AUSTIN, Texas – Disaster survivors from Hidalgo, Cameron and Jim Wells counties who are rebuilding and repairing their homes can visit local home improvement stores to get free hazard mitigation consultations from FEMA mitigation representatives. Mitigation advisors will be on-hand to answer questions about rebuilding and protecting homes from future disaster related damage. Topics include flood insurance and elevating of utilities. Most of the information provided is geared toward do-it-yourself work and general contractors. FEMA Mitigation Specialists will be available at these stores: CountyLocationsDatesHoursCameronLowe’s Store4705 South Expy 77/83Harlingen, TX 78550Monday, Aug. 20Tues. Aug. 21...

AUSTIN, Texas — More than 2,300 Texas households affected by Hurricane Harvey are currently living in temporary housing units (THUs) provided by FEMA. THU occupants may be eligible to stay in their FEMA unit for up to 18 months from the date of the disaster declaration while securing a permanent housing solution, but they must abide by the terms of their license agreement.   Only people listed on the license are allowed to occupy the THU, and the license cannot be transferred to another party. FEMA retains the right to enter the...

AUSTIN, Texas – The Fayette County Disaster Recovery Team plans to bring hope to Hurricane Harvey survivors in LaGrange through a planned 64-home subdivision. The subdivision project, Hope Hill, is being funded and developed by the recovery team in collaboration with the nonprofits Samaritans’ Purse and Mennonite Disaster Services.  The goal of Hope Hill is to provide affordable housing to survivors whose homes along the Lower Colorado River flooded after Hurricane Harvey. The project will move residents out of the floodplain and onto higher ground.  Disaster survivors moving into Hope Hill...

AUSTIN, Texas — The time for Hurricane Harvey survivors to file a National Flood Insurance Policy (NFIP) Proof of Loss claim is drawing to a close. The deadline to file for flood damages is one year from the date of their loss.  Harvey first made landfall in Texas on Aug. 25, 2017, with heavy rainfall and flooding occurring for several days after it hit. For this reason, the date of loss varies for property owners. NFIP usually requires policyholders to submit a Proof of Loss claim within 60 days from the date...

AUSTIN, Texas – As Hurricane Harvey approached Houston last year, thousands of people began gathering their emergency kits and mapping out evacuation routes. Not many Houstonians prepared the way Jim McIngvale did.  “We’d done a fairly decent job of preparing for this hurricane,” said McIngvale, owner of Gallery Furniture, who is better known in the area as “Mattress Mack.” “We had rented about 20 of these 24-foot trucks with 26-foot beds on them, very high off the ground, to get through a lot of water.” What McIngvale hadn’t anticipated was that Harvey...