Email, Sharon Karr, media relations specialist, Federal Emergency Management Agency, Dec. 5, 2017

From: Selby, Gardner

Sent: Tuesday, December 05, 2017 10:28 AM

To: Karr, Sharon

Subject: Texas reporter, following up

Thanks for the phone interview this morning. As mentioned, we are fact-checking this November claim: “Earlier this year, Hurricane Harvey left more than 12 million people in Texas and Louisiana without homes.”

I would be interested in elaboration on your response in the interview that only public assistance was authorized for Louisiana in connection with the hurricane. Is it fair to say that Harvey didn’t leave many or any Louisiana residents without homes?

Any other recommended resources?

As ever, we rely on attributable on-the-record information. I hope to complete our review today.

g.

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W. Gardner Selby

Reporter / News

Austin American-Statesman

PolitiFact Texas

1:55 p.m.

Mr. Selby,

Thanks for your attention to detail and verifying information for factual content.

As we were discussing this morning, Louisiana received a Major Disaster Declaration^[1], dated October 16, 2017,  for Tropical Storm Harvey. A total of 20 parishes  were designated as affected by Tropical Storm Harvey. Nine parishes will receive assistance for Categories A-G, and eleven will receive assistance for Category B.

Public Assistance (Assistance for emergency work and the repair or replacement of disaster-damaged facilities) has been made available on a cost-sharing basis to local and state government entities and certain private nonprofits for eligible emergency response activities and infrastructure projects. Please see the link provided for complete details.

https://www.fema.gov/disaster/4345   This page also updates on a daily basis if there are changes to the information contained therein.

You were also asking about the definition of Public Assistance.  The fact sheet that is provided in the following link is a quick rundown of the different categories that are included in the program and some basic information which you may find helpful

The Public Assistance Program is a FEMA program activated following a Stafford Act Disaster Declaration.

https://www.fema.gov/media-library-data/1497559657642-a01f6ee60e25394fa9a25cae2fd289d5/PublicAssistanceFactSheetJune2017.pdf

Some homes were affected by Tropical storm Harvey in Louisiana, but the Individual Assistance Program was not designated for assistance.

The Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness in Calcasieu Parish would be the local contact that may be better able to provide you with more information. Their email is as follows.

ohsep@cppj.net.

I hope this helps,

Sharon

Sharon Karr

Federal Emergency Management Agency

Media Relations Specialist