Duval County residents quickly responded after being made eligible last week for post-Hurricane Matthew federal assistance.
Of the 33,000 people in Florida who have registered with the Federal Emergency Management Agency, almost 3,400 were from Duval County.
It’s an “impressive” start, said retired Gen. Montague Whitfield, a local liaison with the federal agency.
Starting today, that local number could swell even larger.
The agency is opening its first Duval County Disaster Recovery Center with experts available to assist residents and register them for financial help, if they’re eligible.
The center is open 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday-Saturday at the Prime Osborn Convention Center.
Winfield told the City Council Neighborhoods, Community Investments and Services Committee on Monday that additional centers could open later.
Experts at the center are not available on the agency’s website or over the telephone.
Possible financial assistance is available to residents who are uninsured or underinsured. Those with the proper level of insurance are not eligible for FEMA assistance.
“We will be here until the job is completed,” Winfield told the committee.
“Completed” in this instance is when it’s deemed all citizens in a disaster-declared area have been reached.
Winfield told the group flooding often is a common issue, but it depends on the level of severity.
Major damage might mean flood water has reached a dwelling’s subfloor.
Other major damage might be a tree through a roof. Even food spoilage at a business or employer that impacts an ability to work could merit assistance.
FEMA grants will help homeowners and renters pay for those types of repairs, temporary housing or replacing personal property.
Additionally, the U.S. Small Business Administration is offering low-interest loans to all businesses hindered by the storm.
Prior to today’s center opening, FEMA officials were going door-to-door in impacted areas to help residents register.
People also have been calling in or using the agency’s website, disasterassistance.gov.
As of Monday afternoon, there was $12.5 million in total individual and household program funding approved for Hurricane Matthew-impacted areas. To date, 4,212 applications have been approved.
As for the city’s application, the expanded declaration also made harder-hit area infrastructure — like the Jacksonville Beach public pier and Huguenot Memorial Park — a possibility for funding.
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