Florida Survivors Have Two Weeks Left to Apply for Disaster Assistance

PENSACOLA, Fla. – Just two weeks remain for storm and flood survivors in Florida to apply for disaster assistance with the Federal Emergency Management Agency. The deadline to register is Monday, July 7.

Survivors in Escambia, Jackson, Okaloosa, Santa Rosa and Walton counties are eligible to apply for disaster assistance that may include money to help pay for temporary housing, essential home repairs or other serious disaster-related expenses.

Those who had damage from the storms and flooding from April 28 to May 6 can apply for assistance online at DisasterAssistance.gov or using a smartphone at m.fema.gov/ until midnight July 7. Survivors may also apply by phone at 800-621-3362 or TTY 800-462-7585 until 10 p.m. July 7. Recovery assistants remain available from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. (CDT) daily.

July 7 is also the deadline to submit loan applications to the U.S. Small Business Administration for low-interest disaster loans, which is the primary source of federal funds for long-term recovery. The quickest way to apply for an SBA disaster home or business loan is filling out an online application at DisasterLoan.SBA.gov/ela.

For more information on SBA low-interest disaster loans, call the SBA disaster customer service center at 800-659-2955 or TTY 800-877-8339, send an email to DisasterCustomerService@SBA.gov or visit SBA.gov/Disaster.

To date, nearly $62 million in state and federal disaster assistance has been approved to help Floridians and their communities recover. The following is a summary of ongoing recovery efforts so far:

• More than $31 million in disaster assistance has been approved under the Individuals and Households Program for qualified homeowners and renters.
  • This includes nearly $26 million for housing assistance, including short-term rental assistance and essential home repair costs.
  • This also includes more than $5 million to help cover other essential disaster-related needs such as medical and dental expenses and lost personal possessions.
• SBA has approved nearly $31 million in low-interest disaster loans for qualified homeowners, renters, businesses of all sizes and private nonprofit organizations.

• More than 13,600 people in five designated counties have contacted FEMA for help or information following the storms and flooding April 28 to May 6.
  • The counties designated for Individual Assistance are Escambia, Jackson, Okaloosa, Santa Rosa and Walton.

• State and local governments and certain nonprofit organizations in nine Florida counties are eligible to apply for federal reimbursements under the Public Assistance program for eligible response and recovery expenses.
  • The counties designated for Public Assistance are Bay, Calhoun, Escambia, Holmes, Jackson, Okaloosa, Santa Rosa, Walton and Washington.

For more information on Florida disaster recovery, go to fema.gov/disaster/4177. Visit the Florida Division of Emergency Management website at FloridaDisaster.org or the state’s Facebook page at facebook.com/FloridaSERT.

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FEMA’s mission is to support our citizens and first responders to ensure that as a nation we work together to build, sustain, and improve our capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate all hazards.

Disaster recovery assistance is available without regard to race, color, religion, nationality, sex, age, disability, English proficiency or economic status. If you or someone you know has been discriminated against, call FEMA toll-free at 800-621-FEMA (3362). For TTY call 800-462-7585.

FEMA’s temporary housing assistance and grants for childcare, medical, dental expenses and/or funeral expenses do not require individuals to apply for an SBA loan. However, those who receive SBA loan applications must submit them to SBA to be eligible for assistance that covers personal property, transportation, vehicle repair or replacement, and moving and storage expenses.