FEMA Urges You to Spend Disaster Funds Wisely

CHARLESTON, W.Va. – More than $23.5 million in federal assistance has been approved by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to help West Virginians recover from the devastating severe storms, floods, landslides and mudslides that struck the state during the incident period of June 22-29, 2016.  While assistance is tax-free and grants don’t have to be repaid, FEMA urges you to use the funds quickly, wisely and only for disaster-related expenses.

When a grant is awarded, FEMA will send you a letter listing approved uses including:

  • home repairs (e.g., structure, water, septic and sewage systems)

  • rental assistance for a different place to live temporarily

  • repair or replacement of a flooded essential vehicle

  • medical care for an injury caused by the disaster

  • repair, cleaning or replacement of clothing, specialized tools

  • necessary educational materials (e.g., computers, school books, supplies)

  • moving and storage expenses related to the disaster

  • other disaster-related expenses

You may spend your FEMA grant in any way that helps you achieve the goal of permanent, safe, sanitary and functional housing.

  • Rental assistance grants are provided for temporary housing when a disaster leaves your home uninhabitable or inaccessible.

  • You, as a homeowner or renter, can choose to rent an apartment, house, mobile home or some other temporary rental unit.

  • If you intend to seek continued rental assistance, you’ll need receipts to show you used the grant for rent.

Disaster grants should not be used for regular living expenses, such as utilities, food, medical or dental bills not related to the disaster, travel, entertainment or any discretionary expense not related to the disaster.

It’s important to remember that federal law prohibits duplicating federal grants from other sources, i.e., “double-dipping.” FEMA also encourages you to keep your receipts for three years to show how the funds were spent. After every major disaster FEMA conducts audits of disaster assistance payments to ensure taxpayer dollars were properly provided by the agency and appropriately used by recipients.

When you get a letter from FEMA, read it carefully. If you have any questions, call the FEMA Helpline, 800-621-3362; TTY users can call 800-462-7585. You can visit one of the 11 Disaster Recovery Centers open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday through Sunday, weather permitting. To locate the closest center, call the Helpline or visit http://go.usa.gov/x3NnJ, or download the FEMA APP to your mobile device. 

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FEMA Urges You to Spend Disaster Funds Wisely

FEMA Disaster Assistance Tops $2 Million for Arkansas Recovery

NORTH LITTLE ROCK – More than $2 million in assistance to date is helping the residents of nine Arkansas counties recover from the severe storms, tornadoes, straight-line winds, and flooding, May 7 to June 15, 2015.

Recovery officials caution though, that the time to register for federal help is running out.  The deadline to apply for assistance is Aug. 25, 2015.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Arkansas Department of Emergency Management provide this current summary of assistance:

More than $922,323 in housing aid to help homeowners and renters:

  • Rent temporary housing for a limited period of time;

  • Repair damage from the disaster to a homeowner’s primary residence that is not covered by insurance. The goal is to make the home safe, sanitary and functional; and,

  • Help replace homes destroyed in the disaster.

More than $99,824 to help pay for:

  • Disaster-related medical and dental costs;

  • Disaster-related funeral and burial costs;

  • Clothing, household items, tools required for work and necessary educational materials;

  • Clean-up items;

  • Disaster-damaged vehicles;

  • Moving and storage expenses related to the disaster; and

  • Other necessary expenses or serious needs as determined by FEMA.

Also, $1,082,000 in low-interest disaster loans for homeowners, renters, businesses and private nonprofit organizations has been approved by the U.S. Small Business Administration.

Residents of Crawford, Garland, Howard, Jefferson, Little River, Miller, Perry, Sebastian, and Sevier counties are encouraged to register for assistance with FEMA before the Aug. 25, 2015 deadline.

Individuals and business owners who sustained losses can apply for assistance by registering online at www.DisasterAssistance.gov or by calling 1-800-621-FEMA (3362) or by web enabled mobile device at m.fema.gov. 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. Multilingual operators are available.

The toll-free telephone numbers will operate from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. (local time) seven days a week until further notice. Multilingual operators are available.

The following is a by-county summary of assistance.

