Disaster Assistance Center on Worth Street to Change

Starting on Monday, March 18, the disaster assistance service center at the corner of Worth and Centre streets will no longer include city, state and volunteer agencies, such as the state Insurance Department, Safe Horizon and the Red Cross.

People seeking federal aid for losses tied to the Sept. 11 terrorist attack will still be able to get one-one-one help at the center, which will be operated by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA).

Downtown residents and workers can apply to FEMA by calling 800-462-9029, Monday through Friday, between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. Those who have already applied to FEMA can check on the status of their applications or provide updated information by calling 800-525-0321.

But anyone who needs help with the application process can visit the center, which will continue operating Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. The center will be closed on Saturday, March 16, to allow departing agencies to clear out.

FEMA recently extended the deadline to apply for federal assistance to Sept. 30, and the agency encourages any downtown residents or workers who suffered disaster-related losses to register.

Marianne Jackson, a FEMA spokeswoman, said that the agency was still getting a couple of hundred calls a day from people affected by the World Trade Center disaster.

"Many people are calling us about the mortgage and rental assistance program," she said. "If someone has an income loss that’s directly related to the disaster, and they’re in danger of getting foreclosure or an eviction notice, we can help them deal with that situation."

People who are applying for SBA loans also frequently want to talk to an agency representative face to face, Jackson said.

More than 70,000 people have visited the Worth Street disaster assistance center since it opened in mid-September, according to FEMA.

Many other relief agencies will continue to offer assistance at the center on Chambers Street, behind City Hall.