Six months after severe storms and tornadoes ripped through multiple Mississippi communities, more than $6 million in federal support has been approved by FEMA and the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) for homeowners, renters and businesses.

In addition, FEMA is working in the communities affected by the June storms and tornadoes to provide Public Assistance grants to local governments.

Assistance for Individuals and Households

As of Dec. 11, more than $3 million in FEMA grants have been approved for renters and homeowners in Jackson and Jasper counties.

• More than $2.5 million in Housing Assistance that helps pay for uninsured home repairs, home replacement and rental assistance for short-term lodging.
• More than $433,000 in Other Needs Assistance grants to help pay for uninsured personal property replacement and other serious storm-related needs.
• FEMA’s Call Out/Enhanced Applicant Services team identified and contacted survivors who were challenged by the application and appeals process. Team members completed more than 900 interviews with applicants, resulting in grants that they might not have gotten otherwise.

As of Dec. 10, the SBA has approved more than $3.8 million in long-term, low-interest disaster loans for homeowners and businesses. These flexible loans can help supplement insurance settlements and FEMA grants.

• More than $3.4 million in home loans.
• More than $367,000 in business loans.

As of Dec. 11, more than $690,000 has been approved for six projects, with more than $1.7 million for nine projects pending approval.

Twenty-nine counties and one tribal nation were approved for Public Assistance:

• Adams
• Amite
• Attala
• Claiborne
• Copiah
• Covington
• Franklin
• Greene
• Holmes
• Humphreys
• Itawamba
• Jackson
• Jasper
• Jefferson
• Jefferson Davis
• Jones
• Lawrence
• Leake
• Madison
• Mississippi Choctaw Indian Reservation
• Neshoba
• Newton
• Perry
• Rankin
• Scott
• Simpson
• Smith
• Warren
• Wayne
• Yazoo

FEMA’s Public Assistance is a cost-sharing program that aids state, local, tribal and territorial governments, and certain types of nonprofit organizations impacted by declared disasters. FEMA works with local and state officials to provide reimbursement for eligible work including debris removal, emergency protective measures and repairs to infrastructure and other structures.