Some Athens County residents who applied for federal disaster assistance after heavy flooding this summer have been victims of fraud, said Leo Skinner, spokesman for the Federal Emergency Management Association.
Skinner said some residents received calls wrongly informing them that they must pay for federal assistance. He urged anyone who had received such calls to notify local authorities.
We are warning people in Athens County that FEMA does not ask for money payment of any kind
Skinner said.
FEMA and the United States Small Business Association have encouraged anyone who sustained damage to their homes or property during the flooding to apply for aid before the Nov. 18 deadline.
We just don't want anybody to be left out Skinner said. There are people out there who have not called and that concerns us.
FEMA provides grants of up to $23,500 to renters and homeowners who do not qualify for loans, Skinner said. This includes the cost of repairing a home, as well as any essential personal property, such as clothing and furniture. To date, FEMA has approved about $600,000 for 105 grants in Athens County.
If a renter, homeowner or business qualifies for a low-interest loan, they will be referred to the United States Small Business Association. The association's disaster loans are the primary source of long-term recovery assistance, according to its press release.
We look at putting people back to where they were before the disaster
said Matt Young, spokesman for the association. Our biggest hurdle is our name - people think we're just for businesses. We cover a wide range of people.
The association offers loans of up to $200,000 to repair damaged homes and up to $40,000 for personal property. Loans to businesses and non-profit organizations can be as high as $1.5 million, Young said. These loans are offered at interest rates of 3.187 percent for renters and homeowners and 2.9 percent for businesses. So far, the association has approved $97,400 for six loan applications in Athens County.
FEMA or the association determines the amount of an individual grant or loan after evaluating the amount of damage and the applicant's financial situation.
The remnants of Hurricane Frances and Hurricane Ivan caused extensive flooding between Aug. 27 and Sept. 27 along the banks of the Ohio River and its tributaries. On Sept. 19, President Bush declared 21 Ohio counties, including Athens County, to be federal disaster areas.
More than $30 million in grants and low-interest loans have been approved, according to FEMA's Web site.
To apply for disaster assistance, contact FEMA at 1-800-621-3362. A separate number, 1-800-462-7585, is available for those with a speech or hearing impairment.
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