Homeowners In Van Expected More From FEMA
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VAN (CBSDFW.COM) - Six weeks after a major tornado ripped through Van, Texas, the city is nearly done with debris clean up. But local leaders say it will take $10-15 million dollars to rebuild homes, schools and infrastructure.
The CBS 11 I-Team found out, as of this week, FEMA has awarded $475,000 to residents in Van Zandt County through their individuals and household program.
And while that might seem like a big dollar amount, when you talk about the hundreds of people that were affected by the van tornado, that number gets put into perspective.
The reality of rebuilding and how long it will take is now setting in for residents like Amy Parish.
"You've kinda lost that sense of home," Parish told us.
It's not easy for Parish to talk about the home that they use to live in.
"We will rebuild and we will have our home back," Parish added. "It won't be the same. But hopefully it will be even better than before."
Parish says, thankfully, her family had home insurance that is covering most of the rebuilding cost. They also applied for FEMA but were denied because they already had coverage.
"Nothing has been the same since. Nothing," Allison Young said.
Just two houses down from the Parish family, Allison Young has a bigger battle ahead of her. Facing some major medical issues, young let her home insurance lapse earlier this year.
The tornado destroyed her roof, windows are gone, and there's mold growing inside. Contractors say it will cost about $40,000 to repair her home. She was hoping FEMA would help, but was crushed when they told her how much she qualified for.
"For repairs it's about $6,000 and $1,000 for rental for a place to stay," Young noted. "It was very disheartening."
We reached out to the local FEMA office based on Denton. FEMA representative Caitlin Ostomel says FEMA inspections happen within one to two days of registration.
"They're looking for damages that impact the habitability of your home," Caitlin Ostomel, FEMA Spokesperson, explained.
Ostomel says if people unhappy with what they've been awarded, there is an appeals process. But she warns, FEMA can only do so much.
"The max award is $32,900. Not everyone's going to get that. It's really going to focus on what types of damage you had," Ostomel added.
City leaders like Mayor Dean Stone and John Beall have made cleaning up debris a priority. But as they start to rebuild Van, they'll have to work closely with FEMA. And just like homeowners they'll have to be patient.
"Everybody has to realize, it is the federal government," John Beall, Van Public Works Director, told us. "And they do not get in a hurry. We're kind of at their mercy.
The city is estimating rebuilding could take five to seven years.
For homeowners like Allison Young, she's hoping it won't take as long. She already filed her appeal with FEMA asking for more help.
Until that gets worked out, she'll be relying on volunteer groups to help get the rebuilding process moving.
"I have my breakdown moments," she said. "But then you've got to pick up and go right back to being positive again."
More From FEMA:
Since early May, FEMA had approved $30.7 million for registered survivors in Texas under the Individuals and Households Program this year. That includes victims of flooding and other tornados. As of Sunday, $475,000 of that had been approved for individual survivors in Van Zandt County.
FEMA bases Individual & Households Program grant amounts on the RS Means, which provides an annual price comparison nationwide. There is maximum amount of grant assistance available under the Stafford Act; the maximum grant is adjusted for disasters declared on or after October 1 of each year according to the Consumer Price Index for the previous twelve (12) months.
For more information or to register with FEMA you can call 800.621.3362.
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