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An SBA disaster loan can be smart business

NEW YORK – Survivors may not know about disaster help from the U.S. Small Business Administration that could lead to a smarter, faster recovery for businesses, homeowners or private nonprofits. There’s a loan for lost business caused by Hurricane Sandy. There’s also a loan available to a homeowner association to have a common area fixed, and there’s good news about when the first payment on any disaster loan is due.

Economic Injury Disaster Loan

SBA offers a working capital loan to relieve the economic injury caused by the disaster.

A disaster loan is available to eligible businesses as well as private nonprofits even if property was not damaged by Hurricane Sandy.

These loans are for small businesses, agricultural cooperatives and certain private, nonprofit organizations to cover unpaid bills and lost business due to the disaster. Economic injury loans are also given in amounts up to $2 million, but the total of both physical damage and economic injury loans cannot exceed $2 million.

There are 17 New York counties eligible for Economic Injury Disaster Loans. The first 13 counties are those designated by the presidential disaster declaration for FEMA Individual Assistance. Those counties are Bronx, Kings, Nassau, New York, Orange, Putnam, Queens, Richmond, Rockland, Suffolk, Sullivan, Ulster and Westchester.

Four other counties are eligible because each shares a border with one of the 13 disaster-designated counties. These additional counties eligible for an Economic Injury Disaster Loan are Columbia, Delaware, Duchess and Greene counties.

Common Area Disaster Loans for Associations

SBA loans up to $2 million are also available to Homeowner Associations, Planned Unit Developments and similar common-interest developments. Individuals may not borrow money to repair common areas that are the responsibility of the association.

Deferred Disaster Loan Payments

The first payment for a disaster loan is due five months from the date of the SBA Note.

The deadline to apply for an SBA disaster loan is Feb. 27, 2013 for physical damage and July 31, 2013 for Economic Injury Disaster loans.

A simple and fast way to complete the application is online, using the SBA’s electronic loan application. Go to https://DisasterLoan.SBA.gov/ELA. Plus, you can receive an update on the status of your application by calling 800-659-2955 (TTY 800-877-8339 for the deaf and hard-of-hearing).

SBA customer service representatives are available to issue or accept low-interest disaster loan applications and answer questions at all New York State/FEMA disaster recovery centers and

SBA business recovery centers and Disaster Loan Outreach Centers. To locate the nearest business recovery center, visit www.sba.gov or call 800-659-2955 (TTY 800-877-8339).

To find the nearest disaster recovery center, check out the disaster recovery center locator at www.FEMA.gov/disaster-recovery-centers or, with a tablet or smartphone, go to m.fema.gov. You may also text “DRC” and your Zip Code to 43362 (4FEMA). For example, if you lived in Staten Island, you would text: “DRC 10301.” Or call 800-621-3362 (TTY 800-462-7585).

More information is available by calling the SBA Disaster Customer Service Center toll-free number, 800-659-2955 (TTY 800-877-8339). Assistance is also available by sending an email to DisasterCustomerService@sba.gov or by visiting www.sba.gov.

For more information on New York’s disaster recovery, visit www.fema.gov/SandyNY, www.twitter.com/FEMASandy, www.facebook.com/FEMASandy 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.

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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An SBA disaster loan can be smart business

Hurricane Sandy Survivors May Now Use FEMA Rental Assistance for Security Deposits

WINDSOR, Conn. — Hurricane Sandy survivors may now be able to use temporary rental assistance funds to help pay for a security deposit, the Federal Emergency Management Agency reported today.

Survivors may use up to one month of FEMA rent money to cover required security deposits. Those who need more help with rent can show a security deposit receipt to support a request for additional assistance. Survivors must also show a continuing need. This money may not be used to pay for telephone or television service or utilities. For more information, contact FEMA’s toll-free Helpline at 800-621-3362.

Federal and state officials encourage residents of Fairfield, Middlesex, New Haven and New London counties and the Mashantucket Pequot and Mohegan Tribal Nation located within New London County to apply for assistance as soon as possible.

Survivors can register online anytime day or night at www.DisasterAssistance.gov, or with a smartphone or other Web-enabled device at m.fema.gov. Survivors can also register, check status of applications or receive other assistance at the FEMA Helpline, 800-621-3362, from 7 a.m. to 1 a.m. Eastern, seven days a week, until further notice. The TTY number is 800-462-7585. Multilingual operators are available during the same hours at the close of the English message.

