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Recertify to Remain Eligible for Rental Help from FEMA

Stay in informed on California’s wildfire recovery by visiting: caloes.ca.gov and fema.gov/disaster/4240.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Survivors of the Butte and Valley fires who are receiving rental assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency and whose home repairs are taking longer than expected should notify the agency of their continuing need.

Recertification is needed every 60 days for eligible renters and homeowners. FEMA can provide up to 18 months of rental assistance for both homeowners and renters if they need to relocate while repairs are being made to their disaster-damaged residences.

To date, FEMA has approved $7.3 million in rental assistance.

An application for continued temporary housing is sent from FEMA to applicants approximately two weeks after the first rental award.

The recertification reaffirms that applicants have an ongoing financial need for temporary housing, either because disaster-related repairs are not completed or they have been unable to find permanent replacement housing.

Documents required for recertification include:

The completed application,
A copy of the current lease or rental agreement signed by the applicant,
Rental receipts, canceled checks or money orders showing proper use of previous rental assistance,
Current income statements from family members living in the household.

This form must be completed in full and turned in on time for each rental cycle to apply for continued assistance. FEMA will evaluate the information each cycle to determine if the applicant qualifies for ongoing federal rental assistance, based on financial need.

An applicant’s current monthly rent is compared to the person’s housing costs before the disaster. Income for all household members, ongoing homeowner mortgage (or rent) insurance and utility costs for the damaged home and other housing commitment costs are all taken into consideration when determining continued eligibility.

Those with questions can call FEMA toll-free at 800-621-FEMA (3362). If you have a speech disability or hearing loss and use a TTY, call 800-462-7585 directly; if you use 711 or Video Relay Service (VRS), call 800-621-3362.

For more information on California’s wildfire recovery, visit: caloes.ca.gov or fema.gov/disaster/4240 and follow us on Twitter @femaregion9 or @Cal_OES and at Facebook.com/FEMA or Facebook.com/California OES.

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). If you have a speech disability or hearing loss and use a TTY, call 800-462-7585 directly; if you use 711 or Video Relay Service (VRS), call 800-621-3362.

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Recertify to Remain Eligible for Rental Help from FEMA

Federal Low-Interest Disaster Loans Offered to Texas Storm Survivors

AUSTIN, Texas – Most Texans who have registered for disaster assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), following the October severe storms, tornadoes, straight-line winds and flooding, will receive an automated phone call from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA).

FEMA grants may not cover all damage or property loss. Private insurance and low-interest loans from the SBA are major sources of additional funding for disaster recovery.

The recorded message gives instructions on how to request an application for a low-interest disaster loan. Loans are available to help disaster survivors – including businesses, private non-profits, homeowners and renters with recovery efforts – in their recovery efforts.

Businesses of all sizes and nonprofit organizations may borrow up to $2 million to repair or replace damaged or destroyed real estate, machinery and equipment, inventory, and other business assets.

SBA also offers Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDLs) to help meet working capital needs caused by the disaster. EIDL assistance is available to businesses regardless of any property damage.

Disaster loans up to $200,000 are available to homeowners to repair or replace damaged or destroyed real estate. Homeowners and renters are eligible for up to $40,000 to repair or replace damaged or destroyed personal property.

SBA provides one-on-one assistance to disaster loan applicants at any of the Disaster Recovery Centers in the affected area. Additional information is available online at sba.gov/disaster or by calling SBA Customer Service Center at 800-659-2955. Deaf and hard-of-hearing persons may call 800-877-8339.

To be considered for all forms of disaster assistance, SBA encourages survivors to first register with FEMA online at DisasterAssistance.gov or by phone (voice, 711 or relay service) at 800-621-3362. TTY users should call 800-462-7585. The toll-free lines are open 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days a week. Multilingual operators are available.

The presidential disaster declaration of Nov. 25 makes federal assistance available to eligible individuals and business owners in 16 counties: Bastrop, Brazoria, Caldwell, Cameron, Comal, Galveston, Guadalupe, Hardin, Harris, Hays, Hidalgo, Liberty, Navarro, Travis, Willacy and Wilson.

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Federal Low-Interest Disaster Loans Offered to Texas Storm Survivors

Help Remains Available After Disaster Recovery Center Closes in Bishopville

COLUMBIA, S.C. – One disaster recovery center will close Saturday, Dec. 12 at 3 p.m.:

Recreation Center at 397 Chappell Drive in Bishopville

Applicants in Bishopville may still visit other recovery centers to ask disaster assistance questions. They can locate their closest center by visiting asd.fema.gov/inter/locator/home.htm.

