Disaster Aid Expanded to Include More Oregon Counties

A declaration expands eligibility in seven Oregon Counties.

Flood Aftermath in Vernonia Oregon Photo courtesy: vernoniafloodinfo.blogspot.com/C. Updegrave

(SALEM, Ore.) - The Oregon Emergency Management and the Federal Emergency Management Agency announced today that individuals in Yamhill and Polk counties are now eligible to apply for federal individual disaster assistance.

With today's announcement, residents of five Oregon counties are eligible for individual assistance for the effects of the severe storms, flooding, landslides, and mudslides which began on December 1st.

They say individuals in Clatsop, Columbia, Polk, Tillamook, and Yamhill counties who are affected by this disaster are now eligible to apply for federal individual assistance.

Individual assistance will be coordinated by OEM and FEMA. That assistance can include grants to help pay for temporary housing, home repairs and other serious disaster-related expenses.

Low-interest loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration will also be available to cover residential and business losses not fully compensated by insurance.

Lincoln and Washington counties today received federal disaster declarations authorizing full public assistance to local governments with damages from the severe weather December 1st.

The Presidential Disaster Declaration expanded the eligibility for full public assistance to include the seven Oregon counties of Clatsop, Columbia, Lincoln, Polk Tillamook, Washington, and Yamhill. Under the Public Assistance Grant Program, FEMA awards grants to assist state and local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations with the response to and recovery from disasters.

The program provides funding for debris removal, implementation of emergency protective measures and permanent restoration of infrastructure.

Public assistance is based on a partnership between FEMA, state and local officials. FEMA is responsible for managing the program, approving grants and providing technical assistance to the state and its applicants.

The SBA is the federal government's primary source of money for the long-term rebuilding of disaster damaged private property. SBA helps homeowners, renters, businesses of all sizes, and private non-profit organizations fund repairs or rebuilding efforts, and cover the cost of replacing lost or disaster-damaged personal property.

These disaster loans cover uninsured and uncompensated losses and do not duplicate benefits of other agencies or organizations.

The SBA may loan up to $200,000 to repair or replace homes and up to $40,000 to repair or replace personal property. Up to $1.5 million is available for uncompensated business disaster losses.

Residents and business owners can receive information about SBA disaster loans and help with the application process by calling the SBA at 1-800-659-2955 or visiting the SBA web site at sba.gov/services/disasterassistance.

Before visiting any of the Disaster Recovery Centers, disaster victims are urged to register for assistance by calling 1-800-621-FEMA (3362) or by going on-line at www.fema.gov. The TTY number is 1-800-462-7585 for the speech- or hearing-impaired. Those who have questions may visit a DRC to meet with disaster recovery specialists.

FEMA coordinates the federal government's role in preparing for, preventing, mitigating the effects of, responding to, and recovering from all domestic disasters, whether natural or man-made, including acts of terror.

Source: Polk County Sheriff's Office

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