The City of San Antonio on Wednesday will launch an Emergency Resource Call Center (ERCC) and website to assist residents affected by the recent severe winter weather.
Residents can call 311 and select option 5 or 210-207-6000 to connect with a call taker.
For assistance online, residents can visit strongertogether.sanantonio.gov. The ERCC will be open from Monday – Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Call takers will help residents navigate the disaster assistance programs available through the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Small Business Administration (SBA), and the newly created Community Pipe Repair Fund (CPR) administered by SAWS.
“There is help available for our residents to make home repairs and recover from the severe winter weather that we all experienced last week,” said city manager Erik Walsh. “I want to thank the dedication of the employees of the City’s Neighborhood and Housing Services and Human Services Departments for quickly training and preparing to assist our residents to navigate the various assistance programs. I would also like to thank SAWS for recognizing the need in our community and for establishing an assistance program for customers.”
Individuals that have insurance should file a claim with their carrier.
Those without insurance or need additional assistance because their insurance does not cover the expense, FEMA’s Individual Households Program can help. To file a claim, individuals can visit www.disasterassistance.gov or call 1-800-621-FEMA (3362). A social security number of a homeowner or child occupant is required to apply.
If a business or rental property suffered damage, SBA’s Disaster Loan Assistance Program may help by providing a low-interest loan. To file a claim, visit https://disasterloanassistance.sba.gov or call 1-800-659-2295. The applicant must have a social security number.
If an individual does not qualify for FEMA assistance, the Community Pipe Repair Fund managed by SAWS can help.
To qualify for the program, the applicants home value cannot exceed $140,000 or have an annual income at or below 140% of the Federal Poverty Level ($18,032 for an individual or $37,100 for a family of 4).
Beginning Wednesdy afternoon, individuals will be able to apply for this at www.saws.org/cpr/.
For questions, please call 210-233-FIXX (3499) or email at cpr-sa@saws.org. Those interested in making a tax-deductible donation can do so immediately at www.saws.org/cpr/.
The ERCC is administered by the City’s Neighborhood and Housing Services Department in partnership with the Department of Human Services.
The trained staff at the ERCC will assist each caller in determining the appropriate program they may qualify for.
Callers that do not qualify for FEMA assistance will be directed to the SAWS CPR Fund. If a caller needs assistance completing a FEMA application, ERCC staff will direct them to a Benefits Navigator who will help them through the application process.
Benefits Navigators will also help identify other local, state, and federal programs that the applicant may qualify for such as food bank assistance, childcare subsidies, and unemployment assistance. ERCC staff will be able to assist residents in both English and Spanish.