Federal Aid Programs Available for the Commonwealth of Virginia Declaration

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 Virginia.

Assistance for Affected Individuals and Families Can Include as Required:

  • Rental payments for temporary housing for those whose homes are unlivable.  Initial assistance may be provided for up to three months for homeowners and at least one month for renters.  Assistance may be extended if requested after the initial period based on a review of individual applicant requirements.  (Source: FEMA funded and administered.)
  • Grants for home repairs and replacement of essential household items not covered by insurance to make damaged dwellings safe, sanitary and functional.  (Source: FEMA funded and administered.)
  • Grants to replace personal property and help meet medical, dental, funeral, transportation and other serious disaster-related needs not covered by insurance or other federal, commonwealth and charitable aid programs.   (Source: FEMA funded at 75 percent of total eligible costs; 25 percent funded by the commonwealth.)
  • Unemployment payments up to 26 weeks for workers who temporarily lost jobs because of the disaster and who do not qualify for commonwealth benefits, such as self-employed individuals.  (Source: FEMA funded; commonwealth administered.)
  • Low-interest loans to cover residential losses not fully compensated by insurance.  Loans available up to $200,000 for primary residence; $40,000 for personal property, including renter losses.  Loans available up to $2 million for business property losses not fully compensated by insurance.  (Source: U.S. Small Business Administration.)
  • Loans up to $2 million for small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives and most private, non-profit organizations of all sizes that have suffered disaster-related cash flow problems and need funds for working capital to recover from the disaster’s adverse economic impact.  This loan in combination with a property loss loan cannot exceed a total of $2 million. (Source: U.S. Small Business Administration.)
  • Loans up to $500,000 for farmers, ranchers and aquaculture operators to cover production and property losses, excluding primary residence.  (Source: Farm Service Agency, U.S. Dept. of Agriculture.)
  • Other relief programs: Crisis counseling for those traumatized by the disaster; income tax assistance for filing casualty losses; advisory assistance for legal, veterans’ benefits and social security matters.

How to Apply for Assistance:

Individuals and business owners who sustained losses in the designated area can begin applying for assistance by registering online at www.DisasterAssistance.gov or by calling 1-800-621-FEMA (3362).  Disaster assistance applicants, who have a speech disability or hearing loss and use TTY, should call 1-800-462-7585 directly; for those who use 711 or Video Relay Service (VRS), call 1-800-621-3362. The toll-free telephone numbers will operate from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. (local time) seven days a week until further notice.

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

  • 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.)

FEMA’s mission is to support our citizens and 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.

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. 

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Federal Aid Programs Available for the Commonwealth of Virginia Declaration

Flood Survivors May Be Eligible for Lodging Expense Reimbursement

BATON ROUGE, La. – Flood survivors who have registered with FEMA may be eligible for reimbursement if they had to pay out-of-pocket for temporary lodging because of flood damage to their primary residence.

You may be eligible for lodging expense reimbursement if you:

  • register with FEMA;
  • pass identity verification;
  • verify occupancy in a primary residence within a declared parish;
  • verify that their primary residence is uninhabitable or inaccessible;
  • incurred disaster-related temporary lodging expenses on or after the incident period start date — in this case, Aug. 12, 2016;
  • do not have insurance that would cover lodging and therefore duplicate benefits; and
  • did not receive lodging assistance during the same time period.

Reimbursement funds are available for eligible applicants up to the maximum amount of financial assistance — $33,000 — available through FEMA’s Individuals and Households Program. Applicants who have already received the maximum grant available will not be eligible for lodging expense reimbursement.

Survivors who are approved for lodging expense reimbursement must submit zero balance receipts to FEMA in order to receive payment. Reimbursement will not cover incidental costs such as phone calls, laundry, internet, pay-per-view, food, or pet care. 
 

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Flood Survivors May Be Eligible for Lodging Expense Reimbursement

Sixty Days Later: Signs of Recovery as Work Continues

BATON ROUGE, La. – Sixty days have passed since torrential rains caused historic flooding in Louisiana. The August storms dumped an estimated seven trillion gallons of rainwater across southern Louisiana—more than four times the amount of water contained in Lake Pontchartrain.

