Texans Have Every Reason to Register for Disaster Assistance

AUSTIN, Texas – Apply by Aug. 27 for assistance from FEMA or the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). You have every reason to do so. 

If you are among thousands of Texans affected by the severe storms, tornadoes, straight-line winds and flooding that occurred from May 4 to June 22, you may be eligible for a grant or low-interest loan from the SBA. If you answer YES to any of the following questions and were affected by the disaster, you may be eligible.

  • Are you a homeowner, renter or business of any size with disaster-related damage? 

  • Did you file an insurance claim for damage and have not received your settlement? 

  • Are you uninsured or under-insured and have unmet needs?

  • Do you need help applying because English is your second language?

  • Are you a Qualified Alien or the parent of a U.S. citizen in your household?

  • Are you a person with a disability or have an access or functional need?

  • Do you receive Social Security, Medicaid food stamps and are concerned help will affect your benefits?

  • Do you need help, but feel others need it more or that there won’t be enough assistance for everyone?

  • Do you feel you will not qualify for a low-interest loan?

If you have questions or concerns about applying for disaster assistance, call the FEMA helpline before the Aug. 27 deadline. Tell your friends and neighbors that help may be available, but they must register before the deadline.

Remember, FEMA grants do not have to be repaid and you are not required to accept an SBA loan. FEMA assistance is nontaxable and will not affect eligibility for Social Security, Medicaid or other federal benefits.

Find answers to questions on http://www.fema.gov/disaster/4223. Topics include rumor control, recovery information, recovery center locations and hours, links to apply for assistance and other resources, information about flood insurance, news releases, fact sheets, photographs and blogs.

You can apply for FEMA assistance online at www.DisasterAssistance.gov or by calling 800-621-3362 toll free from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. (local time). Multilingual operators are available. Disaster assistance applicants who have a speech disability or hearing loss and use TTY should call 800-462-7585 directly; for those who use 711 or Video Relay Service (VRS), call 800-621-3362.

You also can visit a Disaster Recovery Center. Assistive equipment is available. To find the nearest DRC, go online to http://asd.fema.gov/inter/locator/home.htm.

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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).

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. 

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.

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.

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Texans Have Every Reason to Register for Disaster Assistance

Frequently Asked Questions on Disaster Assistance for Noncitizens

What is disaster assistance?

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) may provide grants to help pay for rent, emergency home repairs, personal property replacement, and other serious disaster-related needs not covered by insurance or other sources.

Low-interest disaster recovery loans may be available from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) for businesses of all sizes, private nonprofit organizations, homeowners and renters.

 Who is eligible?

A federal disaster declaration made Individual Assistance available to homeowners and renters who live in designated counties in Texas and had damages from the severe storms, tornadoes, straight-line winds and flooding from May 4 to June 19, 2015.

To be eligible for assistance from FEMA, at least one person in the household must be a U.S. citizen, Qualified Alien or noncitizen national with a Social Security number.

Disaster assistance may be available to a household if a parent or guardian applies on behalf of a minor child who is a U.S. citizen or a Qualified Alien. The adult must provide the child’s birth certificate and Social Security card.

Who is a Qualified Alien?

The most common type of Qualified Alien is a Lawful Permanent Resident, defined as someone holding a “Green Card.” Green Card holders have been granted authorization to live and work in the United States on a permanent basis.

Others include those to whom the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services has granted legal resident status because of:

  • Asylum
  • Refugee status
  • Parole into the U.S. for at least one year
  • Withholding of deportation
  • Immigration from Cuba or Haiti
  • Severe forms of human trafficking, including persons with “T” and “U” visas
  • Domestic violence

To confirm your immigration status, consult an immigration expert. Other immigration information can be found online at http://www.uscis.gov/.

How do I apply?

FEMA offers several ways to apply for assistance:

  • What documents do I need to apply? Go online at DisasterAssistance.gov or DisasterAssistance.gov/es for Spanish.
  • Call 800-621-3362. The toll-free telephone number will operate from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. (local time) seven days a week until further notice. Multilingual specialists are available.
  • Disaster assistance applicants who have a speech disability or hearing loss and use TTY should call 800-462-7585 directly.
  • For those who use 711 or Video Relay Service (VRS), call 800-621-3362.
  • Visit a FEMA Mobile Disaster Recovery Intake Center or state-FEMA Disaster Recovery Center in your area.

To apply for help from FEMA, homeowners and renters may need to provide:

  • A general description of their damages from the severe storms, tornadoes, straight-line winds, and flooding from May 4 to June 19, 2015.
  • The address where the damages occurred.
  • If you are a homeowner, proof of ownership.
  • Current contact information.
  • A utility bill to show proof of occupancy.
  • The Social Security number of someone in your household who is an eligible U.S. citizen, Qualified Alien or noncitizen national. FEMA does NOT collect information on the immigration status of other household members.
  • Any insurance policy that covers your losses, such as homeowners, flood or automobile, and proof of any settlements.

Financial information, such as total annual household income at the time of the disaster.

What is the deadline to apply?

  • The registration deadline is July 28, 2015.

