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Rita Restoration

Community Day, July 17, 2008

387 families were invited to a meeting by Michael Gerber, Executive Director of the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs, and Donald E Atwell, Project Director of ACS, This meeting was about Round 2 of the Hurricane Rita Homeowners Assistance Program. At the meeting attendees were told what they have to do to have their homes rebuilt or restored. The meetings were held at First United Methodist Church of Newton on June 19, 2008, at 3 and 6 PM. The people who were invited are on a list of names of applicants for assistance that was supplied by DETCOG. There are 387 families in Newton County that are on the list. Part 1 that was managed by DETCOG is ending, and Part 2 that is managed by ACS and Shaw is starting. 210 Million Dollars have been available to the 22 counties area that was hit by Rita. Out of approximately 387 invitation letters sent, about 87 of those families made one of the two meetings.

Those families were told that they will soon be receiving a Supplemental Package. This package will ask them to update the information that they have already given in their Round One application and will also ask you for new information. Construction work will be provided on a first come, first served basis, so it is important that people complete the package and get it back to ACS as soon as possible.  

Some of the qualification criteria were explained:

• You must have owned and occupied the home as your primary residence at the time of the storm on 9/24/05.
• You must still own the home and provide proof of ownership.
• Your real estate taxes for 2007 must be paid or a plan in place to pay them.
• Your home must have sustained damage caused by Hurricane Rita.
• Your 2007 household income must not exceed 80% of the Area Median Income in the county in which your home is located as established annually by HUD.
• Your home must pass an Environmental Review
• If you received insurance or FEMA money for repairs, you must show proof of having done the repairs.

A Community Day was announced  for July 17, 2008, at First United Methodist Church, when people will be available to help people with the application process. At this meeting the attendees were given a toll free number to call for assistance in complying with the application: 877-839-4477. Also, a Jasper office has been set up to provide assistance to applicants: 381-8354. Volunteers were requested to help people with the application process and were asked to call the Jasper office to volunteer.

If you were not invited to this meeting and think that you should be considered for assistance, you should call the toll free number and ask to be put on the waiting list in case there are surplus funds left.