Gov't monetary disaster aid primarily as low-interest loans?

[freeplessinseattle]

From reading the FEMA aid info it sounds like they ask people to apply for a loan first and if they don't qualify then they can get a grant? or can get a grant and loan under special circumstances? I don't have the aid info handy but I know some of you know what I am talking about. The language that FEMA uses is convoluted, it just isn't clear to me.

anyone hear anything more about the $2000 aid being offered is only given if a waiver is signed that they won't ask for any more gov't assistance.

[Angry Girl]

1. only the CNN transcript mention

http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0509/09/ltm.01.html

Nightweed's Hurricane Katrina Aid Organizations

[pitohui]

2. yes it's usually a low interest loan

based on past storms, most fema aid i'm aware of is a loan, not a grant or any kind of give-away

the grant is for the poorest of the poor who can't reasonably be expected to ever pay back a loan

for instance a neighbor of mine received a grant to repair flooding to his home but only because he was 100 percent disabled & had not been able to work in yrs, can we agree it would cost less to keep him in his home than to put him on the street or in public housing

when the shouting is over, i'm confident you're going to find that only the very poorest, the oldest, or the most disabled, such as the folks evac'd to the astrodome, or folks who have lost everything w. no insurance back-up, are getting outright grants

lots of rumors are flying but i will wait for proof

if i had to predict, i'd guess that halliburton & the usual suspects will hog the lion's share of the federal dollars

[freeplessinseattle]

3. thank you both, very helpful! n/t