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Survivors have until Saturday to visit 4 disaster recovery centers in New York

NEW YORK – Hurricane Sandy survivors in New York have until 3 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 16, 2013, to visit four disaster recovery centers.

The State of New York and the Federal Emergency Management Agency closely monitor visitor traffic at all New York recovery centers. Traffic at the four centers has slowed, indicating the information needs of survivors in those areas have mostly been met. So far, there have been more than 13,000 visits to the four centers combined.

Survivors who need help may still visit any of the other centers that remain open throughout New York, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday.

Also, all recovery centers will suspend service Monday, Feb. 18, 2013, in observance of Presidents’ Day. The centers will reopen at 9 a.m. Tuesday, Feb. 19.

The four centers that are discontinuing service Feb. 16 are located at:

American Legion

209 Cross Bay Blvd.

Broad Channel, NY, 11693

Jewish Community Center

YM-YWHA

3300 Coney Island Ave.

Brooklyn, NY, 11235

Sheepshead Bay Club

3076 Emmons Ave.

Brooklyn, NY, 11235

Gerristen Beach Volunteer Fire Department Training Hall

43 Seba Ave.

Brooklyn, NY, 11229

To find the nearest 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, the Disaster Recovery Center locator is available online at www.FEMA.gov/disaster-recovery-centers.

Individuals also can 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 by downloading the FEMA app.

Survivors who have questions or want to register with FEMA can also call 800-621-3362 (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 7 a.m. to 1 a.m. EST, seven days a week until further notice.

Hurricane Sandy survivors in New York have until Feb. 27, 2013, to register for federal disaster assistance, which can include money for rent, 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.

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Survivors have until Saturday to visit 4 disaster recovery centers in New York

FEMA’s Public Assistance program helps New York rebuild

NEW YORK – Following Hurricane Sandy, the Federal Emergency Management Agency has been working to reimburse local governments and some private nonprofits for some of the costs of emergency response, debris removal and for repairing or rebuilding damaged public facilities.

So far, nearly $608 million in Public Assistance (PA) grant funding from FEMA has been approved for projects in the 14 New York counties designated for PA disaster assistance.

FEMA recognizes the financial burden on local agencies for response and recovery costs and is committed to helping ease that burden, according to Michael F. Byrne, FEMA’s federal coordinating officer for New York.

“The Public Assistance reimbursements will help significantly reduce the impact of Hurricane Sandy costs on local budgets,” Byrne said. “Our goal is to help agencies obtain the maximum disaster assistance they are eligible for under the law.”

More than 129 PA grants have been approved since the Oct. 30, 2012 Presidential disaster declaration, including a $103 million reimbursement to the New York Health and Hospitals Corporation to replace medical equipment and repair damaged clinics, $106 million for the NYPD for personnel overtime and materials used for emergency protective measures and more than $114 million to the New York University Langone Medical Center for patient evacuation, emergency repairs and clean-up of critical service and facilities.

To be eligible for PA grants, damage must be a result of the disaster, be located within the designated disaster area and be the responsibility of the applicant. Eligible applicants include state and local governments, tribal nations and certain private nonprofit (PNP) organizations that provide an essential public service.

There are two types of work eligible for reimbursement through a PA grant: emergency work and permanent work. Emergency work may include reimbursement for debris removal and emergency action

taken to protect lives or property. Permanent work may include reimbursement for repair or restoration of public facilities, such as roads, bridges and public buildings.

FEMA reimburses eligible applicants for 75 percent of their eligible costs. The remaining 25 percent comes from non-federal funds.

Other New York grants include: a $1,600 grant to the Mattituck Park District in North Fork for material to prevent further erosion to sidewalks, more than $112,000 to reimburse the Town of Shelter Island for debris removal and remediation and a $220,000 reimbursement to the Hudson River Park Trust for the clean-up of an oil spill and debris.

To learn more about FEMA Public Assistance in New York, visit: http://www.fema.gov/public-assistance-local-state-tribal-and-non-profit and www.dhses.ny.gov/oem/recovery.

