disasters and Emergencies.