Where to go when FEMA cannot help: Fed and state governments top list

CHARLESTON, W. Va. — It has been just over two months since President Obama issued a major disaster declaration authorizing federal assistance for survivors of severe storms and flooding that hit southeastern West Virginia on June 22-29, 2016. The declaration, signed by the president on June 25, provides for assistance to individuals in these 12 counties: Clay, Fayette, Greenbrier, Jackson, Kanawha, Lincoln, Monroe, Nicholas, Pocahontas, Roane, Summers, and Webster.

The deadline to register for assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is Wednesday, Sept. 7, but already the agency has approved nearly $40 million in grants to survivors to help them through their recovery. Disaster assistance for individuals may include grants to help homeowners and renters with temporary housing, essential home repairs, personal property replacement, and disaster-related needs.

However, not all survivors qualify for FEMA assistance; others qualify for some aid, but for less than they need. Where can these survivors turn for help? Whom can they call? Where can they go?

It may surprise you to know that FEMA is not the only government agency that can assist you in a disaster. Many other state and federal agencies offer services that may be of help to you.

The good news is that finding and getting help from a federal or state government agency is easier than you might think.

You can get online access to scores of free programs, grants and services available to West Virginia survivors and their families. (No login or personal information required.) Working both independently and in cooperation with FEMA, nearly two dozen cabinet departments and agencies – in state and federal government – offer assistance.

Visit www.disasterassistance.gov/find-assistance , where you will be asked to answer nine simple questions about your living situation and the kind of help you need. One more click and you will be taken to a personalized list of agencies and programs specific to your needs.

Among the government entities that may be of help to you, if FEMA cannot meet all your needs, are these:

U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA)

One of FEMA’s federal partners in disaster recovery, the SBA, offers low-interest disaster loans to homeowners and renters, as well as businesses of all sizes. SBA disaster loans may cover repairs, rebuilding and the cost of replacing lost or disaster-damaged real estate and personal property.

You must first register with FEMA (before the Sept. 7 deadline) to receive an SBA disaster loan application. If you do not qualify for an SBA loan, as a homeowner or renter, you still may be eligible for assistance from FEMA. You may register with FEMA by phone (voice, 711 or relay service) at 800-621-3362 (TTY users call 800-462-7585) or online at DisasterAssistance.gov .

If your SBA loan application is approved, you may be eligible to borrow additional funds to cover the cost of improvements that will protect your property against future damage. Examples include elevating utilities, water heaters and furnaces, and installing retaining walls and sump pumps.  Applicants may be eligible for an SBA loan increase, for mitigation purposes, of up to 20 percent of their physical damages.

For more information about SBA loans, call SBA’s Disaster Assistance Customer Service Center at 800-659-2955, email disastercustomerservice@sba.gov, or visit http://www.sba.gov/disaster.  TTY users may call 800-877-8339. Applicants may also apply online using the Electronic Loan Application (ELA) via SBA’s secure website at https://disasterloan.sba.gov/ela. The deadline to file a physical disaster loan application with the SBA is Wednesday, Sept. 7.

U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)

Low-income survivors living in rural areas of West Virginia may be eligible for one of these USDA programs:  rural housing loans, rural housing repair loans and grants, or rural rental housing.

Rural housing loans offer a subsidy to help reduce your mortgage payments for a short time to get you through your recovery. Your family income determines the amount of the subsidy. You may use the loan to help buy, build, repair, improve, or relocate your primary home. You may also use funds to buy and prepare sites, including water and sewer.

Rural Housing Repair Loans and Grants may be used to repair, improve, or modernize your home, or remove health and safety hazards. The program’s loans are available only to individuals over 62 years of age.

Rural rental housing and cooperative housing assistance is available in nearly every county in West Virginia. You can get listings of participating housing projects in the state by visiting http://offices.sc.egov.usda.gov/locator/WV .

To qualify for any of these programs, you must live in a rural area and be considered low-income or very low income. For more information about these and other USDA programs, visit www.rd.usda.gov/wv .

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)

Section 203(h) Mortgage Insurance for Disaster Victims helps survivors get a mortgage to buy a new home or rebuild their damaged one. Section 203(k) Rehabilitation Mortgage Insurance gives homebuyers and owners two options:

  • Buy or refinance a house and its rehabilitation costs with a single mortgage, or

  • Finance the rehabilitation of their existing home.