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’s Public Assistance program helps New York rebuild

An SBA disaster loan can be smart business

NEW YORK – Survivors may not know about disaster help from the U.S. Small Business Administration that could lead to a smarter, faster recovery for businesses, homeowners or private nonprofits. There’s a loan for lost business caused by Hurricane Sandy. There’s also a loan available to a homeowner association to have a common area fixed, and there’s good news about when the first payment on any disaster loan is due.

Economic Injury Disaster Loan

SBA offers a working capital loan to relieve the economic injury caused by the disaster.

A disaster loan is available to eligible businesses as well as private nonprofits even if property was not damaged by Hurricane Sandy.

These loans are for small businesses, agricultural cooperatives and certain private, nonprofit organizations to cover unpaid bills and lost business due to the disaster. Economic injury loans are also given in amounts up to $2 million, but the total of both physical damage and economic injury loans cannot exceed $2 million.

There are 17 New York counties eligible for Economic Injury Disaster Loans. The first 13 counties are those designated by the presidential disaster declaration for FEMA Individual Assistance. Those counties are Bronx, Kings, Nassau, New York, Orange, Putnam, Queens, Richmond, Rockland, Suffolk, Sullivan, Ulster and Westchester.

Four other counties are eligible because each shares a border with one of the 13 disaster-designated counties. These additional counties eligible for an Economic Injury Disaster Loan are Columbia, Delaware, Duchess and Greene counties.

Common Area Disaster Loans for Associations

SBA loans up to $2 million are also available to Homeowner Associations, Planned Unit Developments and similar common-interest developments. Individuals may not borrow money to repair common areas that are the responsibility of the association.

Deferred Disaster Loan Payments

The first payment for a disaster loan is due five months from the date of the SBA Note.

The deadline to apply for an SBA disaster loan is Feb. 27, 2013 for physical damage and July 31, 2013 for Economic Injury Disaster loans.

A simple and fast way to complete the application is online, using the SBA’s electronic loan application. Go to https://DisasterLoan.SBA.gov/ELA. Plus, you can receive an update on the status of your application by calling 800-659-2955 (TTY 800-877-8339 for the deaf and hard-of-hearing).

SBA customer service representatives are available to issue or accept low-interest disaster loan applications and answer questions at all New York State/FEMA disaster recovery centers and

SBA business recovery centers and Disaster Loan Outreach Centers. To locate the nearest business recovery center, visit www.sba.gov or call 800-659-2955 (TTY 800-877-8339).

To find the nearest disaster recovery center, check out the disaster recovery center locator at www.FEMA.gov/disaster-recovery-centers or, with a tablet or smartphone, go to m.fema.gov. You may also text “DRC” and your Zip Code to 43362 (4FEMA). For example, if you lived in Staten Island, you would text: “DRC 10301.” Or call 800-621-3362 (TTY 800-462-7585).

More information is available by calling the SBA Disaster Customer Service Center toll-free number, 800-659-2955 (TTY 800-877-8339). Assistance is also available by sending an email to DisasterCustomerService@sba.gov or by visiting www.sba.gov.

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.

FEMA’s temporary housing assistance and grants for public transportation expenses, medical and dental expenses, and 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.

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An SBA disaster loan can be smart business

More than $1.7 billion provided by FEMA, SBA to New York Sandy survivors

NEW YORK — Federal disaster assistance to New York survivors of Hurricane Sandy totals more than $1.7 billion.

FEMA continues to reach out to all 13 counties designated for Individual Assistance, focusing on the hardest-hit areas. Assistance to residents in affected counties includes:

Bronx $2.5 million
Kings $194.8 million
Nassau $284.4 million
New York $13.2 million
Queens $224.3 million
Richmond $90.5 million
Suffolk $66 million

FEMA and the U.S. Small Business Administration have approved more than $1.7 billion for Hurricane Sandy survivors in New York. FEMA has approved nearly $881 million for individuals and households, including more than $770 million for housing assistance and nearly $111 million in assistance for other needs.

SBA has approved more than $772 million in disaster loans to homeowners and renters and more than $53 million in disaster businesses loans. The SBA has staff members at every FEMA/State Disaster Recovery Center and 17 Business Recovery Centers in the New York area to provide one-on-one help to business owners seeking disaster assistance.