Representatives from the South Carolina Emergency Management Division, Federal Emergency Management Agency, U.S. Small Business Administration and other agencies are at centers to answer questions about disaster assistance and low-interest loans.

Many services available at disaster recovery centers are also available by calling the FEMA helpline. Applicants can get help by calling 800-621-3362 or TTY 800-462-7585; those who use 711/VRS can call 800-621-3362. Lines are open 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days a week until further notice.

For the latest information on South Carolina flood recovery operations, visit scemd.org and fema.gov/disaster/4241.

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Help Remains Available After Disaster Recovery Center Closes in Bishopville

Cameron County Joins Texas Disaster Declaration

AUSTIN, Texas – At the request of the state, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has added Cameron County to the Texas disaster declaration of Nov. 25. The counties now designated for Individual Assistance include Bastrop, Brazoria, Caldwell, Cameron, Comal, Galveston, Guadalupe, Hardin, Harris, Hays, Hidalgo, Liberty, Navarro, Travis, Willacy and Wilson Counties.

Homeowners and renters with damage or loss as a result of the severe storms, tornadoes, straight-line winds and flooding that occurred Oct. 22 to Oct. 31 may immediately register for disaster assistance.

Survivors can apply online at DisasterAssistance.gov or by phone (voice, 711 or relay service) at 800-621-3362. TTY users should call 800-462-7585. The toll-free lines are open 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days a week. Applicants will be asked to provide:

Social Security number
Address of the damaged primary residence
Description of the damage
Information about insurance coverage
A current contact telephone number
An address where they can receive mail
Bank account and routing numbers for those preferring direct deposit of funds

Low-interest disaster loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration are available for businesses of all sizes (including landlords), private nonprofits, homeowners and renters. Disaster loans help to fund repairs or rebuilding efforts and cover the cost of replacing lost or disaster-damaged personal property. Economic Injury disaster loans are available to businesses and private-nonprofits to assist with working capital needs as a direct result of the disaster.

Eligible survivors should register with FEMA even if they have insurance. FEMA cannot duplicate insurance payments, but under-insured applicants may receive help after their insurance claims have been settled.

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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.

Visit www.fema.gov/texas-disaster-mitigation for publications and reference material on rebuilding and repairing safer and stronger.

Link –

Cameron County Joins Texas Disaster Declaration

Holly Hill Disaster Recovery Center Transitions to Disaster Loan Outreach Center

COLUMBIA, S.C. – The Holly Hill disaster recovery center will transition to a disaster loan outreach center beginning Monday, Dec. 14 to accommodate the needs of South Carolina flood survivors.

Representatives from the U.S. Small Business Administration will be available to meet with homeowners, renters and business owners who had disaster-related damage to answer questions, explain SBA’s disaster loan program, help them complete their applications and close approved disaster loans.

The center is located at:

Holly Hill Government Building, Suite B at 8423 Old State Road in Holly Hill

The center is open 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Survivors with questions about an SBA disaster loan application can also call the SBA Disaster Customer Service Center at 800-659-2955 or TTY 800-877-8339 or email DisasterCustomerService@sba.gov.

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Holly Hill Disaster Recovery Center Transitions to Disaster Loan Outreach Center

Contact FEMA if Insurance for Living Expenses Expires

SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Disaster survivors whose insurance provided Additional Living Expenses (ALE) that are expiring are encouraged to contact the Federal Emergency Management Agency if they registered with the agency and still have a temporary housing need.

This temporary housing assistance is available to eligible FEMA applicants who lost or sustained damage to their homes due to the wildfires in Calaveras and Lake counties from Sept. 9 through Oct. 30, 2015.

Fax or mail a letter to FEMA explaining the situation and provide a document with expiration of ALE from insurance and provide an update of the permanent housing plan. FEMA’s fax number is 800-827-8112. Those who have questions can call the FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362. For those who use a TTY, call 800-462-7585 directly. Those who use 711 or Video Relay Service (VRS), call 800-621-3362.

