Hurricane Matthew – Georgia Six Month Recovery Snapshot

ATLANTA, April 13 — The U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency issued the following news release:

In the six months since Hurricane Matthew struck Georgia's coast, disaster survivors and communities received more than $78.2 million in grants from FEMA, settlements from FEMA's National Flood Insurance Program, and low interest disaster loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration.

More than 2,000 homeowners and renters in the ten disaster-designated counties received more than $5.1 million through FEMA's Individual Assistance grants for temporary housing assistance and critical disaster-related home repairs. Another $1.2 million helped survivors repair or replace essential personal property damaged during Matthew as well as storm related medical and dental expenses.

Homeowners, renters and businesses received more than $13.5 million in low-interest disaster loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration to repair, rebuild and replace damaged property and contents. Disaster loans cover losses not fully compensated by insurance or other sources.

Policyholders received more than $19.4 million in insurance settlements to repair and rebuild flood-damaged property from FEMA's National Flood Insurance Program.

FEMA is also helping state and local governments to recover. Twenty counties designated for FEMA's Public Assistance Program (PA), have been approved for federal funding to reimburse communities for the costs incurred for disaster cleanup, emergency actions taken to protect lives or property and the repair, replacement, or restoration of disaster-damaged infrastructure. When providing PA grants for the repair or restoration of public infrastructure, the non-federal cost share is 25 percent.

Many disaster-damaged structures will be more resilient than they were before Matthew due to mitigation measures incorporated in their restoration. To date, nearly $39 million is obligated, funding 229 projects through this grant program in Georgia. Additional grants may be awarded for projects currently in review or under development.

For more information about the disaster recovery operation, visit www.fema.gov/disaster/4284 or the Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency at www.gema.ga.gov.