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Federal Aid Programs for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Declaration

Release date:

December 19, 2012

Release Number:

HQ-12-156Factsheet

Following is a summary of key federal disaster aid programs that can be made available as needed and warranted under President Obama’s disaster declaration issued for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

Assistance for the Commonwealth and Affected Local Governments Can Include as Required:

Payment of not less than 75 percent of the eligible costs for removing debris from public areas and for emergency measures, including direct federal assistance, taken to save lives and protect property and public health. (Source: FEMA funded, commonwealth administered.)
Payment of not less than 75 percent of the eligible costs for repairing or replacing damaged public facilities, such as roads, bridges, utilities, buildings, schools, recreational areas and similar publicly owned property, as well as certain private non-profit organizations engaged in community service activities. (Source: FEMA funded, commonwealth administered.)

Payment of not more than 75 percent of the approved costs for hazard mitigation projects undertaken by commonwealth and local governments to prevent or reduce long-term risk to life and property from natural or technological disasters. (Source: FEMA funded, commonwealth administered.)

How to Apply for Assistance:

Application procedures for local governments will be explained at a series of federal/commonwealth applicant briefings with locations to be announced in the affected area by recovery officials. Approved public repair projects are paid through the commonwealth from funding provided by FEMA and other participating federal agencies.

FEMA’s mission is to support our first responders and 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.

Stay informed of FEMA’s activities online: videos and podcasts available at www.fema.gov/medialibrary and www.youtube.com/fema ; follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/fema and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/fema.

Last Updated:

December 19, 2012 – 14:25

State or Region:

Massachusetts

and

Region I

Related Disaster:

Massachusetts Hurricane Sandy

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Federal Aid Programs for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Declaration

Insured Rhode Islanders May Qualify for FEMA Aid

WARWICK, R.I. — Insured Rhode Islanders with Hurricane Sandy losses related to their primary homes may benefit from registering for assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, because insurance may not cover all storm-related costs.

If you’re insured, you must file a claim with your insurance company and let FEMA know what your policy covers before you can be eligible for federal aid. By law, federal disaster assistance cannot duplicate insurance benefits.

When insurance doesn’t cover all your disaster related expenses FEMA may be able to help. Here are some examples:

You have Additional Living Expenses (ALE) your insurance doesn’t cover. If you were displaced from your home due to disaster damage, you may have additional living expenses for temporary housing until you are back in permanent housing (your repaired home or a new rental). Some policies–and this includes National Flood Insurance–do not provide benefits for Additional Living Expenses. Other policies may provide some coverage, but not enough. FEMA may be able to help.
You have losses that were not insured, such as: Sandy may have damaged your vehicle and you have no coverage for that. You may have been injured by the hurricane and have uninsured medical or dental expenses. You may be a student who lost your books and computer or a worker who lost tools that your insurance doesn’t cover.

After registering, many insured applicants will initially receive a letter from FEMA stating they are ineligible because they have insurance. FEMA can reconsider this determination after you provide information about storm-related losses your insurance didn’t cover. You will receive instructions on how to do this with your letter from FEMA or call the FEMA Helpline, 800-621-3362, for more information.

It’s important not to put off registering even if you don’t yet know whether insurance covers all your losses. Registration is open only until January 14. After that, even if you later discover uninsured losses, it will be too late to ask FEMA for help.

FEMA evaluates each situation on a case-by-case basis. By registering before the deadline, you will be assured of access to all available FEMA aid even if you do have insurance.

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 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.

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. ET or by sending an e-mail to disastercustomerservice@sba.gov. Applications can also be downloaded from www.sba.govor completed on-line at https://disasterloan.sba.gov/ela/.

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Insured Rhode Islanders May Qualify for FEMA Aid

Fairfield Disaster Recovery Center to Transition to SBA Loan Outreach Center

WINDSOR, Conn. — The FEMA-state Disaster Recovery Center in Fairfield closes Wednesday, Dec. 19, at 6 p.m., but FEMA will still be available to help residents recover from Sandy.

The FEMA helpline is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, at 800-621-3362, to register for assistance, ask questions about an application or update contact information so FEMA knows how to reach you. For TTY, call 800-462-7585.

When FEMA’s Fairfield center closes, the U.S. Small Business Administration will open a Disaster Loan Outreach Center in the same location at the Senior Center, 100 Mona Terrace, Fairfield, CT 06824, on Thursday, Dec. 20.

Fairfield Disaster Loan Outreach Center hours of operation will be:

9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday (starting Dec. 20)

Closed Christmas Day and New Year’s Day

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; flood insurance claims are handled separately.

