Geoscience Reference
In-Depth Information
This program provides enforcement of the Fair Housing Act and compliance
with other civil rights statutes.
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USDA
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Rural Development (RD).
USDA RD provides information on
USDA-financed, currently available, habitable housing units that are not
under lease or under agreement of sale. This program assists eligible recipi-
ents to meet emergency housing assistance needs resulting from presidentially
declared emergencies or major disasters.
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Veterans Administration.
VA provides available facilities suitable for mass
shelter and assists veterans affected by disasters to help them avoid default-
ing on existing home mortgages and/or foreclosure on their homes. VA
also provides assistance to veterans with disabilities to retrofit homes with
necessary accessibility measures (e.g., wheelchair ramp). VA also maintains
plans to make available housing assets available to survivors in catastrophic
disasters.
Human Services
Human services generally fall into three categories: (1) recovery or replacement of
nonhousing losses and personal property; (2) financial assistance such as disaster
loans and unemployment, and food stamps; and (3) specialized services such as
crisis counseling, disaster legal services, and support and services for those with
functional needs. Local and state volunteer organizations, NGOs, and faith-based
organizations may be able to support these needs. Federal agencies and programs to
support human services are identified below.
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Recovery/Replacement Services
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Department of the Treasury
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Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade
Bureau (TTB).
TTB provides federal alcohol and tobacco excise tax
refunds to businesses that have lost assets in a disaster.
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Department of the Treasury, Internal Revenue Service (IRS).
he
IRS provides tax counseling and assistance to taxpayers whose property
has been damaged or lost in a federally declared disaster area.
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Department of the Treasury, Bureau of the Public Debt.
he Bureau
assists disaster victims by expediting replacement or redemption of U.S.
Savings Bonds and may waive the minimum holding period for Series
EE and I Savings Bonds presented to authorized paying agents for
redemption.
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Victims of Crime Assistance, Department of Justice (DOJ).
he DOJ
supports crime victim compensation in incidents resulting from terrorism
or acts of criminal violence, as appropriate.
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Veterans Assistance Program (VAP).
The VAP provides insurance set-
tlements, adjustments to home mortgages, and death benefits and ensures
continuity of services, such as pensions, to beneficiaries.