Registering for disaster assistance with other agencies or organizations does not register survivors for FEMA disaster assistance. Having FEMA flood insurance does not register policyholders for disaster assistance, nor does it disqualify anyone from applying for assistance. Flood insurance claims are handled separately.

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 800-621-3362. For TTY, call 800-462-7585.

The U.S. Small Business Administration 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, nonprofit organizations fund repairs or rebuilding efforts and covers 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.

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Hurricane Sandy Survivors May Now Use FEMA Rental Assistance for Security Deposits

Register with FEMA even if you registered with other agencies

NEW YORK – Since Hurricane Sandy impacted New York State, voluntary agencies and community- and faith-based groups have been working hand-in-hand with New Yorkers to help meet their needs — and some agencies may have asked survivors to register with them.

But the Federal Emergency Management Agency is reminding survivors to register with FEMA if they are seeking federal disaster grants or loans.

“We often find that people think they are registered with FEMA after they have contacted their county emergency managers, disaster-relief organizations, or local community- or faith-based organizations, but they are not,” said Michael F. Byrne, FEMA’s federal coordinating officer. “The only way we can get federal assistance to eligible survivors is if they are registered with FEMA.”

This means you should register with FEMA even if you have contacted New York 2-1-1, the American Red Cross or any other agency or local organization. Only a FEMA registration will open the way for possible federal grants and loans.

“Sometimes survivors mistakenly think they are not eligible for federal or state assistance, but when we review their applications we find they are,” Byrne said. “That’s why it’s so important that they register.”

That means register with FEMA, even if:

You have insurance. FEMA may be able to provide additional assistance or help with other needs not covered by insurance. FEMA cannot duplicate insurance payments, but underinsured applicants may receive help after their insurance claims have been settled.
- You used all the rent money that your insurance company provided under Alternative Living Expenses coverage and your home is not ready for occupancy.
- Your insurance does not include Alternative Living Expenses.
- Your insurance settlement for Hurricane Sandy has not arrived.
Your home is still inaccessible. Register. If a housing inspection is warranted, we’ll assign an inspector as soon as possible.
You are a renter. Renters may be eligible for temporary housing or other needs assistance.
You think you may not be eligible. Let our specialists work with you to help determine whether FEMA might be able to provide some form of assistance.
You only had minor damage. It’s hard to know the full extent of the damage. Go ahead and register.

Survivors have until Jan. 28, 2013 to register for FEMA assistance.

Registration is easy through any of FEMA’s registration portals: Register online at www.DisasterAssistance.gov, via smartphone or tablet, go to m.fema.gov or download the FEMA app. Call 800-621-3362 or TTY 800-462-7585. For those who use 711 Relay or Video Relay Services call 800-621-3362. The toll-free telephone numbers operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week until further notice.

A FEMA Language Assistance Line is available for those who need interpretation services in languages other than English or Spanish. Call: 866-333-1796.

Survivors can also visit any one of the Disaster Recovery Centers now open in many of the disaster-designated counties. To find the DRC nearest you, the following options are available: Text DRC and a Zip Code to 43362 (4FEMA), and a text message will be sent back with the address or visit www.fema.gov/disaster-recovery-centers.

Disaster assistance for individuals may include grants to help pay for temporary housing and emergency home repairs to make a home habitable. Survivors could also be eligible for grants for serious disaster-related expenses not covered by insurance or low-interest disaster loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration.

For more information on New York’s disaster recovery, visit www.fema.gov/SandyNY, www.twitter.com/FEMASandy, www.facebook.com/FEMASandy and www.fema.gov/blog.

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No Discrimination in FEMA Disaster Assistance

WINDSOR, Conn. — Storms don’t discriminate and neither does FEMA, federal officials emphasized today.

“Everybody’s circumstances are different and people won’t all be helped the same way. But our promise is to treat everybody equally,” said Federal Coordinating Officer Albert Lewis. “We are not a law enforcement agency; we are a helping agency. That’s why we’re here.”

FEMA has a mission to ensure disaster assistance is made available to all people in the whole community. That means reaching out to everyone, regardless of race, color, religion, nationality, sex, age, disability, English proficiency or economic status.

Those areas are written into federal law as an equal rights statement of policy that permeates FEMA’s approach to providing fully inclusive disaster recovery services.

FEMA may provide assistance in many ways, not all of them financial, to disaster survivors through connections with its state and local partners. But to help survivors, FEMA needs to know who they are through FEMA registration.

FEMA’s Voluntary Agency Liaison works specifically with voluntary and faith-based organizations, which provide case management support for applicants, whether they are citizens or not.