If an applicant receives an application for a low-interest disaster loan from the U.S. Small Business Administration, it is important this application be completed and returned. No survivor is required to take out an SBA loan, but completion of the SBA application may make the applicant eligible for further FEMA assistance.

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.

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.

Taken from –

Fairfield Disaster Recovery Center to Transition to SBA Loan Outreach Center

Don’t Let Misconceptions Get in the Way of Sandy Disaster Aid in R.I.

WARWICK, R.I.–Some Rhode Islanders affected by Hurricane Sandy have not registered with the Federal Emergency Management Agency for assistance because of misconceptions or lack of accurate information. Here are some examples.

My insurance agent told me I wouldn’t be able to get help from FEMA because I have insurance.

If you had storm damage or other disaster losses due to the storm, you should register with FEMA. You may now or in the future have storm related costs that your insurance doesn’t cover.

I thought assistance would affect my Social Security benefits, taxes, food stamps or Medicaid.

FEMA assistance does not affect benefits from other federal programs and it is not reportable as taxable income.

I thought it was too late for me to register, since I already cleaned up and made the repairs.

You may be eligible for reimbursement of your clean up and repair expenses.

I don’t want a loan from FEMA.

FEMA makes grants to help survivors recover. These are not loans and do not have to be repaid.

I’m a renter. I heard FEMA is just for homeowners.

FEMA helps homeowners and renters with disaster-related losses.

I received disaster assistance from FEMA in 2010. I thought I couldn’t get it again this year.

If you had damage from another federally declared disaster, you may register for new assistance.

I thought my income was too high for me to qualify.

There is no income test for FEMA aid. Anyone with disaster damage or loss may be eligible for help.

This article:

Don’t Let Misconceptions Get in the Way of Sandy Disaster Aid in R.I.

FEMA Extends Registration Deadline For New Jersey Hurricane Sandy Survivors

TRENTON, N.J. — Survivors of Hurricane Sandy in New Jersey now have until January 30, 2013 to register for disaster assistance through the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

People with storm losses in all counties can register online at www.disasterassistance.gov or via smartphone or tablet at m.fema.gov.

Survivors also can register by phone or 711/VRS by calling 800-621-3362, TTY 800-462-7585. The toll-free telephone numbers operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week until further notice.

At the request of the state, FEMA extended the registration deadline beyond the original 60 day window due to the magnitude of the Hurricane Sandy disaster.

The disaster registration process serves as a referral point for FEMA programs and those of partner agencies such as the U.S. Small Business Administration, American Red Cross and the Salvation Army.

FEMA disaster assistance for individuals and families can include money for rental assistance, essential home repairs, personal property losses and other serious disaster-related needs not covered by insurance.

Follow FEMA online at www.fema.gov/blog, www.twitter.com/fema, www.facebook.com/fema, and www.youtube.com/fema. Also, follow Administrator Craig Fugate’s activities at www.twitter.com/craigatfema.

The social media links provided are for reference only. FEMA does not endorse any non-government websites, companies or applications.

Source article:

FEMA Extends Registration Deadline For New Jersey Hurricane Sandy Survivors

Change Announced for Uniondale Disaster Recovery Center

NEW YORK – Hurricane Sandy survivors have until 7 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 22, to visit the Disaster Recovery Center in Uniondale, Nassau County.

The center is at Mitchell Field Athletic Center, 1 Charles Lindbergh Blvd., Uniondale, NY 11553. It has provided face-to-face information and help to more than 400 storm survivors since Nov. 14. Hours are 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. through Dec. 22.

The state and the Federal Emergency Management Agency closely monitor visitor traffic at all New York Disaster Recovery Centers. When traffic slows, a center may change its hours to reflect the fact that most information needs of storm survivors in the area are being met.

In addition to the Mitchell Field site, there are six other Disaster Recovery Centers in Nassau County to assist people affected by Hurricane Sandy. They are located at:

Recreation and Ice Arena
700 Magnolia Blvd.
Long Beach, NY 11561
Hours: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mon-Sat
9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sun

Sacred Heart Parish
RR station parking lot
127 Long Beach Rd.
Island Park, NY 11558
Hours: 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Mon-Sat
9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sun

Cedar Creek Park
Merrick Rd. East
Seaford, NY 11783
Hours: 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Mon-Sat
9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sun

Marjorie Post Community Center
477 Unqua Rd.
Massapequa, NY 11758
Hours: 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Mon-Sat
9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sun

Young Israel
Gymnasium
859 Peninsula Blvd.
Woodmere, NY 11598
Hours: 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sun
8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mon-Thurs
8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Fri
Closed Sat

Freeport Recreation Center
130 E. Merrick Rd.
Freeport, NY 11520
Hours: 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mon-Sat
9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sun

To find the nearest recovery center, 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. Also, check out the Disaster Recovery Center locator at www.FEMA.gov/disaster-recovery-centers.