Money may be used for rehabilitation work ranging from minor repairs to total reconstruction.

To qualify for Section 203(h) Mortgage Insurance for Disaster Victims, you must:

  • Own a one-family home damaged or destroyed during the June 22-29 storms, and
  • Live in one of the counties qualified in the presidential declaration of June 25.

Section 203(k)-insured loans can finance:

  • Residential section rehabilitation of a property that also has non-residential uses.

  • Conversion of any size property to a one- to four-unit structure.

To qualify for Section 203(k) Rehabilitation Mortgage Insurance, you must:

  • Be able to make monthly mortgage payments, and

  • Be rehabilitating a home at least one year old.

To learn more, visit http://portal.hud.gov/hudportal/HUD?src= . To apply, view http://www.hud.gov/ll/code/getllst.cfm? to find an approved lender near you.

 

 

U.S. Department of the Treasury

Do not let a disaster come between you and your money.

If you get federal benefit payments by paper check, you can switch to direct deposit so your money is directly deposited into a checking or savings account on payment day each month. Direct deposit removes the risk of a delayed payment due to a disaster event. You may choose from two electronic payment options:

  • Direct Deposit – Your monthly payments are deposited into your checking or savings account. Learn more about direct deposit online at www.godirect.gov.

  • Direct Express® Debit MasterCard® – A prepaid debit card you can use to make retail purchases, pay bills, and get cash back. Your government payments are loaded onto you card each month. It is a no- or low-cost alternative to paper checks. For more information on Direct Express, visit https://fiscal.treasury.gov/GoDirect .

Disaster deductions, faster refunds and additional time to file your tax return are among special tax law provisions that may be available to you to help you recover financially from the June 22-29 storms and flooding. Depending on the circumstances, the IRS may grant additional time to file returns and pay taxes.

Both individuals and businesses in the 12 designated counties can get a faster refund by claiming losses related to the disaster on the tax return for the previous year, usually by filing an amended return. To find out if you qualify for this program and to learn how to use it, visit https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs and type “i4684” in the search box.

Redeem savings bonds early – before the end of the 12-month holding period. If you live in one of the 12 designated counties in West Virginia, you may be able to do this. You may also be able to get faster replacement of any paper bonds lost or destroyed in a disaster. For more about this program, visit www.treasurydirect.gov/indiv/redeem_disaster.htm .

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s (SAMHSA)

The SAMHSA Disaster Distress Helpline is a national hotline that offers year-round disaster crisis counseling. If you feel distressed because of the June storms and flooding, you can use this

free service. It is toll-free, multilingual, crisis support, and is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Helpline staff provides counseling and support, and can help you learn how to cope with common stress reactions. They can also provide information and referrals to local resources for follow-up care.

If you or someone you know is struggling to cope with the disaster, you are not alone; you can call the helpline at 800-985-5990 or text “TalkWithUs” to 66746.

To learn more, visit the SAMHSA website.

WorkForce West Virginia

Did the storms and flooding put you out of work? Are you looking for a job? Are you eligible for unemployment compensation? You may want to visit http://workforcewv.org .

WorkForce West Virginia is a state agency that oversees the state unemployment compensation
program and is a one-stop center for work force resources, including job opportunities and training. All its services are free and available at 13 comprehensive career centers throughout the state. (Click here for locations and hours.) In addition, WorkForce West Virginia has the state’s largest online database of job openings.

RISE West Virginia

Virginia Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin created RISE West Virginia in response to economic needs in the small business community resulting from the June storms and floods. RISE West Virginia is a state-operated, public-private mini-grant program providing assistance to small businesses that were operational before the flooding and are working to reopen while struggling with existing debt and limited capital. For more information about RISE West Virginia, visit http://wvflood.com .

More resources available to West Virginians who need help:

  • West Virginians seeking information about disaster-related services and unmet needs, as well as volunteering and donating, should visit the state’s Help for West Virginia Disaster website http://wvflood.com. West Virginians who wish to help with flood response and recovery may sign up with West Virginia Voluntary Organizations Active in Disasters (VOAD) at www.volunteerwv.org or wvvoad.org.

  • Contact West Virginia 211 ( for help finding food, childcare, crisis counseling, and many other resources available in your community. If you or someone you know is struggling with post-disaster stress, you are not alone. Help is as near as your phone. Call the Help for West Virginia Helpline at 844-435-7498. Also, you can contact the Disaster Distress Helpline at 800-985-5990 or text “TalkWithUs” to 66746.

