Did your home suffer damage in Hurricane Irma? This Friday, November 24, 2017, is the last day that you can apply for federal disaster assistance. Here’s the FEMA info:
You should register even if you have insurance. FEMA cannot duplicate insurance payments, but eligible homeowners and renters may be able to receive money from FEMA for losses not covered by insurance to help pay for basic home repairs, temporary rental assistance and other needs such as replacing personal property. FEMA Individual Assistance is grant money that does not have to be repaid.
If you are uninsured or underinsured you may be eligible to recover the costs of necessary and serious disaster-related expenses through a FEMA program called Other Needs Assistance. speaking of financial assistance, checkout bad credit approved loans for more information about their loan credits. The program provides financial assistance for:
Personal property loss;
Medical, dental and funeral expenses;
Transportation repairs/replacement;
New child care expenses or an increased burden of such expenses;
Miscellaneous expenses such as dehumidifiers and chainsaws.
You may register in one of the following ways:
Online at DisasterAssistance.gov.
Call the FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362 for voice, 711 and Video Relay Service (VRS). If you are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability and use a TTY, call 800-462-7585. Help is
available in many languages. Helpline numbers are open from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. EST, seven days a week.
Information is available in ASL at: fema.gov/medialibrary/assets/videos/111546.
Download the FEMA Mobile App and apply.
You may also visit a Disaster Recovery Center. A list of DRCs is available on the FEMA Mobile App, online at fema.gov/disaster-recovery-centers or by calling the FEMA Helpline.
FEMA specialists are in the DRCs to answer your questions about how to register for federal disaster assistance, explain what’s happening with your application and give tips on how you can get help for damage your insurance does not cover.
After registering with FEMA, you may apply for an SBA low-interest disaster loan. Go online using the Electronic Loan Application via SBA’s secure website at https://disasterloan.sba.gov/ela. SBA representatives also are available at disaster recovery centers. For more recovery information, visit www.FEMA.gov/IrmaFL
FEMA Rental Assistance
You can also apply for FEMA assistance if you are a homeowner who is renting because of damage from Irma, or if you are a renter but Hurricane Irma impacted your rental. Here is some information on that:
If you are a homeowner or renter getting rental assistance from FEMA and still have a need for that funding and are eligible for it, you should complete and submit an application for
Continued Rental Assistance. FEMA may provide up to two months of initial rental assistance for eligible applicants.
You may qualify for continued assistance if you:
Demonstrate your disaster-related financial need; and
Show you are developing a longer-term or permanent housing plan or demonstrate progress toward one. A contractor’s estimate of repairs can point to progress.
A permanent housing plan is one that would put you back into permanent safe, sanitary and functional housing within a reasonable time frame. You must continue to work toward obtaining permanent housing to remain eligible for Continued Rental Assistance.
You must document your need to continue rental assistance by providing:
A copy of your current lease;
Receipts showing the proper use of federal disaster housing assistance;
Current household income status; and
Any household financial obligations you may have.
Extensions on rental assistance may be granted for three-month periods, up to a maximum of 18 months from the date of the presidential disaster declaration: Sept. 10, 2017.
Homeowners:
If your FEMA Verified Loss exceeds the amount of initial Rental Assistance award you received, the application to request Continued Temporary Rental Assistance will be mailed to you after you receive your initial rental assistance award.
If your FEMA Verified Loss does not exceed the initial Rental Assistance award, you will need to call the FEMA Helpline—800-621-3362 for voice, 711 and Video Relay Service (VRS); if you are deaf, hard of hearing or have a speech disability and use a TTY, call 800-462-7585—and ask for an application for Continued Temporary Rental Assistance. You also may visit a disaster recovery center. To find one near you visit www.fema.gov/disaster-recovery-centers or call the FEMA Helpline. DRC information is also available on the FEMA Mobile App.
Renters:
You will need to call the FEMA Helpline as listed above and ask for an application for Continued Temporary Rental Assistance.
Your request will be evaluated to determine if you are eligible for the extension, but there is no guarantee of rental assistance past the first two months.
For more recovery information, visit www.FEMA.gov/IrmaFL, or follow us @FEMARegion4 on Twitter and on FEMA’s Facebook page.