Even before the flood waters subsided, members of federal, state, and voluntary agencies quickly responded to provide disaster assistance. Signs of recovery are visible as disaster assistance funds and other forms of relief continue to reach survivors.

Assistance to Individuals

To date, more than 150,000 individuals and families have registered for FEMA disaster assistance. Survivors can register with FEMA by going online to DisasterAssistance.gov, calling the FEMA helpline at 800-621-3362, or downloading the FEMA mobile app.

  • Disaster Survivor Assistance (DSA) specialists continue to visit affected neighborhoods to help survivors register for assistance.
  • These specialists have met face-to-face with more than 117,000 individuals and registered more than 4,000 applicants.
  • Survivors have also had the option to visit Disaster Recovery Centers (DRCs) for registration and other assistance from representatives of FEMA, the U.S. Small Business Administration, and other organizations. More than 58,000 survivors have been assisted by DRC staffers.
  • Survivors can locate a DRC near them by going online to fema.gov/disaster-recovery-centers, calling the FEMA helpline, or downloading the FEMA mobile app.

Survivors have been given more than $695 million in disaster assistance through FEMA’s Individuals and Households Program.

  • Of that number, more than $558 million in housing assistance has gone to helping survivors find temporary housing solutions and rebuild their homes. This money has contributed to a variety of beneficial programs, including:

  • Transitional Sheltering Assistance (TSA), which allows eligible survivors to stay in hotel rooms billed directly to FEMA. Currently, 2,503 applicants are taking advantage of TSA.

  • Rental Assistance, which allows eligible survivors to receive funding to pay for temporary rental housing. More than $120 million in rental assistance has been approved.

  • Manufactured Housing Units (MHUs), specialized housing units that serve as a last-resort option for survivors who cannot find other viable housing solutions. To date, 448 applicants are licensed in to MHUs. 

  • An additional $136 million was given out for Other Needs Assistance, which helps survivors cover the costs of necessary items and services such as transportation, medical and dental expenses, clothing and funeral costs.

Public Assistance

More than $187 million in disaster assistance has been awarded by FEMA’s Public Assistance program for flood-related costs such as:

  • emergency response operations;

  • road reconstruction;

  • police vehicles; and

  • debris removal

The Public Assistance program is helping the state of Louisiana and local jurisdictions to fund debris removal operations. The flooding generated an estimated 4 million cubic yards of debris; to date, 88 percent of that has been removed.

SBA Assistance

The U.S. Small Business Administration has approved more than 12,500 low-interest disaster loans totaling $916 million. While these loans cannot duplicate benefits from insurance or other federal aid, they are available to businesses, private nonprofits, homeowners and renters.

NFIP Claims

The National Flood Insurance Program has paid out $776 million on more than 29,000 claims. FEMA recommends homeowners and renters invest in flood insurance; residents do not have to live in a floodplain to be eligible for flood insurance and its benefits.

USDA Assistance

To date, the U.S. Department of Agriculture has given out more than $48 million through the Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (D-SNAP). Regular Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) households received another $30 million in disaster-related benefits.

AmeriCorps Assistance

Members of AmeriCorps have assessed nearly 400 flood-damaged homes and performed muck-and-gut operations on 339 of those homes, removing nearly 15,000 cubic yards of debris.

Disaster Unemployment Assistance

Nearly 700 applications for Disaster Unemployment Assistance were approved for more than $595,000. This assistance goes directly to survivors who lost their jobs due to the flooding.

Crisis Counseling

More than 1,400 households have taken advantage of disaster-related crisis counseling, meeting with counselors in shelters, DRCs and via community outreach.
Grant funding has also been requested for the Crisis Counseling Regular Services Program, which would allow survivors to receive crisis counseling for the nine months following the disaster declaration. 
 

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Sixty Days Later: Signs of Recovery as Work Continues

You Can Help to Move Your FEMA Assistance Request Forward

BATON ROUGE, La. — You can make a big difference in getting fast action on your FEMA application by providing all the information needed and then staying in touch. The state and FEMA rely on that information to process each claim.

When you register with FEMA, the facts you provide are used to determine what types of assistance you may be eligible to receive. When all the information is complete, FEMA is able to make a decision regarding your disaster aid.

