FEMA assistance still available

Although the Coryell County Disaster Recovery Center closed on June 26, residents impacted by recent storms between April 26 and June 5 can still apply for disaster assistance until July 16.

To apply for disaster assistance online or by phone, visit the following resources:

• Go online to disasterassistance.gov/
• Download the FEMA App for mobile devices: https://www.fema.gov/about/news-multimedia/mobile-products.
• Call the FEMA helpline at 800-621-3362 between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m.

For other Disaster Recovery Center locations, go online to fema.gov/drc.

For the latest information on Texas disaster recovery, visit fema.gov/disaster/4781

Disaster assistance for private roads and bridges

FEMA may also provide funds to repair privately-owned access roads and bridges that were damaged by the storms, according to a media advisory distributed by FEMA. To qualify, residents must be the owner, and the home must serve as the primary residence.

A FEMA inspection is required to determine if repairs are necessary for a vehicle to access the property. In addition, property owners must meet at least one of the following conditions:

• The road and/or bridge is the only access to the property.
• No one can access the home due to damaged infrastructure.
• The homeowner is responsible (or shares responsibility with other homeowners) for maintaining the privately-owned access route.
• The safety of the home’s occupants could be adversely affected, because emergency services vehicles, such as an ambulance or fire truck, cannot reach the residence. However, this will only be considered if access was available before the disaster occurred.

When multiple households share a privately-owned access route, assistance is shared among applicants, requiring additional coordination and documentation between FEMA and each applicant.

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), FEMA’s federal partner in disaster recovery, may also help provide financial assistance to repair private roads and bridges. Homeowners who share private access roads and bridges with other homeowners may be eligible for SBA disaster loans. Agricultural property is not eligible, but a private access road to the farmer’s residence and personal contents may be eligible under disaster home loan criteria.

Learn more about SBA Disaster Loans by calling customer service at 800-659-2955. For those who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, please dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunications relay services or email DisasterCustomerService@sba.gov.

For information on agricultural property, please contact the local Farm Service Agency through the USDA Service Center Loactor: https://offices.sc.egov.usda.gov/locator/app?state=tx&agency=fsa