More than 266,000 New Yorkers have contacted FEMA for information or registered for assistance, including nearly 144,000 who have applied through the online application site at www.DisasterAssistance.gov or on their smartphone at m.fema.gov.

17 Disaster Recovery Centers are open in the affected areas. These include mobile sites as well as fixed sites. To date, more than 147,000 survivors have been assisted at Disaster Recovery Centers in New York.

55 inspectors are currently in the field. To date, 176,448 home inspections have been completed, making a 99.5 percent completion rate.

13 New York counties are designated for both Individual Assistance and Public Assistance. These are Bronx, Kings, Nassau, New York, Orange, Putnam, Queens, Richmond, Rockland, Suffolk, Sullivan, Ulster and Westchester. Greene County has been designated for Public Assistance only.

Nearly $1.9 billion has been paid to National Flood Insurance Program policy holders in New York for losses resulting from Sandy. The National Flood Insurance Program, administered by FEMA, offers flood insurance to all homeowners, renters and business owners if their community participates in the NFIP.

Since Hurricane Sandy made landfall, FEMA has provided more than $604 million in Public Assistance grants in New York State. The FEMA Public Assistance program reimburses state and local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations 75 percent of costs for disaster-related expenses associated with emergency protective measures, debris removal, and the repair and restoration of damaged infrastructure. In order to qualify, damage must be a direct result of Hurricane Sandy.

Individuals can register with FEMA online at www.DisasterAssistance.gov or via smartphone or tablet at m.fema.gov. Applicants may also call 800-621-3362 or (TTY) 800-462-7585.

Applicants who use 711-Relay or Video Relay Services (VRS) can call 800-621-3362.

The toll-free telephone numbers operate 7 a.m. to 1 a.m. EST, seven days a week.

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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More than $1.7 billion provided by FEMA, SBA to New York Sandy survivors

Sandy Debris Removal Passes 95 percent in 95 days

NEW YORK – Debris removal efforts after Hurricane Sandy in New York are nearing completion. More than 95 percent of the debris has been removed within 95 days of the storm hitting New York.

That includes everything from fallen trees to vehicles, boats, drywall and furniture, washers, dryers and insulation. It all amounts to 5.25 million cubic yards of debris caused by the strong winds and heavy rains created by Hurricane Sandy, beginning Oct. 27, 2012. That’s enough debris to fill the 102-story Empire State Building a little more than 3.5 times.

Collecting and hauling debris to the curbs has involved homeowners, neighbors and volunteers working with city, state and federal agencies. Neighbors and volunteers combined their skill and chainsaws to remove broken trees from yards and streets along with cleaning up disaster debris from public streets.

The demolition of destroyed structures is ongoing and about 20 percent complete.

Early in the cleanup, barges were used to haul debris to landfills in upstate New York.

The debris is also being trucked to landfills in other states.

Vegetation, such as wood, tree branches, leaves and other organic matter, is incinerated or chipped. Chips will be recycled for beneficial reuse.

FEMA’s Public Assistance program reimburses state and local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations 75 percent of eligible debris removal costs. In order to qualify, damage must be a direct result of Hurricane Sandy.

A U.S. Army Corp of Engineers video of the Hurricane Sandy debris work is at this link: http://www.fema.gov/medialibrary/media_records/11140

Editors: for a free-use FEMA debris news photo: http://www.fema.gov/photolibrary/photo_details.do?id=61125

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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Sandy Debris Removal Passes 95 percent in 95 days

Elevating Your Home Above Future Flooding

NEW YORK – Hurricane Sandy survivors repairing their homes with an eye toward avoiding damage from future storms can take several steps to rebuild stronger and safer.

If you’re rebuilding in a high risk flood area, you may have to elevate your home to meet your community’s minimum elevation regulations for construction. This will avoid future severe weather damage.

What are the rules for elevation?

You must follow local building codes and get the proper permits when rebuilding. This will not only make your home safer but will save money on federal flood insurance.

