Reports of property damages imperative for Kerr County

Property owners who suffered any kind of damages – minor or major – in the recent winter storm should report that damage by visiting https://arcg.is/uOrOb or call the toll-free number 1-844-844-3089.

According to Kerr County Emergency Management Coordinator Dub Thomas, “It is imperative to Kerr County that everyone reports any kind of damages they suffered from or during the extreme winter weather because the Texas Department of Emergency Management must submit all those report results by March 21.”

Thomas added, “Those results then will be used by FEMA to determine whether our local folks will qualify for individual assistance in the form of federal aid. The reason we’re imploring property owners to report at this point is because we’ve only had 346 surveys completed so far out of our entire community.”

Thomas said that in order to stand a chance of getting Kerr County designated for FEMA’s Individual Assistance more property owners need to report their respective damages. Reportedly, Governor Abbott has included Kerr County in his submission to FEMA for consideration of an individual assistance designation, but no determination has been made to date.

Early on, Kerr County was approved by FEMA for public assistance, which will make it eligible to receive federal funds for repairing and/or rebuilding infrastructure damaged by the storm. In order for individual property owners to receive similar federal aid, FEMA must approve the county for Individual Assistance.

Should FEMA approve additional programs:

U.S. Small Business Administration: Low-interest, disaster loans are being made available to homeowners, renters and businesses. Visit disasterloanassistance.sba.gov or contact 1-800-659-2955.

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP): The HHSC received federal approval to SNAP recipients to use their food benefits to purchase hot foods and ready-to-eat meals and for the replacement benefits for food lost or destroyed due to impacts from the severe winter storm. Contact 2-1-1 for more information.

Disaster Unemployment: The Texas Workforce Commission is accepting applications for Disaster Unemployment Assistance through March 26, for Texans in FEMA Individual Assistance-designated counties who lost their jobs, along with self-employed individuals who have been unable to work. Visit twc.texas.gov. or contact 1-800-558-8321.