The mailing address is:

FEMA

National Processing Service Center

P.O. Box 10055

Hyattsville, MD 20782-7055

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Contact FEMA if Insurance for Living Expenses Expires

Applicants Who Want Continued Rental Assistance Must Make Request

COLUMBIA, S.C. –South Carolina flood survivors who have a continued need for temporary housing assistance must complete and submit paperwork that demonstrates a disaster-related and financial need.

Applicants need to submit several documents each time they want to ask FEMA for continued temporary housing assistance including:

A completed form that came with the continued temporary housing assistance letter
A copy of their lease
Receipts showing proper use of previous rental assistance
Current household income status
Any household financial obligations

FEMA encourages applicants to develop permanent housing plans while living in temporary housing. Applicants with no housing plans will receive information and tools to help them find available housing.

The first continued temporary housing assistance letter is mailed to eligible applicants approximately two weeks after the initial award.

It is important for applicants to keep their contact information current so they will receive FEMA correspondence. They can update information online at disasterassistance.gov or by calling FEMA’s helpline at 800-621-3362 or TTY 800-462-7585.

Applicants who have questions about the continued temporary housing assistance process may call the helpline or visit a disaster recovery center. They may locate their closest center by visiting asd.fema.gov/inter/locator/home.htm.

For more information on South Carolina’s disaster recovery, visit www.scemd.org and www.fema.gov/disaster/4241.

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Applicants Who Want Continued Rental Assistance Must Make Request

Disaster Recovery Centers Open in Central Texas

AUSTIN, Texas – Three State/FEMA Disaster Recovery Centers (DRCs) are now open in Bastrop and Travis Counties for homeowners, renters and business owners who sustained damage as a result of the ongoing severe storms, tornadoes, straight-line winds and flooding from Oct. 22 to Oct. 31.

Specialists from the State of Texas, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), nongovernmental organizations and the local community are on hand to answer questions and provide information on the types of assistance available to survivors.

The DRC locations and hours of operation are:

Bastrop County

Church of Christ

287 FM 20

Bastrop, TX 78602

9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday-Friday
9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday

Closed Sunday

Travis County

Elroy Community Library

13512 FM 812

Del Valle, TX 78617

9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday-Friday
9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday

Closed Sunday

Dove Springs Recreation Center

5801 Ainez Drive

Austin, TX 78744

9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday-Friday
9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday

Closed Sunday

If possible, register for FEMA assistance by phone or online before visiting a center. Going to a DRC is not a requirement of registration, but specialists there can provide guidance regarding disaster recovery and rental resources, explain written correspondence received from FEMA, inform survivors of the status of their application, make referrals to other organizations and answer questions.

Survivors can apply online at DisasterAssistance.gov or by phone (voice, 711 or relay service) at
800-621-3362. TTY users should call 800-462-7585. The toll-free lines are open 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days a week. Applicants will be asked to provide:

Social Security number
Address of the damaged primary residence
Description of the damage
Information about insurance coverage
A current contact telephone number
An address where they can receive mail
Bank account and routing numbers for those preferring direct deposit of funds

The presidential disaster declaration of Nov. 25 makes federal assistance available to eligible individuals and business owners in 15 counties: Bastrop, Brazoria, Caldwell, Comal, Galveston, Guadalupe, Hardin, Harris, Hays, Hidalgo, Liberty, Navarro, Travis, Willacy and Wilson.

Assistance for eligible survivors can include grants for temporary housing and home repairs, and for other serious disaster-related needs, such as medical and dental expenses or funeral and burial costs. Also, low-interest disaster loans from the SBA are available for Businesses of all sizes (including landlords), private nonprofits, homeowners and renters.

Low-interest disaster loans help fund repairs or rebuilding efforts and cover the cost of replacing lost or disaster-damaged personal property. Economic Injury disaster loans are available to businesses and private-nonprofits to assist with working capital needs as a direct result of the disaster.

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Disaster Recovery Centers Open in Central Texas

Long-Term Recovery Groups Provide Safety Net for Calaveras and Lake County Wildfire Survivors

SACRAMENTO, Calif. – To date, $27 million in total federal assistance has made a large impact on helping survivors of the Butte and Valley wildfires repair and rebuild. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES), and the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) know it takes a whole community effort to recover.

When personal resources, insurance, and government loans and grants are not sufficient to meet the needs of disaster survivors, local long-term recovery groups (LTRG) are formed to provide safety nets.

LTRGs are coordinated with support from Cal OES and FEMA to help individuals, families, and their communities recover. These groups, which are comprised of representatives from local, state, non-profit, and faith-based organizations, help identify the unmet needs of individuals and families.

