JIC Recovery Release No. 131 - More Than $300 Million in Federal Assistance Provided to Eligible Typhoon Mawar Survivors on Guam - GHS OCD

Now, more than 10 months after Typhoon Mawar devastated the island territory, Guam residents continue down their road to recovery with the help of federal funding from the U.S. Small Business Administration and FEMA. To date, more than $324 million in low interest disaster loans from the SBA and direct disaster assistance through FEMA have flowed into communities to help jumpstart the recovery process.

Small Business Administration:

The U.S. Small Business Administration has approved more than $253 million in low-interest disaster loans. The SBA is the number one source of federal disaster recovery funding. Through low-interest disaster loans the SBA provides recovery loans to businesses of all sizes, private non-profit organizations, homeowners, and renters.

For homeowners and renters, the SBA has approved 2,342 disaster loans totaling nearly $210.1 million dollars. These loans can be used to repair or replace a survivor’s disaster damaged home and personal property. Additionally, 240 businesses and private non-profits have been approved for loans totaling more than $40 million. These funds will help these businesses and organizations recover by replacing real estate, machinery and equipment, and inventory and business assets.

Individuals and Households Program:

As of March 11, 2024

When it comes to FEMA assistance, more than 19,000 homeowners and renters have been approved for more than $70 million in federal awards through FEMA’s Individuals and Households Program. Unlike SBA loans, this money does not have to be paid back.

This includes:

More than $20 million in repair and replacement assistance to help survivors rebuild, or make basic repairs to make their home safe, sanitary, and functional and provide funds to owners whose primary residences were destroyed due to Typhoon Mawar.

More than $19.5 million in rental assistance was provided to more than 6,048 applicants. FEMA rental assistance is intended to help survivors pay for somewhere to live while they repair or rebuild their disaster damaged home. FEMA awards eligible applicants an initial Rental Assistance payment based on the Fair Market Rent established by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) for where their pre-disaster residence is located and the number of bedrooms the household requires.

Other Needs Assistance:

Other Needs Assistance provides financial assistance for disaster-related necessary expenses and serious needs that are not covered by insurance or provided by any other source. More than $30.9 million in ONA has been awarded to Guam survivors.

This includes:
Critical needs assistance, transportation assistance, personal property assistance, moving and storage, disaster related medical and dental assistance and money to clean and sanitize a disaster damaged home.

The application period has closed as of July 28, 2023. To provide updates on your application, submit new information or ask questions; call the FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362 from 10 p.m. through 2 p.m. CHST the following day.

Download the FEMA mobile app. For the latest FEMA information visit www.fema.gov/disaster/4715

X Flooding is a temporary overflowing of water onto land that is normally dry. Flooding may happen with only a few inches of water, or it may cover a house to the rooftop. There are many possible causes of floods including heavy rain, coastal storms and storm surge, waterway overflow from being blocked with debris, or overflow of levees, dams, or waste water systems. Flooding can occur slowly over many days or happen very quickly with little or no warning, called flash floods.

To learn more, visit https://www.ready.gov/floods

Wildfire

Regularly clean the roof and gutters.
Maintain an area approximately 30’ away from you home that is free of anything that will burn, such as wood piles, dried leaves, newspapers and other brush.
Connect garden hoses long enough to reach any area of the home and fill garbage cans, tubs, or other large containers with water.
Review your homeowner's insurance policy and also prepare/update a list of your home's contents.

Fire Weather

Turn on your TV/radio. You’ll get the latest weather updates and emergency instructions.
Know where to go. If you are ordered to evacuate, know the route to take and have plan of where you will go. Check-in with your friends and family.
Keep your car fueled, in good condition, and stocked with emergency supplies and a change of clothes.

Drought

Conserve water

Take shorter showers.

Turn off the water while brushing your teeth or shaving.
Run the washer less frequently and only when you have a full load.
Water your lawn less frequently and do so when the temperature is cooler in the early morning or late evening.
When you run the tap to heat or cool water, keep a pitcher to store the water and use it to water plants.
Avoid washing your car.

Practice fire prevention

Don't set off fireworks when conditions are dry.
Deposit cigarette butts in the proper receptacle to avoid starting a
Pour water over camp fires and backyard fire pits to ensure they are completely out before leaving them unattended.

Follow directions from local officials. If there are restrictions on water usage, be sure to heed them.

To learn more, visit https://www.ready.gov/wildfires and https://www.ready.gov/drought

X
Typhoons/Hurricanes are massive storm systems that form over the water and move toward land. Threats from typhoons/hurricanes include high winds, heavy rainfall, storm surge, coastal and inland flooding, and rip currents.

“Hurricanes” form in the Atlantic Northeast Pacific region and “Typhoons” form in the Northwest Pacific Region. These large storms are call cyclones in other parts of the world.

To learn more, visit https://www.ready.gov/hurricanes.

JIC Recovery Release No. 131 - More Than $300 Million in Federal Assistance Provided to Eligible Typhoon Mawar Survivors on Guam