Individuals can also find a recovery center – and register for FEMA help – online at www.DisasterAssistance.gov or via smartphone or tablet by going to m.fema.gov or downloading the FEMA app. They may also call 800-621-3362 or (TTY) 800-462-7585. People who use 711-Relay or Video Relay Services (VRS) should call 800-621-3362. The toll-free telephone numbers operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week until further notice.

Federal disaster assistance for individuals and families can include money for rental assistance, essential home repairs, personal property losses and other serious disaster-related needs not covered by insurance.

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.

Change Announced for Uniondale Disaster Recovery Center

Nearly $7 Million in Federal Funds Approved to Reconstruct Hurricane Irene-Destroyed Bridge in Wyoming County

Nearly $7 Million in Federal Funds Approved to Reconstruct

Hurricane Irene-Destroyed Bridge in Wyoming County

HARRISBURG, Pa. — Nearly $7 million in federal funding has been approved for the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation to reconstruct a bridge in Wyoming County, according to officials with the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency (PEMA) and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

Until Hurricane Irene-fueled high velocity flood waters wiped it out, the bridge crossed the Mehoopany Creek on State Route 3001 in Forkston Township. FEMA has obligated $6,924,799 to reconstruct the bridge in its original location.

Because devastation of the bridge was a direct result of Hurricane Irene, the project to replace it qualifies for Public Assistance (PA) in Category C, which covers permanent repair or replacement of eligible non-federal-aid roads and bridges. For a detailed description of PA categories, see http://www.fema.gov/public-assistance-eligible-work.

The FEMA portion of the project will comprise the 75 percent federal cost-share to reconstruct the bridge, which is estimated to cost a total of $9,233,065. The remaining 25 percent non-federal share will be paid by the Commonwealth.

FEMA manages the program, approves grants and provides technical assistance to the Commonwealth and applicants. The Commonwealth educates potential applicants, works with FEMA to manage the program and is responsible for implementing and monitoring the grants awarded under the program. Local officials are responsible for identifying damage, providing information necessary for FEMA to approve grants and managing each project funded under the program.

For a list of frequently asked questions about the federal PA process, see http://www.fema.gov/public-assistance-frequently-asked-questions.

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. FEMA Region III’s jurisdiction includes Delaware, the District of Columbia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia. Stay informed of FEMA’s activities online: videos and podcasts are available at http://www.fema.gov/medialibrary and www.youtube.com/fema. Follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/femaregion3.

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Nearly $7 Million in Federal Funds Approved to Reconstruct Hurricane Irene-Destroyed Bridge in Wyoming County

FEMA Housing Assistance Is Based On Damage To Essential Living Areas

TRENTON, N.J. — Some households with property damage received a letter from FEMA that said “insufficient damage.” The FEMA housing inspector reported that the essential living areas in the home were safe, sanitary and functional. People who disagree can ask for a re-inspection.

FEMA can only provide rent or repair money when there is damage to the living room, dining room, kitchen, bathroom and bedrooms used by occupants of the home.

FEMA will reconsider a request for housing assistance, and there are other options:

Request a re-inspection. Call the FEMA helpline by phone or 711/VRS at 800-621-FEMA (3362), TTY 800-462-7585.
Complete and return your SBA low-interest disaster loan application if you received one. The U.S. Small Business Administration provides disaster loans for individuals. Loan funds may be available for damage to all living areas.
Get volunteer help. Dozens of private nonprofit groups are helping in New Jersey. Some groups provide volunteers to help out with minor repairs to homes. For more information call 2-1-1 or visit NJ211.org online.
File an appeal. Any decision by FEMA can be appealed. Filing an appeal relating to habitability requires verifiable documentation to show the disaster caused damage that made the housing uninhabitable. Appeal letters must be postmarked within 60 days of the date of the decision letter.

For information on filing an appeal, survivors should refer to the “Help After Disaster” guide, which is mailed to everyone who registers with FEMA. The guide also is available online at www.fema.gov/help-after-disaster.

All applicants will receive a letter from FEMA. If you do not understand it, visit a disaster recovery center or call the FEMA helpline.

Follow FEMA online at www.fema.gov/blog, www.twitter.com/fema, www.facebook.com/fema, and www.youtube.com/fema. Also, follow Administrator Craig Fugate’s activities at www.twitter.com/craigatfema.