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Frequently Asked Questions on Disaster Assistance for Noncitizens

Disaster Assistance Tops $2.4 Million for South Napa Earthquake

SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Federal disaster assistance now exceeds $2.4 million for those affected by the South Napa earthquake, just one week after they became eligible to apply. At the state’s request, the federal disaster declaration expanded on Oct. 27 to include Individual Assistance for homeowners and renters in Napa and Solano Counties.

Nearly 1,900 households have applied for assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

Disaster assistance includes grants to help pay for temporary housing, home repair and other serious disaster-related needs, such as medical expenses, not covered by insurance or other sources.

Low-interest disaster loans are also available from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) for homeowners, renters, businesses of all sizes, and private non-profit organizations. Disaster loans cover losses not fully compensated by insurance or other recoveries and do not duplicate benefits of other agencies or organizations.

To apply for assistance, register online at DisasterAssistance.gov or via smartphone or tablet at m.fema.gov. Applicants may also call FEMA at 800-621-3362 or (TTY) 800-462-7585.  People who use 711-Relay or VRS may call 800-621-3362.

Multilingual phone operators are available on the FEMA Helpline/Registration. Choose Option 2 for Spanish and Option 3 for other languages.

The California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) and FEMA have coordinated with the City of Vallejo and Solano County to open a Disaster Recovery Center and have partnered with the City and County of Napa to provide state and federal services in a Local Assistance Center. The centers provide face-to-face assistance for affected individuals to meet with specialists from Cal OES, FEMA and the SBA. To date, nearly 500 people have visited the centers.

Napa Earthquake Local Assistance Center
301 1st Street, Napa, CA 94559

Solano County Disaster Recovery Center
1155 Capitol Street, Vallejo, CA 94590

Standard hours for the centers are 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekdays and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekends until further notice. On Veterans Day, Nov. 11, holiday hours will be 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

 During a visit to a center, visitors may:

  • Discuss their individual disaster-related needs
  • Submit any additional documentation needed, such as occupancy or ownership verification documents and letters from insurance companies
  • Find out the status of an application
  • Obtain information about different types of state and federal assistance
  • Get help from SBA specialists in completing low-interest disaster loan applications for homeowners, renters and business owners
  • Meet with FEMA hazard mitigation specialists to learn about reducing future disaster losses and rebuilding safer and stronger

People should register with FEMA before going to a Disaster Recovery Center, if possible. For visitors with a disability or functional need, the centers may have:

  • Captioned telephones, which transcribe spoken words into text
  • The booklet Help After a Disaster, in both Braille and large print Spanish and English
  • American Sign Language interpreters available upon request
  • Magnifiers and assistive listening devices
  • 711-Relay or Video Relay Services available

If other accommodations are needed during any part of the application process, please ask any FEMA or Cal OES employee for assistance.

Stay in Touch with FEMA

After a person registers, a FEMA inspector will contact that person by phone to schedule an appointment. An applicant should give clear, accurate directions to the damaged property. An inspector will try three times to schedule an inspection appointment. To avoid unnecessary delays, FEMA asks applicants to make sure FEMA has their current phone number.

During the inspection, owners and renters must show proof of occupancy, such as a valid driver’s license. Owners must show proof of ownership and sign various forms. The length of the inspection will vary, depending on the amount and location of the damage.

FEMA inspectors document damage. They do not determine eligibility for disaster assistance. They do not condemn homes. When meeting with an applicant who owns a home that has been previously red-tagged, FEMA guidance allows inspectors to complete their inspection from a safe distance.

The SBA and insurance companies also have inspectors in the field.

Be Alert for Disaster Fraud

FEMA inspectors carry official photo identification. Please contact the local police if someone posing as an inspector asks for money.

Official inspectors never ask for money or use a vehicle bearing a FEMA logo. Inspectors must carry visible FEMA ID, which includes a photo and name, the FEMA seal and the ID’s expiration date. FEMA ID has a “property of the U.S. Government” disclaimer, a return address and a barcode.

Apply to Qualify

To be eligible for federal disaster assistance, at least one member of a household must be a U.S. citizen, Qualified Alien or non-citizen national with a Social Security number. Disaster assistance may be available to a household if a parent or guardian applies on behalf of a minor child who is a U.S. citizen or a Qualified Alien. FEMA will only need to know the immigration status and Social Security number of the child.

Disaster assistance grants are not taxable income and will not affect eligibility for Social Security, Medicaid, medical waiver programs, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program or Social Security Disability Insurance.

For more information on the California disaster recovery, go to http://www.fema.gov/disaster/4193.

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 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.

The Cal OES coordinates overall state agency preparedness for, response to and recovery from major disasters. Cal OES also maintains the State Emergency Plan, which outlines the organizational structure for state management of the response to natural and manmade disasters.

The SBA is the federal government’s primary source of money for the long-term rebuilding of disaster-damaged private property. SBA helps homeowners, renters, businesses of all sizes, and private non-profit organizations 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.

Follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/#!/femaregion6 and the FEMA Blog at http://blog.fema.gov.

 

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Disaster Assistance Tops $2.4 Million for South Napa Earthquake