BOULDER COUNTY, Colo. – The Boulder County Disaster Assistance Center will shut down in-person operations this coming Saturday, but some federal and state assistance will continue to remain in place for families affected by last month’s Marshall Fire.
The disaster center, which opened on Jan. 3, will shut down at 5 p.m. Saturday and shift to longer term recovery, online services and targeted help, including outreach and support for community members who need assistance as the recovery and rebuilding process continues.
FEMA, the SBA or other state agencies will continue to operate the center, located at 1755 S. Public Road in Lafayette, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily until further notice.
"We have different programs and partitions here. We have mitigation, we have individual assistance programs, also we have rental assistance programs," said Rossyveth Rey, a spokesperson for the Federal Emergency Management Agency, which is taking over the operation. "Being able to do all of these things in one place, I think, lowers the stress level to the disaster survivors, where they're not having to worry about driving all over all over town."
The disaster center also houses the Small Business Administration that is ramping up efforts to provide disaster loans to homeowners and small business owners in Boulder County. The loans can help cover gaps in insurance up to $200,000, as well as repairs to homes that will increase the resiliency of the home in the future up to $40,000.
"We're concerned about people getting back to where they were before the disaster," said Rick Tillery, a spokesperson for the SBA Office of Disaster Assistance. "That's our goal... to help people ease their concerns about moving forward."
People who have been displaced or otherwise impacted by the wildfire will still be able to get help and information online through Boulder County’s Marshall Fire website.
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Since opening four days after the Marshall Fire, the Boulder County Disaster Assistance Center has helped well over 2,000 households with more than $5 million in direct financial assistance and over $30 million in disaster loans while helping them navigate claims filing, cleanup and debris removal, mental health services, and other immediate needs, according to county officials.
As the center transitions to longer term recovery, county officials said Thursday additional resources will become available to the community, including a new round of financial assistance on Jan. 20 from Community Foundation Boulder County for those who suffered work or wage disruption from the Marshall Fire.
READ MORE: All of Denver7's coverage on the Marshall Fire
County officials continue to urge residents affected by the fire to register their recovery needs by visiting the county’s Marshall Fire website and filling out this online form. Financial help is available, as is assistance with debris removal and cleanup, rebuilding, and other services.
Additional community meetings are also being scheduled to help people impacted by the Marshall Fire connect with resources and information. More information can be found here.
Denver7 reporter Sloan Dickey contributed to this report.
