Disaster Assistance For Queens And Brooklyn Reaches More Than 6.2 Million

New York, NY – State and federal officials have approved more than $6.2 million in disaster grants and low-interest loans for homeowners, renters and business owners who suffered damages during the August 8 severe storms and flooding.

The following is a summary of activities as of close of business on October 25, 2007:

3,389 households and business owners registered for assistance.

• $4,229,779 in grants to 1,936 households has been approved by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for individual and household assistance. These grants include:

1. $3,657,781 to 1,530 households for home repairs and renting alternative housing, and
2. $571,997 to 406 households has been provided by the State’s Other Needs Assistance Program (ONA) and FEMA for other serious needs.

• $2,004,400 in low-interest disaster loans has been approved for 59 households and five business owners by the U. S. Small Business Administration (SBA).

The deadline for Brooklyn and Queens residents to apply for assistance is now extended to November 16. To register with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), call toll-free 1-800-621-FEMA (3362) or (TTY) 1-800-462-7585 for the hearing or speech impaired, during the hours of 8 a.m. to 9 p.m., Monday – Saturday. Registration is also available online at www.fema.gov

After registering with FEMA, registrants may visit one of three SBA-FEMA Recovery Centers where applicants can get help filling out their SBA Low-Interest Loan application for disaster loans and to learn more about their application with FEMA. 

All centers are open 11:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m., Monday thru Friday; closed on weekends. The centers are located in:

Mobile SBA-FEMA Recovery Center

Greater Allen AME Cathedral of New York

Parking lot at 111-17 Merrick Boulevard (between 111th Avenue and 111th Road)

Jamaica in Queens, NY

*** NEW LOCATION: SBA-FEMA Recovery Center at Lost Battalion Hall

93-29 Queens Boulevard (between 62nd Avenue and 62nd Road)

Rego Park in Queens, New York 

SBA-FEMA Recovery Center at Our Lady of Perpetual Help School

552 59th Street (at 6th Avenue)

Sunset Park in Brooklyn, NY

To date, the SBA –FEMA Recovery Centers have provided information to a total of 1,840 residents. The deadline to register for disaster assistance is November 16, 2007.

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FEMA-1724-DR-NY (PR036)
FEMA – Rebecca Morales – 703-399-0584         
SEMO – Don Maurer – 518-292-2312
SBA – Michael Lampton – 404-347-3771

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.

Disaster recovery assistance is available without regard to race, color, sex, religion, national origin, age, disability, economic status or retaliation. If you or someone you know has been discriminated against, you should call FEMA toll-free at 800-621-FEMA (3362) or contact your State Office of Equal Rights. If suspicious of any abuse of FEMA programs, please contact the fraud hotline at 1-800-323-8603.