Ark. Tornado Aid Tops $3 Million

More than $3 million ($3,023,751) in federal aid has been approved to help support recovery efforts during the two weeks since President Bush declared a major disaster for the state of Arkansas due to the severe storms, tornadoes, and flooding of Feb. 5, state and federal disaster recovery officials reported.

Listed below are highlights of the disaster recovery efforts through Feb. 21.

• 1,429 individuals and households from counties eligible for individual assistance have applied for disaster aid. April 8, 2008, is the last day individuals can apply for FEMA assistance under the Feb. 7 disaster declaration.

• $1,330,360 in Housing Assistance has been approved to cover rental assistance, temporary lodging and housing repairs.

• $493,391 in Other Needs Assistance has been approved to cover personal property loss, medical costs and other serious disaster-related expenses not covered by insurance.

• 1,432 visits to Disaster Recovery Centers (DRCs) have been made by people affected by the disaster to meet with recovery experts there.

• 686 home inspections have been conducted.

• To date, 33 public entities (counties, cities, certain private non-profit agencies) have applied for federal assistance under the Public Assistance program. These requests currently are being evaluated and additional requests are being received.

• The SBA has approved more than $1.2 million in low-interest disaster loans to Arkansas residents and businesses. The SBA provides low-interest loans to homeowners, renters, non-profit organizations and businesses of all sizes.

• Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA), funded by FEMA and administered by the state, provides benefits from $128 to a maximum of $400 a week for up to 26 weeks for individuals unemployed as a direct result of a major disaster. People living or working in the 10 disaster-designated counties who have temporarily lost jobs and do not qualify for regular unemployment benefits (such as self-employed individuals) may be eligible for DUA from the Arkansas Department of Workforce Services.

  The deadlines to apply for DUA are March 13 for Baxter, Pope, Shape, Stone, and Van Buren Counties; March 14 for Conway, Izard, and Randolph counties; and March 24 for Marion and Newton counties.