Transportation has been coordinated in by the City of Port Arthur's Office of Emergency Management and the Texas Division of Emergency Management.
Port Arthur residents will arrive at the Bob Bowers Civic Center shelter location, and if they require shelter accommodations they will be checked in by on-site shelter personnel. If residents have alternative living arrangements coordinated on their behalf, they are encouraged to have transportation pick them up at the Civic Center upon their arrival.
All residents who experienced damage from Hurricane Harvey will have access to a caseworker once they file for FEMA disaster assistance. Every effort will be made to assist ALL residents with accessing both FEMA and other private nonprofit solutions to disaster housing and recovery options.
There are several methods for starting the process:
You can visit the local FEMA Disaster Recovery Center (DRC), located at 3535 Gates Blvd. FEMA representatives are on site, along with representatives to help file for disaster unemployment (to recover lost wages/jobs), SBA loan application assistance, legal aid and hazard mitigation. The DRC is open 7am - 7pm daily OR
You can register by phone at 1-800-621-3362 OR
You can register online at www.disasterassistance.gov OR
Download the FEMA app to any mobile phone or tablet www.fema.gov/mobile-app
Residents seeking shelter as a result of Hurricane Harvey damages to their residence should visit the DRC at 3535 Gates Blvd in Port Arthur. Caseworkers on site, and will assist in the process of registering individuals and families with the shelter.
Whether Port Arthur residents are staying in a shelter, living with friends or family or sheltering in their own homes – everyone who experienced personal property damage or loss is asked to file with FEMA. If you receive a denial letter from FEMA you are encouraged to follow-up with a FEMA representative at the DRC. Your denial could be a result of a lack of documentation. A FEMA representative can walk you through the process of correcting any missing information.