Recovery Includes a Plan for Long-Term Housing

BATON ROUGE, La — For Louisiana flood survivors, recovery may include short-term FEMA assistance. Keep in mind that FEMA’s housing assistance comes with periodic checks on the need for continued help—and housing plans. Recovery is about planning.

Applicants may qualify for continued assistance if they demonstrate their need and develop a longer-term or permanent housing plan or demonstrate progress in one. A contractor’s estimate on repairs or a report on repairs can point to progress. Applicants need to keep rental receipts, canceled checks or money orders showing proper use of previous rental assistance. Recovery progress can be marked by accepting the first offer of adequate, alternate housing when it becomes available.

FEMA housing occupants with no housing plans will be given information and tools to help them find available housing. The FEMA helpline at 800-621-FEMA (3362) or TTY, at 800-462-7585 can assist with a list of rental properties. For a rental-unit database, check https://asd.fema.gov/inter/hportal/home.htm. Survivors should keep in contact with their insurance companies, their case managers if assigned, and with FEMA; each may open a door to another recovery opportunity.

FEMA aims to be a good steward of taxpayer dollars by requiring applicants to demonstrate they have a continuing need for temporary assistance. Applications for continued assistance will be mailed to homeowners. Renters can call the FEMA helpline and ask for an application. Renters need to contact their previous landlords to find out if they will be permitted to move back into their former units.

Recovery for many Louisiana flood survivors began with finding a place to stay, a temporary refuge. With others it began with removing debris, mucking out a home or re-opening a business.  Each recovery story has a beginning, a middle and an outcome defined by a more stable situation. FEMA’s assistance will not make Louisiana flood survivors whole again, but can help in making the first few important steps to recovery.

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Recovery Includes a Plan for Long-Term Housing

Disaster Recovery Center in East Feliciana Parish Closing Saturday

BATON ROUGE, La. – The disaster recovery center at the following address is closing at 6 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 17:

East Feliciana Parish

Location:  Gym at the Early Learning Center
                  9414 Plank Road (Highway 67)
                  Clinton, LA 70722

With the community continuing to repair and rebuild, its need for this disaster recovery center has diminished, leading to the facility’s closure.

Survivors can still visit any other disaster recovery centers and may locate other centers near them by going online to fema.gov/disaster-recovery-centers, calling the FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362, or downloading the FEMA mobile app.

For more information or to register with FEMA, go online with any computer, smartphone or tablet to DisasterAssistance.gov, call the FEMA Helpline, or download the FEMA mobile app. Help is available in most languages and the FEMA Helpline is open 6 a.m. to 10 p.m., seven days a week, until further notice.  

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Disaster Recovery Center in East Feliciana Parish Closing Saturday

Louisiana Disaster Survivors Should Expect to Be Contacted

BATON ROUGE, La. —  If you’re a Louisiana disaster survivor who applied for federal help, you may get a text from FEMA to let you know about your application status.

In an effort to enhance communication with disaster survivors, FEMA is now using texts to connect with applicants. This allows survivors to communicate quickly and easily with the agency.

You may still be contacted through email or telephone if you chose one of those as your preferred communication method when you applied for federal help.

You may then check your application’s status by going online to disasterassistance.gov or downloading and using the FEMA app and then logging into your account.  You may also call the FEMA helpline at 800-621-3362. If you use TTY, call 800-462-7585. If you use 711 or Video Relay Service (VRS) call 800-621-3362. You may also use these resources to update your contact information.
Just ask if you require additional communication assistance. FEMA has access to foreign language and sign language interpreters and can provide materials in Braile, large print and electronic formats.

Remember never to provide personal information such as Social Security or bank account numbers to anybody. FEMA only requests this information when you first apply for federal disaster assistance. FEMA inspectors only require verification of identity.

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Louisiana Disaster Survivors Should Expect to Be Contacted

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 Center Opens in Johns Island to Help South Carolina Flood Survivors

COLUMBIA, S.C. – A disaster recovery center is open in Johns Island to help South Carolina flood survivors. This Charleston County center is open 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday until further notice.

The disaster recovery center is located at:
Berkeley Electric Cooperative
3351 Maybank Highway, Johns Island

Representatives from the South Carolina Emergency Management Division, Federal Emergency Management Agency, U.S. Small Business Administration and other agencies are at the center to answer questions about disaster assistance and low-interest loans. They can also help survivors apply for aid.

It is not necessary to visit a center to register for and receive state/federal disaster assistance. If possible, survivors should register with FEMA before visiting a recovery center.

To register, go online to DisasterAssistance.gov or call the FEMA helpline at 800-621-3362. Help is available in most languages and phone lines are open 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days a week until further notice.

Disaster survivors who are deaf, hard of hearing or have a speech disability and use a TTY may call 800-462-7585 to register. Those who use 711 or VRS (Video Relay Service) or require accommodations while visiting a center may call 800-621-3362. All disaster recovery centers are accessible and equipped with tools to accommodate disaster survivors who need disability-related communication aids.

Additional disaster recovery centers are open in affected South Carolina counties. For information call the FEMA helpline at 800-621-3362 or go online to www.DisasterAssistance.gov or https://www.fema.gov/disaster/4241.

