Derrick Freeman, mayor of Port Arthur, said a $1.2 million check from Texas Gov. Greg Abbott will go a long way in helping the city.

Abbott was in Port Arthur on Thursday to meet with local officials and receive updates on the ongoing recovery from Tropical Storm Harvey. The governor presented local leaders with reimbursement funds to help cover the costs for debris removal in their communities. He also spoke with local officials and thanked them for their commitment to the victims of the storm and do everything possible to help affected areas fully recover.

“Texas has experienced unprecedented devastation brought on by Hurricane Harvey, but I continue to be inspired by the resiliency of Texans in these affected communities,” said Governor Abbott. “I want to assure victims of this disaster that Texas will continue to work to address their needs, and the funds provided today are but a small piece of the help we will provide going forward.”

Freeman said the estimated cost for debris pickup from Harvey is $25 million. The match is 90 percent for the feds and 10 percent for the city, leaving the city’s portion to pay $2.5 million.

What the governor’s check will do is pay 5 percent of the $2.5 million — $1.2 million — with the remaining 5 percent to be paid at the completion of debris pickup.

“What this means for the city is this won’t come out of the city’s General Fund. We have street projects coming up and this will help get more streets done. We’re excited the checks are coming. This will help our streets infrastructure and parks,” Freeman said.

A new facet is vegetative pickup.

Though Harvey wasn’t a wind storm with much vegetative debris scattered, Freeman said lots of trees and roots were soaked and they are starting to fall.

Long-term housing, moreover, is a month away.

In addition to mobile homes from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, Freeman cited programs such as the Direct Assistance for Limited Home Repair (DALHR): The program provides repairs so applicants can live in their home again. Applicants may be eligible for DALHR if they are pre-disaster homeowners whose residence has undergone a FEMA-issued inspection with a FEMA verified loss of at least $17,000.

The homeowner may be eligible up to $60,000 to repair homes that receive 18 inches or more of water inside.

“This will help out our citizens who are still staying in hotels or are displaced throughout the state and the nation. People are living in tents in their front yards,” he said. “The big thing is housing. Some citizens are selling their houses as is.”

Freeman believes the DALHR can help stabilize the housing market.

FEMA debris pickup has been extended to January 5. Residents are asked to place their debris in the right of way for pick up.

However, debris pickup from the rebuilding of homes will not be reimbursable from FEMA. It will either be included in the contractor’s billing or the homeowner will pay it themselves if they are doing their own repairs.

Meanwhile Jefferson County’s check was $325,000, half of their portion of $650,000 out of a total of $6.5 million for debris pickup in unincorporated areas.

“This will be a huge help,” said County Judge Jeff Branick. “Otherwise we would have to pay $650,000 out of our General Fund for that.”

FEMA’s last pass in the county was on December 2015 with 160,000 cubic yards collected.

As with Port Arthur, reconstruction debris is not reimbursable in Jefferson County either.

Branick is expecting other supplemental disaster appropriations in the near future for hazard mitigation, such as flood prevention, and long-term housing.