ATTLEBORO, MASS. (WHDH) – A FEMA disaster recovery center in Attleboro that aimed to help people impacted by severe flooding last fall will closed at 3 p.m. Wednesday, officials announced.
The center opened in late May at Bristol Community College after President Joe Biden approved a major disaster declaration encompassing Bristol County and Worcester County.
The declaration was related to severe storms between Sept. 11 and Sept. 13, 2023 and offered FEMA grants to individuals, covering costs of temporary housing, uninsured or underinsured home repairs, and damaged personal property.
The US Small Business Administration also provided low-interest loans to businesses, homeowners, renters and qualifying nonprofits.
Storms last September hit some communities hard, dropping several inches of rain in a matter of hours.
Floodwaters washed out roads and damaged buildings in Leominster, forcing evacuations and water rescues in some spots. Parts of Attleboro faced a similar onslaught as water levels rose within the city.
State and local authorities called for federal help as initial cleanup efforts got underway. After FEMA initially denied requests, the Biden administration partially reversed course, and approved aid for individuals in Worcester and Bristol counties.
Additional public assistance to reimburse state agencies and municipalities for storm-related expense in Hampden and Worcester counties remained under review and was later denied for a second time.
Despite frustration over the denied aid, officials celebrated support for individuals who were still dealing with the aftermath of the flooding.
FEMA workers soon went door-to-door to connect residents in Worcester County and Bristol County with aid. And federal authorities set up disaster recovery centers in Attleboro and Leominster to also help people complete their grant and loan applications.
As of June 28, FEMA said, officials had approved more than $6 million in assistance. The Small Business Association had doled out $213,500 in loans.
Though the Attleboro disaster recovery center has closed, the other disaster recovery center in Leominster is still open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday and from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturdays at Leominster City Hall.
People can also apply for aid online at DisasterAssistance.gov, through the FEMA app, or by phone by calling 1-800-621-3362.
The deadline for Massachusetts residents to apply for FEMA aid is July 15.
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