Jeff Bingaman United States Senator from New Mexico

ESPAÑOLA – The New Mexico congressional delegation and the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Rural Development Agency today hosted about 200 New Mexicans at a forum here that brought together federal agencies and nonprofits to discuss assistance they have to offer in the wake of last week's storm.

Below is a list of federal agencies that participated in today's forum along with the contact information and summary of what each agency can offer eligible New Mexicans whose homes and businesses were damaged.   Also included is the contact information for New Mexico Gas Company, which has set up a $1 million claims fund for eligible New Mexicans.

New Mexico Gas Company

• 1-888-664-2726; http://www.nmgco.com/Emergency_Updates.aspx

U.S. Department of Agriculture-Rural Development

Contact: Terry Brunner, State Director
Phone: 505-761-4950
Email: terry.brunner@nm.usda.gov

• USDA-Rural Development has a home loan and grant program to help offset the cost of home repairs, including heating and water systems. The program is available to very low-income residents who own and occupy a home in need of repairs.
• Rural Development also has resources available to support water systems, such as municipal systems and mutual domestic water associations, in communities of 10,000 or less. These water systems can apply for USDA's regular loans and grants or Emergency Community Water Assistance Grants if they have current environmental and engineering documents.
• Communities with populations less than 20,000 can also apply for USDA loans and grants to repair community infrastructure damaged by the storm.

USDA-Farm Service Agency

Contact: Salomon Ramirez, State Director
Phone: 505-761-4900; Toll-Free 800-410-2067
Email: salomon.ramirez@nm.usda.gov

• USDA's Farm Service Agency has resources available through its Livestock Indemnity Program to assist livestock producers who lost livestock as a result of the storms.

U.S. Housing and Urban Development

Contact: Frank Padilla
Phone: 505-346-7271

• HUD offers assistance to public entities to administer housing assistance programs and community development block grants.  HUD also announced today a $200,000 grant for Northern New Mexico public bodies to assist with home repairs.

Small Business Administration

Contact: John Woosley, District Director
Phone: 505-248-8225

• SBA can provide counseling and assistance to small businesses affected by the storm and seeking information – including loans, bonds and other financial assistance.

New Mexico Mortgage Finance Authority

Contact: Joseph Montoya, Deputy Director of Programs
Phone: 505-843-6880

• The Mortgage Finance Authority can provide a range of resources to residents affected by the storm.
• The homeowner rehabilitation program provides assistance to low-income homeowners who lack the resources to make necessary repairs to their homes. Assistance can be used for reimbursement of costs for rehabilitation, which includes the following: applicable codes, standards or ordinances, rehabilitation standards, essential improvements, energy-related improvements, lead-based paint hazard reduction, accessibility for disabled persons, repair or replacement of major housing systems, incipient repairs and general property improvements of a non-luxury nature, site improvements and utility connections.
• MFA relies on nonprofits, housing authorities, and local governments to administer the homeowner rehabilitation program.