An applicant’s information is confidential. FEMA does not share anyone’s information with other agencies unless an applicant wants us to do so and that agency’s purpose is to provide assistance to those in need after a disaster.

“Disaster recovery includes everyone,” Lewis added. “The individual, the community, FEMA, the state, voluntary agencies and faith-based partners—everyone has a role. We may not be able to help you directly, but we’ll know what’s available. There may be other programs to get you where you want to go.”

The deadline to register is Jan. 28. Survivors can register online anytime day or night at www.DisasterAssistance.gov, or with a smartphone or other Web-enabled device at m.fema.gov. Survivors can also register by phone 24 hours a day at 800-621-3362. Effective at 7 a.m. Sunday, Jan. 20, hours will be 7 a.m. until 1 a.m. the following day. The TTY number is 800-462-7585. Multilingual operators are available during the same hours at the close of the English message.

The U.S. Small Business Administration (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 nonprofit organizations fund repairs or rebuilding efforts and covers 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.

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No Discrimination in FEMA Disaster Assistance

Somerset County Disaster Recovery Outreach Centers to Open

HUNT VALLEY, Md. – The Disaster Recovery Center in Crisfield will close at 5 p.m. on Friday, January 18, but survivors of hurricane Sandy still can get help.

Those who already have registered with FEMA can call FEMA’s Helpline at 800-621-FEMA (3362) or TTY 1-800-462-7585. There will be outreach centers open beginning January 22, at the following locations:

DATE	Location	Hours of Operation
January 22 – 24, 2013	Seton Center 30632 Hampden Ave Princess Anne, MD 21853	11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
January 22 – 24, 2013	Woodrow Wilson Community Center 119 South 7^th Street Crisfield MD 21817	3:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.
January 25 – 26, 2013	Deal Island Chance Fire Department 10090 Deal Island Road Deal Island, MD 21821	9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
January 25 – 26, 2013	Fairmount Fire Company 27407 Fairmount Road Westover MD 21871	9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
January 27, 2013	Rehobeth Presbyterian Church 5757 Coventry Parish Road. (Corner of Old Rehobeth Rd & Coventry Parish Rd.) Westover, MD 21871.	1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.
January 27, 2013	St Elizabeth Church 8734 Old Westover Road Westover, MD	11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

Centers are staffed with emergency management experts from the Maryland Emergency Management Agency and Federal Emergency Management Agency who can answer questions about disaster assistance programs.

February 12 is the deadline to apply for assistance. There are three easy ways to begin the application process. You may call FEMA’s toll-free number, 1-800-621-FEMA (3362), TTY 1-800-462-7585. Both numbers are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week until further notice, and multilingual operators are also available to answer your call. Residents with Internet access now have the option to register on the agency’s website at www.disasterassistance.gov or web-enabled mobile device or smartphone visit m.fema.gov.

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Somerset County Disaster Recovery Outreach Centers to Open

Fight Disaster-related Fraud by Insisting on Seeing Identification

WINDSOR, Conn. — Hurricane Sandy survivors beware: There may be con artists trying to get their hands on your disaster assistance money or personal financial information.

After a disaster, crooks may pretend to be employed by FEMA or the U.S. Small Business Administration. They may try to obtain personal information such as Social Security and bank account numbers or they may promise to increase your disaster assistance grant for a fee, something a federal employee would never do.

Some consumer safety tips to remember:

There is never a fee to apply for FEMA assistance or to receive it;
There are no fees for FEMA or SBA property damage inspections; and
Government workers never ask for payment to perform their duties.

Asking to see identification is a disaster survivor’s best defense against such criminals and scam artists. All authorized federal personnel are required to wear photo IDs at all times. A FEMA or SBA shirt or jacket is not proof of affiliation with these agencies.

All government- or contractor-issued ID badges should be produced by the bearer without hesitation or reluctance. A FEMA contract inspector who comes to your home will be able to provide your FEMA registration number.

If private insurance adjusters and local building code inspectors visit your property, they should also be able to provide identification on demand.

Anyone suspecting fraud should call the FEMA Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721. Complaints may also be made to local authorities or the Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection at www.ct.gov/dcp or by calling 800-842-2649 (in the Hartford area, call 860-713-6110).