 

CRAWFORD COUNTY

 

Registrations

89

Housing Repairs and Rental Assistance

$61,210

Other Needs Assistance

$10,591

Individuals and Households Program Total

$71,801

U.S. Small Business Administration Loans

$80,400

 

GARLAND COUNTY

 

Registrations

43

Housing Repairs and Rental Assistance

$72,775

Other Needs Assistance

$140

Individuals and Households Program Total

$72,916

 

HOWARD COUNTY

 

Registrations

67

Housing Repairs and Rental Assistance

$61,443

Other Needs Assistance

$40,611

Individuals and Households Program Total

$102,054

U.S. Small Business Administration Loans

$54,500

 

JEFFERSON COUNTY

 

Registrations

162

Housing Repairs and Rental Assistance

$354,881

Other Needs Assistance

$29,072

Individuals and Households Program Total

$383,953

U.S. Small Business Administration Loans

$589.000

 

LITTLE RIVER COUNTY

 

Registrations

61

Housing Repairs and Rental Assistance

$114,750

Other Needs Assistance

$5,804

Individuals and Households Program Total

$120,554

 

MILLER COUNTY

 

Registrations

23

Housing Repairs and Rental Assistance

$86,787

Other Needs Assistance

$1,716

Individuals and Households Program Total

$88,502

 

PERRY COUNTY

 

Registrations

23

Housing Repairs and Rental Assistance

$89,421

Other Needs Assistance

$6,929

Individuals and Households Program Total

$96,351

U.S. Small Business Administration Loans

$315,800

 

SEBASTIAN COUNTY

 

Registrations

42

Housing Repairs and Rental Assistance

$43,201

Other Needs Assistance

$3,532

Individuals and Households Program Total

$46,733

 

SEVIER COUNTY

 

Registrations

37

Housing Repairs and Rental Assistance

$37,766

Other Needs Assistance

$1,428

Individuals and Households Program Total

$39,193

U.S. Small Business Administration Loans

$42.300

 

Approved assistance as of COB Aug. 2, 2015. U.S. SBA Administration loans are through July 29, 2015.

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.

 

 

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FEMA Disaster Assistance Tops $2 Million for Arkansas Recovery

Recertify to be Eligible for Continued Rental Help from FEMA

MONTGOMERY, Ala. – If your household is getting rental assistance from FEMA and repairs to your home are taking longer than expected, don’t forget you have to recertify your need to continue aid.

Alabama households currently receiving rental assistance through the Federal Emergency Management Agency because of damage from the severe storms, tornadoes, straight-line winds and flooding from April 28 through May 5 must provide the necessary paperwork to recertify for continued rental help.

FEMA may pay, through its Individuals and Households program, up to 18 months of rental assistance to both qualified homeowners and renters if they need to relocate while repairs are being made to their disaster-damaged residences.

An application for continued temporary housing will be sent to applicants who have received initial rental assistance approximately two weeks after the first rental award.

The application 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 to be submitted 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 usage of previous rental assistance,
  • Current income statements from family members living in the rental.

The 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, insurance and utility costs for the damaged home, and other housing commitment costs are all taken into consideration when determining continued eligibility.

Residents of Baldwin, Blount, DeKalb, Etowah, Jefferson, Lee, Limestone, Mobile or Tuscaloosa counties who suffered storm damage during the period April 28 through May 5 should apply for assistance by registering online at DisasterAssistance.gov, via smartphone at m.fema.gov or by phone at 800-621-3362, TTY 800-462-7585.  Multilingual operators are available.

The deadline to register for FEMA assistance is Tuesday, July 15, 2014.

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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.

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 childcare, medical, dental expenses and/or funeral expenses do not require individuals to apply for an SBA loan. However, those who receive SBA loan applications must submit them to SBA to be eligible for assistance that covers personal property, transportation, vehicle repair or replacement, and moving and storage expenses.

For more information on Alabama’s disaster recovery, visit www.fema.gov or http://www.ema.alabama.gov/.  For the joint Facebook page, go to www.facebook.com/AlabamaEMA. To receive Twitter updates: http://twitter.com/AlabamaEMA  or www.twitter.com/femaregion4

 

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Recertify to be Eligible for Continued Rental Help from FEMA

Recertify to be Eligible for Continued Rental Help

AURORA, Ill. – Illinois households currently receiving rental assistance through FEMA for the severe storms and flooding from April 16 to May 5 must provide the necessary paperwork to recertify for continued rental help in order to ensure no interruption of benefits.

FEMA may pay up to 18 months of rental assistance to both homeowners and renters if they need to relocate while repairs are being made to their disaster-damaged residence. The rental assistance is paid in two-month increments and can include the payment of a security deposit. The security deposit may include a pet deposit fee, but the amount of the security deposit plus the pet deposit fee cannot exceed one month’s rent.

An application for continued temporary housing will be sent to applicants who have received initial rental assistance approximately two weeks after the first rental award. It reaffirms that applicants have an ongoing need for temporary housing, either because disaster-related repairs are not completed or they have been unable to find permanent replacement housing.

