AUSTELL - As Aubrey Jordan, 35, of Austell, spoke with Housing and Urban Development representatives by the entrance of the Threadmill complex Friday evening, she asked what many victims of September's floods have asked themselves and others - "What do I do?"

Jordan's $155,000 home on Locust Lane was completely ruined during September's flood, and, since then, she has been living with her grandmother in Powder Springs until she can find some answers. She came to the first workshop hosted by HUD and non-governmental agencies on Friday to find those answers.

"I wasn't on the tier-one list of the homes for the buyout program, but I am on there. But I really am lost as to what to do from here because I can't go back to my home, but I'm still paying my mortgage each month," Jordan said. "I'm not sure what I'll find out here, but I got an e-mail from the city talking about this so I'm hoping I can find out either ways to get help with my current mortgage or just something that may keep me afloat until my home is bought out and I look for another."

Joe Phillips, HUD's Southeast regional public affairs officer, said that those affected by the floods had been visiting the complex since 1 p.m., and by 6 p.m., approximately 120 residents had been given individual assistance by HUD-approved counselors.

"I think this was an unique opportunity for federal and local agencies to come together and help those who were made vulnerable in the aftermath of the floods and provide information to them that they might otherwise not have known," Phillips said. "The resounding theme here is that there is hope, but everything will take time."

Phillips said HUD counselors were working throughout the day from 1 to 7 p.m. to listen to the stories of homeowners whose homes were either partially or completely ruined by the floods, give them the paperwork that their situations required, help them fill out the paperwork and provide direction for their next steps in working with agencies and their mortgage lenders.

"When people go through life-changing experiences, giving them help is important. We know that this can be a daunting process when you don't know what to do, so we hope people will find guidance through this, tell others what they learned and look on the Web site for information on whom else they can contact. That also goes for people who couldn't make it today - this wasn't a one-day assistance program, these agencies will continue to offer assistance even after today," Phillips said.

Cobb Emergency Management Agency Director Lanita Lloyd said a list of the agencies in attendance Friday and their contact information will be made available at www.cobb county.org/ema some time next week.

Governmental agencies that attended the workshop included CEMA, the Small Business Administration Disaster Assistance, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, the U.S. Internal Revenue Service, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, PEMCO and the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta and the Georgia Department of Community Affiars.

Non-governmental agencies that provided information at the workshop included the Atlanta Urban League, Inc., Resources for Residents and Communities, the D & E Group, Help the People, the Center for Pan Asian Community Services, Consumer Credit Counseling Service, the Christian Reformed World Relief Committee, HomeFree U.S.A. and the National Association of Real Estate Brokers-Investment Division, Inc., Housing Counseling Agency.

"The organizations who came today have been excellent, and they have really worked hard to inform residents about their options and where to go from here," Lloyd said. "For example, the IRS representative has spoken to groups at the 1:00, 4:00 and 6:00 forums about tax breaks and incentives people may be eligible for that they may not have known about. In a situation like this, every dollar they can save helps."

C.J. Ohasiligwo, 53, of Austell was advised by a counselor at the workshop and felt he was given some helpful information in the packet of papers he was taking home to his wife. The entire first floor of their $140,000 Cypress Club Trail home was flooded, and they have been living with relatives until they can get back on their feet.

"I bought my home in 2000 and put a lot of equity in it, with $60,000 already paid off. We hope to just rebuild on that property, but we're not sure what we can do. All of our appliances, furniture, everything is just gone. But I have some hope after this, that there are people who can help," Ohasiligwo said. "We are just trying to survive. What can you do?"