There are a number of reasons flood survivors receive ineligibility letters and yet may qualify for assistance. For example, you may still need to:

  • Return insurance information
    • If you have flood insurance, contact your insurance company and ask for a settlement letter detailing exactly what is covered under your claim.
    • Hand in the letter at a disaster recovery center or mail insurance settlement information to FEMA – Individuals & Households Program
      • National Processing Service Center,
        P.O. Box 10055
        Hyattsville, MD 20782-7055
    • FEMA cannot provide money to individuals or households for losses already covered by insurance.
  • Provide information to prove occupancy or ownership of the damaged property
    • Utility bills, tax receipts, rental receipts are all proof you lived at the address.
  • Fill out all necessary paperwork and update your contact information
    • Answer all questions on the form.
    • Let FEMA know each time you move or change a phone number:
      • By going online to DisasterAssistance.gov;
      • By calling 800-621-3362 from  6 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily;
      • Persons who are deaf, hard of hearing or have a speech disability and use a TTY may call 800-462-7585. Applicants who use 711 or Video Relay Service may also call 800-621-3362;
      • By talking face-to-face with a specialist at a disaster recovery center. Find the closest one at fema.gov/disaster-recovery-centers or by calling the FEMA helpline at 800-621-3362; or
      • By downloading the FEMA mobile app.
  • Complete and return the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) loan application.
    • Be sure to return the completed SBA loan application even if you choose to decline the loan.
    • Filling out the loan application is a necessary step so you can be considered for additional forms of disaster assistance.

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You Can Help to Move Your FEMA Assistance Request Forward

FEMA Reinterment Assistance

FEMA disaster assistance may be available for reinterment efforts in Louisiana cemeteries, where floodwaters have dislodged or destroyed caskets, vaults, and mausoleums.

FEMA disaster assistance for reinterment of exposed human remains or dislodged burial vessels is available to individual survivors and cemeteries on a case-by-case basis. Factors that affect eligibility for assistance include where the cemeteries are located, who has legal responsibility for them, and who has legal ownership of them.

Information regarding reinterment assistance is available at the FEMA helpline,
800-621-3362. Help is available in most languages from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m., seven days a week, until further notice.

Private versus Public Cemeteries

When determining eligibility for FEMA reinterment assistance,

  • Private refers to:
    • Cemeteries owned and operated by a private entity
    • Cemeteries owned and operated by a private nonprofit (PNP) entity
    • Cemeteries maintained by an individual or family on their own private property
  • Public refers to:
    • Cemeteries owned and operated by a governmental entity
    • Abandoned private cemeteries for which a governmental entity has assumed full legal responsibility

FEMA Reinterment Assistance Regarding Private Cemeteries

  • Reinterment costs may be eligible, regardless of the cemetery type, when those costs are the legal responsibility of an individual and not the cemetery
  • Individuals or families who maintain a cemetery on their own private property may also be eligible for reinterment assistance through the Other Needs Assistance provision of FEMA’s Individuals and Households Program
  • In order to be considered for reinterment assistance from FEMA, individuals or families must register with FEMA and provide the following documentation:
    • A signed statement from an authoritative medical official (e.g., a coroner or medical examiner) stating that the disinterment was a direct result of the flooding
    • Receipts or verifiable estimates for reinterment expenses that prove the cost for reinterment will fall upon the individuals being considered for assistance
    • Any applicable documentation of burial insurance or prior reinterment assistance from any voluntary or governmental agency
  • Survivors can register with FEMA by going online with any computer, smartphone or tablet to DisasterAssistance.gov, calling the FEMA helpline at 800-621-3362, or downloading the FEMA mobile app
  • Individuals or families who receive reinterment assistance may be reimbursed for:
    • Transferring remains
    • Caskets, containers, vaults or urns that were damaged
    • Markers or headstones that were damaged
    • Necessary costs related to identifying remains
    • Necessary work at the gravesite to reinter remains
  • Individuals or families who receive FEMA reinterment assistance are responsible for understanding and abiding by any applicable local, parish,or state laws or ordinances regarding human remains and their interment

