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Hurricane Victim Told to Return FEMA Funds

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    Texas man told to repay $23,000

  • Duration 3:43
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After hurricane.

Ike flooded his home in 2008 He was one of hundreds of homeowners.

Who received aid from FEMA but now -- three years later he's being told to return nearly 23000.

Dollars.

And government -- That home owner clay gates joins us live right now from Houston -- Mauritania.

Good morning okay so after you went up with four feet of salt water from Hurricane Ike in -- living room He contacted FEMA.

You filled out all the paperwork and they told you quiet.

That we qualified for.

Assistance.

Under the guidelines that they had presented which.

-- things that were uncovered by way.

Insurance is or or rom non coverage sure whatever we didn't have -- so FEMA wound up.

Transferring in your bank account close to 23000.

Dollars which helped you put your house in your life back together -- a couple years later.

You get this call from FEMA.

And what do they -- Well they you know they send us a letter saying after reviewing.

We were actually not eligible.

And they want the money back.

That's -- we.

How it -- it was shock and we didn't even know if it was real.

We we without it must been a mistake.

We return to sit response letter just send this must be a mistake we qualified for this so your records must be wrong.

Yes absolutely and I understand you eventually got.

Either the person who approved you or somebody else from FEMA on the phone and they admitted.

Yeah.

It's our mistake but you're gonna have to pay us back.

Well that's correct.

And I finally got a hold of somebody actually after I got a letter from the IRS.

Com which was stating that I know the 23000 plus 8000 more in penalties and interest.

This is the government's mistake and now now you -- close to 32000 dollars because they've taken the original amount they've added.

Fees and interest and everything else.

And the deadline is today you've got to come up with the money -- day or what's gonna happen.

More penalties interest accrued or they're going to -- wage -- -- There was a whole list of other ways that they could go about.

Getting the money from me.

Now.

Yeah I mean -- I mean you know it's threatening its its scary.

Are you lose your house -- lose your house.

If if I can make a house payment they garnish my wages and take my wages and -- barely making it now.

-- they do that I can make my house -- I kept interest in my bills and -- -- it -- lose -- home listen.

Who -- congressman there.

In my district would be people send.

I've you know I reached no I've made a call I spoke to somebody in his office.

Kind of told them where I was out what was going on -- that.

I had never heard nothing back from them -- I.

I had written a letter to Kay Bailey Hutchinson is also.

You know in our in in Texas and you know I'd gotten a response from her that she was gonna be looking into the matter and that's as far as that heard from there either what with any luck somebody from their office He is watching today and -- can help you out because for the government to give you the money say -- it's your money fair and square and then turn around.

And -- give -- back that's just not right we're gonna be watching this play gates I join us from Houston good luck to answer.

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