Disaster Recovery Center opens in Lafayette County for ice storm aid

The center is meant for homeowners, renters and businesses in the storm zone, and Lafayette County is one of the 36 Mississippi counties approved for Individual Assistance. For people in Oxford, Abbeville, Taylor and Harmontown, that means help with home damage, rental questions, disaster registration and follow-up paperwork is now available in town instead of only online or by phone. The storm response was severe enough to leave about 180,000 Mississippi customers without power at its peak, and MEMA also kept a medical needs shelter running in Lafayette County during the response.

Residents should bring as much paperwork as they can: the address and ZIP code of the damaged property, a phone number or email address where they can be reached, a Social Security number, insurance information, photos of damage, receipts and bank account information if they want direct deposit. If FEMA cannot automatically verify occupancy or ownership, it may ask for a utility bill, bank or credit-card statement, lease or housing agreement, deed, mortgage document, property tax bill or similar record. FEMA says assistance is for uninsured or under-insured necessary expenses and serious needs, cannot duplicate insurance payments, and is limited to eligible applicants in the designated counties. Only U.S. citizens, non-citizen nationals and qualified noncitizens are eligible.