Fact Sheet: Temporary Roofing Can Help Get You Home

WASHINGTON, Oct. 25 -- The U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency issued the following news release:

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers estimated that Hurricane Maria severely damaged or destroyed more than 60,000 roofs in Puerto Rico. A temporary roofing program, known as The Blue Roof Program is available to all residents who have a damaged roof. Here are some of the facts about participating in this program:

* Registration is required: A form must be completed known as an ROE, Right of Entry. This allows a contractor, chosen by the Army Corps, access to work on the home. ROE centers are being set up around Puerto Rico to make completion easier and faster. To date, 7,528 ROEs have been processed.

* Contractors install blue roofs: The blue roofs are installed by a licensed contractor. The sheeting is secured by using strips of wood fastened with nails or screws and are designed to last 30 days.

* Services are free of charge:There is no cost for getting the blue roof servicing done to properties with less than 50% damage, where it is a primary residence or a landlord -tenant relationship, as long as the owner applies. Vacation rental properties and second homes are not eligible.

* Stay in your home: A temporary roof repair may allow residents to stay at home, instead of having to pay for housing or hotels.

* Protect your house:Homes that have been damaged by the storm, need protection to reduce further damage and allow time for the homeowner to make repairs.

Contact the Corps of Engineers about blue roofs: 1-888-ROOF-BLU (1-888-766-3258) or visit http://www.sad.usace.army.mil/blueroof_espanol/ or visit the website (http://www.sad.usace.army.mil/BlueRoof/) for more information on temporary roofing.

Tarps are also being offered: FEMA provides tarps to the local municipalities. Residents may receive these free blue tarps by contacting their local Mayor's office or City Hall.

FEMA's mission is to support our citizens and first responders to ensure that as a nation we work together to build, sustain, and improve our capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate all hazards.

Disaster recovery assistance is available without regard to race, color, religion, nationality, sex, age, disability, English proficiency or economic status. If you or someone you know has been discriminated against, call FEMA toll-free at 800-621-3362 (voice, 711/VRS - Video Relay Service; TTY: 800-462-7585). Multilingual operators are available (press 2 for Spanish).

The SBA is the federal government's primary source of money for the long-term rebuilding of disaster-damaged property. SBA helps businesses of all sizes, private non-profit organizations, homeowners and renters, which can cover the cost of replacing lost or disaster-damaged real estate and personal property. These disaster loans cover losses not fully compensated by insurance or other recoveries and do not duplicate benefits of other agencies or organizations.