LIHUE — The Registration Intake Centers in Kapaa and Koloa will be closing due to low attendance.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Disaster Recovery Center in Hanalei will remain open.
“The local government — state and county — did a remarkable job in getting these centers set up on Kauai and Oahu after the initial emergency declaration was turned down,” said William Koontz of the U.S. Small Business Administration. “Now we’re trying to ensure that the people affected by the disaster get the help they need.”
Jointly operated by the state of Hawaii and FEMA, the SBA Disaster Recovery Center opened on June 29 to offer residents affected by the April flooding, mudslides and landslides that took place on Oahu and Kauai a one-stop shop for disaster assistance.
“As of yesterday, approximately $281,000 in individual assistance grant funding has been approved by FEMA to qualifying Kauai and Oahu residents,” said Mayor Bernard Carvalho Jr. in a press release Friday. “I encourage those who have not yet applied for FEMA assistance to do so as soon as possible.”
FEMA reported that 323 Kauai residents had registered for individual assistance as of July 5. The maximum grant qualifying residents may receive is $34,000. Currently, the average amount approved for housing assistance is $6,932.23.
Each of the sites on Kauai are staffed by FEMA, state, SBA and county representatives, enabling survivors to meet one-on-one to get answers and help regarding their individual situations on an individual resident, or small business basis.
Representatives from FEMA will be going door-to-door to affected residents islandwide, with
outreach in the Wainiha-Haena area next week Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. The SBA will be joining them in Waihiha and Haena, and as feasible elsewhere.
There is a deadline of Aug. 27 to apply for assistance for individual physical damage, and for small businesses impacted by the disaster the deadline for filing is March 27, 2019.
Once applications are filed, people may be eligible for financial assistance from the SBA.
“We want to make sure everyone who is eligible for aid can get that help,” Koontz said. “By visiting the centers, they can avoid some of the frustrations encountered if they do everything online.”
Some SBA loans are available at interest rates as low as 1.8 percent for home loans that can also be used to add disaster mitigation in the rebuild. Business loans can be as low as 3.5 percent interest.
“Applicants can benefit by visiting the DRC to get face-to-face answers to determine which category they fit in and the type of assistance is available,” Koontz said.
The RIC at Koloa Public/School Library will close at 6 tonight.
The RIC at Kapaa Elementary School will close at 6 Sunday night.
The DRC at Hanalei School will remain open 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily.
“The SBA encourages all people affected by the recent disaster to take advantage of these centers now,” Koontz said.
To register for FEMA individual assistance or for more information on FEMA programs, residents may also call 1-800-621-FEMA (3362) or visit www.disasterassistance.gov.
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Dennis Fujimoto, staff writer and photographer, can be reached at 245-0453 or dfujimoto@thegardenisland.com.