FEMA Reinterment Assistance for Public Cemeteries

  • Public cemeteries may be eligible for FEMA reinterment assistance through FEMA’s Public Assistance program
  • In order to be considered for FEMA reinterment assistance through the Public Assistance program, the owner and/or operator of the public cemetery must apply via louisianapa.com
  • Owners and/or operators of public cemeteries who receive FEMA reinterment assistance are responsible for understanding and abiding by any applicable local, parish, or state laws or ordinances regarding human remains and their interment

If You Are Ineligible for FEMA Reinterment Assistance

  • If you are deemed ineligible for FEMA reinterment assistance, contact your local or parish government to determine if any other assistance programs are available

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FEMA Reinterment Assistance

SBA Disaster Loan Outreach Center Opens in Tomball (Harris County)

AUSTIN, Texas – The U.S. Small Business Administration opened a disaster loan outreach center this week.

Location:
Tomball Community Center
Library Room
221 Market St.
Tomball, TX 77375

Hours:
9 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Thursday
8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Fridays
Closed Saturdays and Sundays

SBA customer service representatives are available to meet with business owners and residents to answer questions, explain SBA’s disaster loan program and close their approved disaster loans. Business owners and residents can meet with SBA representatives on the days and times indicated. No appointment is necessary.

Applicants for disaster loans may apply online using the electronic loan application via SBA’s secure website at disasterloan.sba.gov/ela

Disaster loan information and application forms are also available from SBA’s Customer Service Center by calling 800-659-2955 or emailing disastercustomerservice@sba.gov. Individuals who are deaf or hard-of-hearing may call 800-877-8339. For more disaster assistance information or to download applications, visit sba.gov/disaster.

Completed paper applications should be mailed to:

U.S. Small Business Administration
Processing and Disbursement Center
14925 Kingsport Rd.
Fort Worth, TX 76155

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SBA Disaster Loan Outreach Center Opens in Tomball (Harris County)

Former Conroe (Montgomery County) Disaster Recovery Center now a Disaster Loan Outreach Center

AUSTIN, Texas—FEMA’s disaster recovery center at Conroe is now operating as a U.S. Small Business Administration disaster loan outreach center.

The disaster loan outreach center opened Monday at 9 a.m. and will operate through Wednesday, Aug. 10.

Location:      
Lone Star College
3200 College Park Dr.
General Academic Center Building, Room G122
Conroe, TX 77384

Hours:           
9 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Friday
Closed Saturdays and Sundays

SBA customer service representatives will be available to meet with business owners and residents to answer questions, explain SBA’s disaster loan program and close their approved disaster loans. Business owners and residents can meet with SBA representatives on the days and times indicated. No appointment is necessary.

Applicants for disaster loans may apply online using the electronic loan application via SBA’s secure website at disasterloan.sba.gov/ela.

Disaster loan information and application forms are also available from SBA’s Customer Service Center by calling 800-659-2955 or emailing disastercustomerservice@sba.gov. Individuals who are deaf or hard‑of‑hearing may call 800-877-8339. For more disaster assistance information or to download applications, visit sba.gov/disaster.

Completed applications should be mailed to:

U.S. Small Business Administration
Processing and Disbursement Center
14925 Kingsport Rd.
Fort Worth, TX 76155

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Former Conroe (Montgomery County) Disaster Recovery Center now a Disaster Loan Outreach Center

Disaster Recovery Center Opens

CHARLESTON, W.v. – The Federal Emergency Management Agency announced today a Disaster Recovery Center will be opening to assist survivors affected by the West Virginia Flooding. Disaster Recovery Centers (DRC) are one-stop shops for eligible storm survivors to provide one- on-one, face-to-face help. The location is:

Kanawha County

Kanawha County Crede Warehouse

3300 Pennsylvania Ave

Charleston, WV 25302

Opening today at 10 a.m.-7 p.m., Tuesday (6/28/2016) 7 a.m. – 7 p.m., (open seven days a week)

Individuals do not have to visit a Disaster Recovery Center to register with FEMA. FEMA urges those who have not yet registered to do so as soon as possible by visiting DisasterAssistance.gov. FEMA also accepts registrations through your smartphone at m.fema.gov. For those without access to the internet, FEMA has a toll-free number at 1-800- 621-FEMA (3362) or (TTY) 1-800-462-7585 for the deaf or hard of hearing.