Contractor fraud can also be a problem after a disaster. Remember these tips before signing a home repair contract:

Get three written estimates; then check each contractor’s credentials and references. Contact the Better Business Bureau or local chamber of commerce to see if there are outstanding complaints against the contractor;
Obtain a written contract detailing all work to be performed, costs, a projected completion date, and procedures to negotiate changes and settle disputes;
Any guarantees should be in writing.

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Fight Disaster-related Fraud by Insisting on Seeing Identification

FEMA Outreach to Help Agents Answer Flood Insurance Questions

WINDSOR, Conn. — How can flood insurance agents become better prepared to answer the many questions policyholders ask after a big flooding disaster like Hurricane Sandy?

That dialogue is taking place between FEMA and Connecticut insurance agents as a new outreach effort begun in December continues to expand the knowledge of agents who sell National Flood Insurance Program policies.

During the peak outreach from Jan. 14 – 25, FEMA will provide insurance agents with more in-depth training on National Flood Insurance Program policies, processes and risk management. The initiative will help insurance agents better serve Connecticut policyholders, property owners and renters who have questions about their flood insurance claims.

“It is important that consumers have all the facts about flood insurance so they can make informed decisions to manage risk and take control of their financial security. And it all starts with informed and knowledgeable insurance agents,” said Federal Coordinating Officer Albert Lewis.

FEMA flood insurance specialists expect to make in-person visits to more than 500 insurance agencies statewide during the two-week outreach initiative. They will hand-deliver hundreds of “NFIP Agent Tool Kits,” which include several information brochures and explanatory bulletins.

FEMA has made it a priority to conduct insurance agency visits in all the Connecticut coastal communities hit by Hurricane Sandy. As of Jan. 7, FEMA personnel have visited 69 agencies in 21 hard-hit communities. During this time FEMA will also be offering special NFIP informational webinars and agent training workshops.

The NFIP is a federal program that provides access to affordable, federally backed flood insurance protection for property owners.

Following Hurricane Sandy last year, FEMA kicked off a flood insurance education initiative in partnership with the state of Connecticut and the Independent Insurance Agents of Connecticut, Inc.

In December, FEMA opened a Flood Response Office at 1064 E. Main St., Meriden, CT 06450.

The office provides support to insurance agents and policyholders with questions about NFIP claims. Hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, and 8 a.m. to noon on Saturday. The office can be reached at 203-634-1118.

The Connecticut Insurance Department has a Consumer Helpline at 860-297-3900 or 800-203-3447. Policyholders can also e-mail their questions or complaints to the Insurance Department at cid.ca@ct.gov or visit the Department’s Web site at www.ct.gov/cid.

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FEMA Outreach to Help Agents Answer Flood Insurance Questions

Only a Few Days Remain to Apply for Rhode Island Sandy Aid

WARWICK, R.I. – Rhode Islanders with losses from Hurricane Sandy have only a few days remaining to request state-federal disaster recovery assistance. The deadline to register with the Federal Emergency Management Agency is midnight, Monday, January 14.

Register online at www.DisasterAssistance.gov or via smartphone at m.fema.gov until midnight. Register by calling FEMA at 800-621-FEMA (3362) daily from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. Multilingual recovery specialists are available. Those with a speech disability or hearing loss who use a TTY can call 800-462-7585 directly; or 800-621-3362 if using 711 or Video Relay Service.

FEMA-state assistance may include grants for temporary housing and home repairs, uninsured vehicle damage, lost or damaged personal property and many other costs incurred because of Hurricane Sandy. Even people who have insurance may qualify for FEMA aid to help with expenses their insurance does not cover, such as temporary housing during home repairs.

Low interest disaster loans are vital to full recovery for many who had storm damage. The U.S. Small Business Administration provides these loans, not just for small businesses, but also for homeowners, renters, businesses of any size and some private nonprofits to cover uncompensated real or personal property losses. To date, the SBA has approved more than $641,000 in disaster recovery loans to Rhode Island homeowners. The deadline to apply for an SBA loan is Tuesday, January 15.

SBA disaster loan information and application forms may be obtained by calling the SBA’s Customer Service Center at 800-659-2955 (800-877-8339 for people with speech or hearing disabilities) Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. or by sending an e-mail to disastercustomerservice@sba.gov. Applications can also be downloaded from www.sba.gov or completed on-line at https://disasterloan.sba.gov/ela/

Rhode Islanders who lost income because of Hurricane Sandy and are ineligible for regular unemployment benefits may be eligible for special disaster unemployment benefits. The deadline to apply is February 4, 2013. File a claim online at http://www.dlt.ri.gov/ui/.