The social media links provided are for reference only. FEMA does not endorse any non-government websites, companies or applications.

View this article –

FEMA Housing Assistance Is Based On Damage To Essential Living Areas

Disaster Recovery Center Offers Resources to Sandy Survivors

HUNT VALLEY, Md. – Residents in Somerset County affected by Hurricane Sandy can get first-hand information about disaster assistance and resources available to them directly from Federal Emergency Management Agency and Maryland Emergency Management Agency specialists at a Disaster Recovery Center.

The center will be open from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday at the following location beginning Tuesday, December 18, 2012:

The Lower Somerset County Ambulance & Rescue Squad Building

#2 Mill Lane

Crisfield, MD 21817

Federal assistance can include grants to individuals for rental assistance and essential home repairs. Specialists can direct survivors to agencies that may be able to meet specific needs. Information is also available on rebuilding safer and stronger.

“You can register with FEMA by phone or online, so it isn’t necessary to go to a disaster recovery center,” Federal Coordinating Officer Mike Lapinski said. “However, if you want to speak with someone in person about assistance programs, eligibility or submitting documents to support a claim, we’re there for you.”

Representatives from the U.S. Small Business Administration will be available at the centers to assist survivors in completing their low-interest disaster loan applications and answer questions about the loan program available to homeowners and renters as well as businesses of all sizes and nonprofit organizations. For many people, a completed SBA loan application is necessary to be considered for some types of federal financial disaster assistance. People with home-based businesses or rental property affected by the storm may also be eligible for SBA loans.

Before going to a center, people with storm losses are encouraged to register with FEMA in any of the following ways:

Online www.disasterassistance.gov
By phone 1-800-621-FEMA (3362) or TTY 1-800-462-7585. If using 711 Relay or Video Relay Services, call 1-800-621-3362. Multilingual operators are available.
Tablet or smart phone m.fema.gov

For more information about this disaster, go to www.fema.gov/disaster/4091 or www.mema.maryland.gov

Disaster Recovery Center Offers Resources to Sandy Survivors

FEMA Continues Innovations to Meet Access and Functional Needs Integration

NEW YORK – Five tools new to help people who are deaf, hard of hearing or blind are being used for Hurricane Sandy disaster response by the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

At New York disaster recovery centers, survivors who are blind or have low vision are using text-to-speech software and a variety of magnifiers to access FEMA information. Survivors who are deaf or hard of hearing are offered enhanced listening devices, iPad 3s with real-time-video remote sign language interpreting apps, and captioned phones to get disaster recovery information accessible to them.

These five assistive technology tools are part of a kit that costs FEMA less than $4,000. For price comparison, a single sign-language interpreter at one disaster recovery center can cost more than $400-a-day. (Federal law mandates that equal access to effective communication be available the entire time that a recovery center is open, usually eight hours daily.) On-site interpreters are available upon request, but for immediate access, interpreters are provided via on-line Wi-Fi and cellular connections, similar to the use of Skype.

“The tools were selected after considering many options that would work in the aftermath of a disaster,” says Marcie Roth, director of FEMA’s Office of Disability Integration and Coordination.

“We’ve been engaging the real experts, people who use these tools on a regular basis, as our planning partners,” she explains. “We are so far ahead of where we were, even a year ago, but that doesn’t mean that we’re there yet. We’re in a position where we’re using for the first time some of the most advanced technology in one of the worst disasters. This is a great teachable moment, but we have to make sure no one falls through the cracks in this learning curve.”

The five new tools at each disaster recovery center are:

iPad 3 – this device has many apps to provide enlarged text for people with low vision, picture symbols for people with low literacy or communication disabilities, immediate access to sign language interpreters for people who are deaf and many other tools for immediate communication access
Magnifying Readers – Enlarges text for people with low vision
Enhanced Listening Devices – improves the clarity of sound for people who are hard of hearing, especially helpful for older adults in noisy settings like a Disaster Recovery Center.
Live Video Interpreting – provides immediate access to sign language interpreters standing by at a remote location to provide access to people who are deaf.
Captioned Phones – provide real-time voice-to-text for people who can speak on the phone but cannot hear the caller on the other end.“We’re not working for people with disabilities,” adds Marcie Roth, “we’re working with people with disabilities.”
Accessibility Tools in a DRC: http://www.fema.gov/medialibrary/media_records/7188
Assistive Technologies at Disaster Recovery Centers: http://www.fema.gov/medialibrary/media_records/9367
Disability Integration (Use of Interpreters in the DRC): http://www.fema.gov/medialibrary/media_records/7506

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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FEMA Continues Innovations to Meet Access and Functional Needs Integration

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