“Calaveras Recovers” and “Team Lake County” have established themselves as the LTRGs in their respective counties. Each team consists of organizations that can bring experience, money, manpower, and material to assist with recovery needs. They have executive boards, mission statements, by-laws and subcommittees. Fiduciary sponsors participate to ensure monetary donations are properly managed.

The LTRGs organize community volunteers; provide technical assistance to help nonprofit organizations access whole community resources; and assist in determining the most effective and efficient recovery strategies.

“These LTRGs bring together a wealth of local knowledge, from what people are lacking, to who can provide the help. They truly are a safety net for disaster survivors,” said Tim Scranton, FEMA’s federal coordinating officer for the fires in Calaveras and Lake Counties.

“The services and information provided by LTRGs is another valuable resource to help wildfire survivors recover,” said Charles Rabamad, California’s deputy state coordinating officer for the wildfires.

Backing and guiding the LTRGs are the Voluntary Agency Liaisons (VAL). VALs, consisting of state and FEMA representatives, serve as a source of knowledge for LTRGs based on years of providing disaster recovery efforts and addressing unmet needs.

An LTRG team that is well integrated with local emergency management and is following best practices can have a dramatic positive impact on community recovery. It can become an ongoing resource to address unmet survivor needs, support community efforts to recover, and increase awareness of hazard mitigation measures.

Calaveras Recovers has established a website, www.calaverasrecovers.net, to maintain communication with the public. Site visitors can learn about meetings and see the list of LTRG member organizations.

Team Lake County has created a public Facebook page, www.facebook.com/teamlakecounty, which enables conversation and comments from viewers. Facebook membership is not required. A website is available at www.teamlakecounty.org.

For more information on California’s wildfire recovery, visit: caloes.ca.gov or fema.gov/disaster/4240 and follow us on Twitter @femaregion9 and @Cal_OES and on Facebook at facebook.com/FEMA and facebook.com/CaliforniaOES.

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Long-Term Recovery Groups Provide Safety Net for Calaveras and Lake County Wildfire Survivors

Return SBA Application Now Because Flood Damage May Show Up Later

COLUMBIA, S.C. –Expensive flood-related damage is not always evident immediately.

Survivors of South Carolina’s October heavy rains and severe floods may be unaware of issues that might show up in their homes or businesses in the weeks or months after the flood. These include:

Malfunctions to furnaces or other expensive appliances not in use during the flood
Home foundation settling
Unknown structure damage

Eligible applicants may use U.S. Small Business Administration low-interest disaster loans to pay for these repairs. Nobody is required to accept a loan but having an offer may assist eligible applicants with financial resources if they discover flood-related damage.

It’s also important for survivors who registered with FEMA to return completed SBA applications because it may make them eligible for certain FEMA grants. These grants include paying for flood-damaged furniture, appliances and vehicles.

The South Carolina Emergency Management Division, FEMA and the SBA encourage survivors to increase their options in finding ways to pay for undiscovered damage by returning completed SBA disaster loan applications by Jan. 4, 2016.

Homeowners may be eligible to receive low-interest loans of up to $200,000 for flood-related repairs to their primary residences. Homeowners and renters may also borrow up to $40,000 to repair or replace damaged or destroyed personal items such as appliances, furniture and vehicles. Businesses and private nonprofits may borrow up to $2 million to repair or replace flood-damaged property. Eligible applicants may be able to borrow money from the SBA before insurance claim decisions.

Many survivors were referred to the SBA following their application with FEMA. They may obtain more information by visiting the SBA website sba.gov/disaster or call SBA’s Disaster Assistance Customer Service Center at 800-659-2955 or TTY 800-877-8339. Those who use 711 or Video Relay Service may call 800-659-2955.

Survivors may apply online using the Electronic Loan Application via the SBA’s secure website at disasterloan.sba.gov/ela.

They may also visit any disaster recovery center where SBA customer service representatives can answer questions, help complete loan applications and close loans. For the nearest location go to asd.fema.gov/inter/locator/home.htm.

Survivors may register with FEMA online at DisasterAssistance.gov or by calling 800-621-3362 or TTY 800-462-7585 toll free from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily. Survivors who use 711 or Video Relay Service may call 800-621-3362. The last day to register is Jan. 3, 2016.

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Return SBA Application Now Because Flood Damage May Show Up Later

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