Staff from VHFA put down their pencils and picked up their hammers yesterday, repairing two Waterbury homes damaged by Tropical Storm Irene. Both homes had been completely gutted and are now being rebuilt after the Winooski River surged through town when the storm hit.
Vermonters who experienced damage or losses as the result of Tropical Storm Irene have until Tuesday, November 15 to register for assistance with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and to apply for low-interest loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA).
Individual homeowners, renters, businesses, or others who suffered losses as a result of flooding at the end of August are eligible for assistance to repair homes or to recover other losses. Even if the damage is minor, or if you are unsure whether damage will be covered by federal grants, individuals should apply ASAP. The deadline for applying for both FEMA and SBA assistance is November 15, 2011.
FEMA officials have determined that there are enough vacant housing opportunities in the state for residents displaced by Tropical Storm Irene. This means that the use of FEMA standard temporary housing units will not be needed in Vermont. Read more in today's Burlington Free Press.
VHFA-ers spent time together this afternoon assembling household items and gift cards into gift baskets for five families whose homes were damaged by Tropical Storm Irene.
Individual homeowners, renters, businesses, or others who suffered losses as a result of flooding at the end of August are eligible for assistance to repair homes or to recover other losses. Even if the damage is minor, or if you are unsure whether damage will be covered by federal grants, individuals should apply ASAP. The deadline for applying for both FEMA and SBA assistance is November 15, 2011.
A forum will be held tonight, Wednesday October 19, 2011, at 6PM by the Mobile Home Residents for Equality and Fairness (MHREF). MHREF is a new resident organization of Vermonters displaced by Irene, who have witnessed first-hand the acute affordable housing crisis, and unique challenges in removing their destroyed homes in order to rebuild, relocate, and recover before impending winter.
Tropical Storm Irene damaged or destroyed public records, changed the course of rivers and streams and sprouted an unexpected thicket of legal issues that will have to be solved by the Legislature.
Storm recovery assistance from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is not just for businesses. Vermont homeowners and renters recovering from damage from Tropical Storm Irene may also be eligible for significant SBA assistance in the form of grants and flexible low-interest loans.
Vermont’s legislative and housing program leaders toured the Irene-devastated neighborhoods of Waterbury yesterday and met with FEMA and SBA officials to examine progress and exchange information about the experiences of agencies trying to help.
Read more at VTDigger.org.