Applicants who continue to need rental assistance must express an interest either verbally through the FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362 or in writing within 90 days after receipt of the application. The entire process must be completed within 120 days to be eligible. A new 90- and 120-day limit will begin with each rental recertification, and a new application needs to be filled out each cycle.

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 usage of previous rental assistance
  • Current income statements from family members living in the rental

The 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, insurance and utility costs for the damaged home, and other housing commitment costs are all taken into consideration when determining continued eligibility. An applicant who misses one cycle of recertification will not be eligible for continued rental assistance.

It is not necessary to visit a Disaster Recovery Center (DRC) to register with FEMA. Individuals can register online at www.disasterassistance.gov or via web-enabled phone at m.fema.gov. Applicants may also call 800-621-3362 or (TTY) 800-462-7585. People who use 711-Relay or Video Relay Services (VRS) can call 800-621-3362. For more information visit the Illinois Disaster website www.fema.gov/disaster/4116.

Multilingual phone operators are available on the FEMA helpline. Choose Option 2 for Spanish and Option 3 for other languages.

The deadline to register for FEMA disaster assistance is Tuesday, July 9.

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.

Follow FEMA online at twitter.com/femaregion5, www.facebook.com/fema, and ww.youtube.com/fema.  Also, follow Administrator Craig Fugate’s activities at twitter.com/craigatfema. The social media links provided are for reference only. FEMA does not endorse any non-government websites, companies or applications.

Media Contact: 571-408-1835

 

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Recertify to be Eligible for Continued Rental Help

For continued rental assistance, survivors must re-certify

NEW YORK – The Federal Emergency Management Agency understands that some survivors may need additional temporary rental assistance to help them achieve their permanent housing goals.

Most eligible applicants initially received four months of rental assistance and may be eligible for additional help, if their damaged residence is still not livable.

Applicants with an ongoing need for temporary rental assistance who have signed a valid lease agreement should:

  • Complete the “Declaration for Continuing Need for Rental Assistance” they received in the mail with all the applicable information and mail it back to FEMA at the address printed on the form.
  • Applicants will need to provide information of both pre-disaster and current expenses that are applicable to their households, such as pay stubs to verify income.
  • They also must provide a copy of their lease and the name and phone number of their landlord. 
  • Applicants who don’t have the form should contact FEMA’s helpline at 800-621-3362 (7-1-1 Relay or Video Relay Services are available) or (TTY) 800-462-7585.

The review process allows FEMA to be a good steward of taxpayer dollars by requiring applicants to demonstrate they have continuing housing needs.

FEMA recognizes this is a difficult time for Hurricane Sandy survivors and that some families need additional temporary assistance to assist them in their recovery. Therefore, families are encouraged to return to their repaired homes or to affordable housing as quickly as possible.

Applicants with any questions or concerns regarding temporary rental assistance should contact FEMA’s helpline, 800-621-3362.                                 

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.

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For continued rental assistance, survivors must re-certify

Survivors with Ongoing Housing Needs Should Stay in Touch with FEMA

New York – The Federal Emergency Management Agency understands that some Hurricane Sandy survivors may need additional temporary rental assistance to help them achieve their permanent housing goals.

All applicants who received temporary rental assistance from FEMA were mailed a “Declaration for Continuing Need for Rental Assistance” letter.

This form is mailed 15 days after applicants receive their initial rental assistance grant and explains how to request additional temporary rental assistance from FEMA.

To receive additional temporary rental assistance as quickly as possible, applicants must:

  • Complete the form with all the applicable information and mail it back to FEMA at the address printed on the form.
  • Applicants will need to provide information of both pre-disaster and current expenses that are applicable to their households such as pay-stubs to verify income.
  • They also must provide a copy of their lease and the name and phone number of their landlord.  
  • Applicants who don’t have the form should contact FEMA’s toll-free Help Line

800-621-FEMA (3362).

FEMA expects all families who receive temporary rental assistance to return to their damaged home when it is repaired or to locate and occupy affordable housing without FEMA rental assistance at their earliest opportunity. 

However, FEMA also recognizes this is a difficult time for Hurricane Sandy survivors and that some families need additional temporary assistance to assist them in their recovery. 

Survivors should not hesitate to contact the FEMA Help Line 800-621-FEMA (3362) with any questions or concerns regarding temporary rental assistance from FEMA.                                                                                                          

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

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Survivors with Ongoing Housing Needs Should Stay in Touch with FEMA