Find tweets about Sandy recovery at www.twitter.com/femaregion1. For Rhode Island specific information go to http://www.fema.gov/disaster/4089. Other online resources include http://blog.fema.gov, www.facebook.com/fema and www.youtube.com/fema.

FEMA’s temporary housing assistance and grants for medical and dental expenses, 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.

Only a Few Days Remain to Apply for Rhode Island Sandy Aid

FEMA Registration Open to All Storm Survivors, Helps Speed Recovery

WINDSOR, Conn. — Registering for FEMA disaster assistance won’t take money away from another disaster survivor, federal officials said today.

Federal Emergency Management Agency grants are available to all who qualify for them. But many Connecticut residents who suffered damage from Hurricane Sandy haven’t registered. Reasons vary, but some people mistakenly believe that accepting help somehow reduces the amount of money available to qualified registrants.

The truth is, not registering could slow recovery of the community because federal dollars infuse money into the local economy when disaster survivors hire contractors, buy supplies and replace damaged property.

“People who are approved for assistance to repair their homes and replace damaged property put their assistance grant money into the local economy,” said Federal Coordinating Officer Albert Lewis. “We know this helps the whole community’s economic recovery.”

Finding out if the damage to your property qualifies your household for federal help is simple.

First, the damage must have happened in a county that has been declared eligible for FEMA Individual Assistance. In Connecticut, these are Fairfield, Middlesex, New Haven and New London counties, and the Mashantucket Pequot and the Mohegan Tribal Nations located within New London County.

Second, survivors can register online anytime day or night at www.DisasterAssistance.gov, or with a smartphone or other Web-enabled device at m.fema.gov. Survivors can also register anytime by calling FEMA at 800-621-3362. The TTY number is 800-462-7585. Multilingual operators are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Wait for the English message to finish to reach multilingual operators.

It is important to note that you may be eligible for disaster assistance even if you have insurance. If insurance does not meet all your needs, FEMA assistance may be able to help with the difference.

FEMA’s Individuals and Households Program has two types of assistance, “Housing Needs” and “Other Needs Assistance,” which may be available to individuals and families whose property has uninsured or underinsured damage from the storm.

The U.S. Small Business Administration 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, nonprofit organizations fund repairs or rebuilding efforts, and covers 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.

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FEMA Registration Open to All Storm Survivors, Helps Speed Recovery

FEMA Aid Will Not Affect Senior Citizens’ Benefits

WARWICK, R.I. – Rhode Island senior citizens who receive federal disaster assistance for losses due to Hurricane Sandy will still be able to receive all their other federal benefits-and they need not worry about having to pay any additional taxes.

“We want to assist seniors affected by Hurricane Sandy,” said Federal Coordinating Officer James N. Russo, who leads the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Sandy recovery mission in Rhode Island. “We can’t do that if they fear that asking for help will impact their other benefits or raise their taxes.”

Federal disaster assistance does not affect Social Security payments, Medicare benefits, food stamps or any other federal assistance programs.. The Internal Revenue Service does not consider it taxable income.

Seniors and others who experienced damage from Sandy may be eligible for FEMA’s Individual Assistance Program. This may cover expenses for temporary housing, home repairs, replacement of damaged personal property and other disaster-related needs, such as medical, dental or transportation costs, not covered by insurance or other programs.

To determine whether they are eligible for disaster recovery help from FEMA, seniors and others must register. Go online to www.DisasterAssistance.gov or to m.fema.gov if using a smartphone or call 800-621-FEMA (3362), 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Those who are deaf, hard of hearing or who have a speech disability may use TTY 800-462-7585.

After registering with FEMA, applicants may receive a packet from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). SBA loans are not just for small businesses. After a federally declared disaster, the SBA offers low-interest disaster recovery loans for homeowners and renters. No one is obligated to take out a loan. But if you don’t complete the application, you will not be considered for some other federal grants.

Some seniors with paid-off mortgages may wonder why they would want a long-term government loan. But if they need funds to restore their homes to pre-disaster condition, a low-interest loan from the federal government may be the best solution. The SBA offers disaster loans up to $200,000 to repair or replace homes and up to $40,000 to homeowners and renters for personal property losses. Interest rates are as low as 1.688 percent.

Find tweets about Sandy recovery at @femaregion1. For Rhode Island specific information go to http://www.fema.gov/disaster/4089. Other online resources include @FEMASandy and http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/FEMASandy and http://blog.fema.gov.

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FEMA Aid Will Not Affect Senior Citizens’ Benefits

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