La. Recovery Assistance for Issac Tops Half-Billion Mark

State and federal recovery from Hurricane Isaac in Louisiana has hit a new milestone, topping half a billion dollars since the Aug. 29, 2012, disaster declaration, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) said today.

The total includes more than $129.6 million in grants from FEMA’s Individual Assistance (IA) program, more than $160 million in low-interest disaster loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), and nearly $214.5 million in reimbursements to state agencies and local governments from FEMA’s Public Assistance (PA) program.

“FEMA’s top priority is clear: help Louisiana’s survivors, their families, business owners and their communities get a good start on their way to recovering from Isaac,” said Federal Coordinating Officer Gerard M. Stolar. “This money has provided a crucial boost to Louisiana as residents and communities rebuild, recover and look ahead to the future.”

IA grants include nearly $106.9 million in housing assistance and more than $22.7 million in Other Needs Assistance. Meanwhile, more than $185,000 in Disaster Unemployment Assistance has gone to workers who lost their jobs or people who are self-employed and unable to provide services because of the hurricane.

Public Assistance funds obligated so far have helped the state replenish dollars it spent to protect Louisianians before, during and after the storm and to remove tons of disaster-created debris. It also reimburses municipalities for repairs to disaster-damaged infrastructure.

[Source: FEMA]