COLUMBIA, S.C. (Tuesday, Nov. 1) – With so much attention given to businesses and homeowners, survivors who are renters may think they are not eligible for disaster assistance even though they suffered losses from the storms and floods spawned by Hurricane Matthew. But they are.
Like homeowners, renters must first register with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA):
- Go online to DisasterAssistance.gov
- Call toll-free 800-621-3362 (711, voice or video relay services) or 800-462-7585 (TTY). Lines are open daily from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. until further notice.
- Visit one of the nine Disaster Recovery Centers (DRCs) operating in Beaufort, Dorchester, Florence, Horry, Marion, Orangeburg and Williamsburg counties. Find the DRC closest to you at “Quick Links” on DisasterAssistance.gov. Representatives from FEMA, the U.S. Small Business Administration and various state agencies are on hand to answer questions.
Registering with FEMA is the first step toward qualifying for disaster assistance, which may include grants to help renters and homeowners pay for temporary housing, personal property replacements and other serious disaster-related needs not covered by insurance.
After registering with FEMA, renters may also be eligible for low-interest loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). SBA offers such loans to businesses of all sizes, private non-profit organizations, and homeowners as well as renters. SBA loans to renters may cover the cost of repairing or replacing lost or disaster-damaged personal property.
For more information on SBA loans, call SBA’s Disaster Assistance Customer Service Center at 800 659-2955 or 800 877-8339 for TTY; email disastercustomerservice@sba.gov or visit http://www.sba.gov/disaster. Applicants may also apply online at https://disasterloan.sba.gov/ela for the Electronic Loan Application on SBA’s secure website.
All FEMA disaster assistance will be provided without discrimination on the grounds of race, color, sex (including sexual harassment), religion, national origin, age, disability, limited English proficiency, economic status, or retaliation. If you believe your civil rights are being violated, call 800-621-3362 or 800-462-7585(TTY/TDD).
You can receive weather alerts, safety tips and learn about disaster resources by downloading the free FEMA App, available for Apple, Android, and Blackberry mobile devices. Visit fema.gov/mobile-app for more information.
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. Follow us on Twitter at https://twitter.com/femaregion4 and the FEMA Blog at http://blog.fema.gov.
The SBA is the federal government’s primary source of money for the long-term rebuilding of disaster- damaged private property. SBA helps businesses of all sizes, private non-profit organizations, homeowners and renters fund repairs or rebuilding efforts and cover the cost of replacing lost or disaster-damaged personal property. These disaster loans cover losses not fully compensated by insurance or other recoveries and do not duplicate benefits of other agencies or organizations. For more information, applicants may contact SBA’s Disaster Assistance Customer Service Center by calling 800-659-2955, emailing disastercustomerservice@sba.gov, or visiting SBA’s website at www.sba.gov/disaster. Deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals may call 800-877-8339.
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