To learn more about Disaster Recovery Centers, go to FEMA.gov/disaster-recovery-centers. Federal disaster assistance for individuals and families can include money for rental assistance, essential home repairs, personal property loss and other serious disaster-related needs not covered by insurance.

For more information on West Virginia’s disaster recovery, visit fema.gov/disaster/4273,  twitter.com/FEMA, facebook.com/FEMA and fema.gov/blog.

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 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.

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Disaster Recovery Center Opens

Residents of Four More Texas Counties Eligible to Apply for Disaster Assistance

AUSTIN, Texas – Individuals and families in Fort Bend, Liberty, Montgomery and San Jacinto counties can now register for assistance for the April floods after FEMA granted the state’s request to add them to the disaster declaration.

They join the eight counties already approved for individual assistance under the April 25 federal disaster declaration: Austin, Colorado, Fayette, Grimes, Harris, Parker, Waller and Wharton counties.  

Texans who suffered damage or loss as a result of the severe storms and flooding that occurred April 17-24 are encouraged to apply for assistance. Disaster assistance for homeowners and renters may include grants to help pay for temporary housing and essential home repairs, as well as other serious disaster-related needs such as medical and dental expenses.

Texans in the 12 counties can register online at DisasterAssistance.gov or by phone at

800-621-3362 (FEMA). Persons who are deaf, hard of hearing or have a speech disability and use a TTY may call 800-462-7585. Applicants who use 711 or Video Relay Service may also call 800-621-3362. The toll-free numbers are open from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., seven days a week. Multilingual operators are available.

Those who had flood or storm damage should register with FEMA even if they have insurance. FEMA cannot duplicate insurance payments, but underinsured applicants may be eligible for help after their insurance claims have been settled.

Before starting repairs or rebuilding a home or business, it is important to contact the local building code official or floodplain manager. Visit fema.gov/texas-disaster-mitigation for free publications and reference material on rebuilding and repairing safer and stronger.

Low-interest disaster loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration are available for eligible survivors. SBA helps businesses of all sizes (including landlords), private non-profit organizations, homeowners and renters fund repairs or rebuilding efforts and cover the cost of replacing lost or disaster-damaged personal property. Disaster loans cover losses not fully compensated by insurance or other recoveries.

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

Disaster loan information and application forms are also available from SBA’s Customer Service Center by calling 800-659-2955 or emailing disastercustomerservice@sba.gov. Individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing may call 800-877-8339. For more disaster assistance information or to download applications, visit sba.gov/disaster. Completed applications should be mailed to: U.S. Small Business Administration, Processing and Disbursement Center, 14925 Kingsport Road, Fort Worth, TX  76155.

For more information on Texas recovery, visit the disaster webpage for the April storms at fema.gov/disaster/4269; or visit the Texas Division of Emergency Management website, txdps.state.tx.us/dem. Follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/femaregion6.

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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.

 

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Residents of Four More Texas Counties Eligible to Apply for Disaster Assistance

FEMA’s ‘Help After a Disaster’ Guide Available in PDF in Many Languages

AUSTIN, Texas – Texans affected by the April storms and flooding can get their questions answered in many languages by accessing the FEMA booklet “Help After a Disaster: Applicant’s Guide to the Individuals & Households Program.”

The guide provides information on the types of assistance available and how survivors in the disaster-impacted area might qualify for housing assistance and other grants and essential needs. It also explains the types of eligible losses covered by the program and information about insurance settlements and uninsured, disaster‐related necessary expenses. Applicants must meet specific eligibility requirements to qualify for help.

The guide, fema.gov/help-after-disaster, is available in English, Spanish, Arabic, Urdu, Vietnamese, Chinese and many other languages.

In Texas, federal disaster assistance is available to residents of Austin, Colorado, Fayette, Grimes, Harris, Parker, Waller and Wharton counties who suffered damage from the April 17-24 storms.

Survivors in the affected counties are urged to register for assistance the following ways:

  • online at DisasterAssistance.gov;
  • phone (voice, 711 or video relay service) 800-621-3362 (FEMA), TTY 800-462-7585. Toll-free lines are open 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. local time, seven days a week. Multilingual operators are available.
  • by visiting any disaster recovery center in the disaster-impacted counties.

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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.

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FEMA’s ‘Help After a Disaster’ Guide Available in PDF in Many Languages

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