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Disaster Recovery Center Opens in Johns Island to Help South Carolina Flood Survivors

Disaster Recovery Center Opens in Calhoun County to Help South Carolina Flood Survivors

COLUMBIA, S.C. – A disaster recovery center is open in St. Matthews to help South Carolina flood survivors. This Calhoun County center is open 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. seven days a week until further notice.

Representatives from the South Carolina Emergency Management Division, Federal Emergency Management Agency, U.S. Small Business Administration and other agencies are at the center to answer questions about disaster assistance and low-interest loans. They can also help survivors apply for aid.

The disaster recovery center is located at the following address:

John Ford Community Center

304 Agnes St.

St. Matthews, SC 29135

It is not necessary to visit a center to register for and receive state-federal disaster assistance. If possible, survivors should register with FEMA before visiting a recovery center.

To register go online any time to DisasterAssistance.gov or call the FEMA helpline at 800-621-3362. Help is available in most languages and phone lines are open 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days a week until further notice.

Disaster survivors who are deaf, hard of hearing or have a speech disability and use a TTY may call 800-462-7585 to register. Those who use 711 or VRS (Video Relay Service) or require accommodations while visiting a center may call 800-621-3362. All disaster recovery centers are accessible and equipped with tools to accommodate disaster survivors who need disability-related communication aids.

Additional disaster recovery centers are open in affected South Carolina counties. For information call the FEMA helpline at 800-621-3362 or go online to www.DisasterAssistance.gov or https://www.fema.gov/disaster/4241.

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Disaster Recovery Center Opens in Calhoun County to Help South Carolina Flood Survivors

Disaster Recovery Centers Open in Williamsburg, Orangeburg Counties

COLUMBIA, S.C. – New disaster recovery centers are open in Livingston and Kingstree to help South Carolinians who experienced losses from the recent floods.

Representatives from the South Carolina Emergency Management Division, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the U.S. Small Business Administration and other public and private agencies are at the centers to discuss disaster-assistance programs and help survivors find resources for recovery.

Locations and hours of the new recovery centers:

Williamsburg County

Williamsburg Recreation Center

2084 Thurgood Marshall Hwy

Kingstree

Seven day a week, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Orangeburg County

Neeses Town Hall

6357 Savannah Hwy

Livingston

Seven day a week, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.

It is not necessary to visit a center to register for and receive state-federal disaster assistance. If possible, survivors should register with FEMA before visiting a recovery center. To register go online any time to DisasterAssistance.gov or call the FEMA helpline at 800-621-3362.  Help is available in most languages, and phone lines are open 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days a week until further notice.

Disaster survivors who are deaf, hard of hearing or have a speech disability and use a TTY may call 800-462-7585 to register. Those who use 711 or VRS (Video Relay Service) or require accommodations while visiting a center may call 800-621-3362. All disaster recovery centers are accessible and equipped with tools to accommodate disaster survivors who need disability-related communication aids.

Federal and state disaster assistance for eligible individuals and families can include money for temporary rental assistance and essential home repairs for primary residences and help with other serious disaster-related losses not covered by insurance.

Low-interest disaster recovery loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration are the primary means of federal help for disaster survivors, including homeowners, renters and businesses of all sizes. Individuals and businesses should first register with FEMA. For information on SBA disaster recovery loans call 800-659-2955 (TTY 800-877-8339) or go online to SBA.gov/disaster. An application for an SBA disaster recovery loan may be completed online at https://disasterloan.sba.gov/ela.

Additional disaster recovery centers are open in Charleston, Clarendon, Darlington, Dorchester, Florence, Georgetown, Horry, Kershaw, Lee, Lexington, Orangeburg, Richland and Sumter  counties. For information on the locations of recovery centers call the FEMA helpline at 800-621-3362 or go online to https://www.fema.gov/disaster/4241.

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Disaster Recovery Centers Open in Williamsburg, Orangeburg Counties

Kentucky Storm Survivors Urged to Stay in Touch with FEMA

FRANKFORT, Ky. – Kentucky storm survivors who have registered for disaster assistance are urged to stay in touch with the Federal Emergency Management Agency and keep their contact information current throughout the recovery process.

If survivors change their addresses, telephone numbers, bank accounts or insurance information, it is important that they share the new information with FEMA.

Those who need to update their contact information or have questions concerning FEMA correspondence can call FEMA’s toll-free helpline at 800-621-3362 (TTY 800-462-7585, Video Relay Service 800-621-3362) from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. (Eastern Daylight Time) or go online to www.DisasterAssistance.gov.

Survivors can also call the helpline to:           

  • Ask questions about disaster assistance.
  • Track the progress of their FEMA application.
  • Get information about the inspection process.
  • Learn about the steps to appeal a FEMA decision.

FEMA has made it a priority to reach everyone who needs help – including people with disabilities and/or access and functional needs, senior citizens and people with limited English proficiency – and to make sure all survivor needs are met after the April storms.

To learn more about what preventive measures to take before, during and after an emergency, visit www.ready.gov.

 

 

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Kentucky Storm Survivors Urged to Stay in Touch with FEMA