  • Survivors with questions regarding FEMA registration or who have not yet registered for assistance should call the FEMA Helpline (voice, 711 or relay service) at 800-621-3362. (TTY users should call 800-462-7585) or visit DisasterAssistance.gov . The toll-free lines are open 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. EDT seven days a week. Multilingual operators are available.

  • West Virginia homeowners and renters who have registered for disaster assistance with FEMA are encouraged by recovery officials to “stay in touch.” If survivors change their address or phone numbers they should update that information with FEMA. Missing or erroneous information could result in delays getting a home inspection or in receiving assistance.

Additional information on West Virginia’s disaster recovery can be found by visiting fema.gov/disaster/4273, twitter.com/femaregion3, twitter.com/FEMA, facebook.com/FEMA, fema.gov/blog and the flood information pages at http://wvflood.com/Pages/default.aspx .
 

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Where to go when FEMA cannot help: Fed and state governments top list

Elderly Need Special Plans To Be Ready For A Disaster

PURVIS, Miss. – Elderly people, especially those with medical issues and limited mobility, can be especially vulnerable should a natural or manmade disaster strike.

Local, state and federal officials are urging all Americans, in particular the elderly, to review, update and rehearse their disaster plans.

Those living in a group setting, such as a nursing home or adult living facility, should speak with the administrator to learn about the specific disaster/evacuation plan for that facility.

There are three simple steps to disaster preparation: Make a kit, plan ahead and stay informed.

Your disaster emergency kit should include the supplies to last at least three days:

  • Water: at least one gallon per day per person for drinking and sanitation;
  • Food and utensils: foods that are ready to eat and not quickly perishable are ideal;
  • Blankets and extra clothing;
  • A first aid kit, including medical insurance and Medicaid cards;
  • A battery-powered  radio and/or a NOAA weather radio;
  • A flashlight with extra batteries;
  • Prescription medicines:  These should be rotated frequently and kept up to date;
  • Medical supplies: an extra pair of glasses, hearing-aid batteries and any other personally needed medical devices;
  • An emergency contact list: to reach family, friends and emergency numbers; and
  • Extra cash: access to banks and ATMs may be limited for a time.

Prepare your disaster action plan, review and practice it regularly. If you live alone, talk to your family or friends about preparing for emergencies, getting help in the event of an evacuation and dealing with the aftermath of a disaster. Create a network of neighbors, relatives, friends and co-workers who can help in an emergency. Discuss needs and make sure everyone knows how to operate necessary medical equipment.

Arrange for electronic payments of federal benefits or other retirement income. A disaster can disrupt mail service for days or even weeks. Switching to electronic payments also eliminates the risk of stolen checks. The federal government recommends two safer ways to get federal benefits:

  • Direct deposit to a checking or savings account is the best option for people with bank accounts. Federal benefit recipients can sign up by calling (800) 333-1795 or at www.godirect.org/.
  • The Direct Express® prepaid debit card is designed as a safe and easy alternative topaper checks for people who don’t have a bank account. Sign up is easy – call toll-freeat (877) 212-9991 or sign up online at http://www.usdirectexpress.com/edcfdtclient/index.html

Disaster-assistance grants are not considered taxable income and will not affect eligibility for Social Security, Medicaid, welfare assistance, food stamps, Supplemental Security Income or Aid to Families with Dependent Children.

Learn about what kinds of disasters are most likely to occur in your area and how you will be notified. Find out if your area is served by emergency radio and TV broadcasts. Other emergency alert methods might include a special siren, an automated telephone call or even a visit from emergency workers.

Emergency plans are normally established by state and local governments. County emergency management offices can supply the appropriate information. The Mississippi Emergency Management Agency maintains a website with additional preparedness information at www.msema.org.

For more information on Mississippi’s disaster recovery, visit www.msema.org, www.fema.gov/disaster/4101 and www.fema.gov/blog.

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 public transportation expenses, medical and dental expenses, and funeral and burial expenses do not require individuals to apply for an SBA loan. However, applicants who receive SBA loan applications must submit them to SBA loan officers to be eligible for assistance that covers personal property, vehicle repair or replacement, and moving and storage expenses.

 

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Elderly Need Special Plans To Be Ready For A Disaster