It is necessary to check with local building officials before rebuilding in a flood zone because they are responsible for knowing the elevation requirements, even in areas where the base flood elevation has not been established. Rebuilding higher than the minimum requirement is always a wise decision.

Are there any programs available to assist with construction cost?

Eligible homeowners who have National Flood Insurance Program policies and whose homes were substantially damaged may be eligible for Increased Cost of Compliance (ICC) coverage of up to $30,000. This can pay all or part of the cost to elevate your home to the current effective Base Flood Elevation, which is the estimated level that floodwaters would reach.

You may be eligible for ICC coverage if your local floodplain building official determines either:

Your property is substantially damaged, meaning that the cost to repair the flood damaged property is 50 percent or more of its pre-disaster market value.

Your property sustained repetitive damage, meaning that flood damage occurred twice in the past 10 years, and the cost of repairing the flood damage, on average, equaled or exceeded 25 percent of the property market value at the time of each flood. Also, those two flood damage events must have resulted in flood insurance claim payments, and the community’s floodplain management ordinance must have a repetitive loss provision.

What are other programs that offer help with elevation costs?

The U.S. Small Business Administration offers loans to private nonprofits, businesses and homeowners for mitigation improvements including building elevation, retaining walls, seawalls, sump pumps and relocating utilities. The loan can be increased up to an additional 20 percent of the initial approved amount for these mitigation projects.

The deadline to apply for an SBA disaster loan is Feb. 27, 2013.

A simple way to complete the application is online, using the SBA’s electronic loan application. Go to https://DisasterLoan.SBA.gov/ELA. SBA customer service representatives are available to issue or accept low-interest disaster loan applications and answer questions at all New York State/FEMA disaster recovery centers and SBA business recovery centers. To locate the nearest business recovery center, visit www.sba.gov or call 800-659-2955 (800-877-8339 for the deaf and hard-of-hearing).

Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP)

The State of New York administers the HMGP. While individuals are not eligible to apply directly to FEMA for HMGP funds, an eligible applicant or sub-applicant (e.g. state or local government) may apply for funding on your behalf to mitigate your home or other private structures under their jurisdiction. These applications are forwarded to the state for potential funding by FEMA. That mitigation can include elevating your home to meet flood insurance requirements. For more information, contact your local building officials about HMGP grants.

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.

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. FEMA’s temporary housing assistance and grants for public transportation expenses, medical and dental expenses, and 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.

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Elevating Your Home Above Future Flooding

Summary Of Hurricane Sandy News For Weekly Newspapers

Deadline for Hurricane Sandy Assistance Extended to March 1

TRENTON, N.J. — Hurricane Sandy survivors now have until March 1 to register for disaster assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

FEMA can provide money to homeowners to repair uninsured damage to essential living areas. Also, homeowners and renters may receive money to replace essential personal property.

Registering with FEMA can be done online at www.DisasterAssistance.gov, by a smartphone or tablet at m.fema.gov or by phone at 800-621-3362 or TTY 800-462-7585.

Survivors also have until March 1 to return disaster loan applications to the Small Business Administration.

Call FEMA With Questions About Determination Letters

Hurricane survivors who have received a determination letter from FEMA saying they are ineligible for assistance and they disagree with that determination should contact FEMA and file an appeal.

Applicants with questions about any correspondence from FEMA should call the FEMA helpline at 800-621-FEMA (3362)/TTY 800-462-7585 or visit a disaster recovery center and speak to a representative about their particular situation.

Disaster Recovery Centers Provide One-on-one Assistance

At a disaster recovery center, Sandy survivors can get clarification on determination letters, check on the status of their applications and get information on other agencies that may provide help.

SBA representatives are available to help survivors apply for low-interest disaster loans as well as FEMA mitigation specialists who can provide information on cost-effective building and repair techniques to reduce property damage.

Centers serving New Jersey’s coastal counties are still open Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. They are located in:

Ocean County

Brick-Brick Township Civic Center, 270 Chambers Bridge Road.

Toms River-Bell Crest Plaza Store Front 4C, 863 Fischer Blvd.

Little Egg Harbor-Little Egg Harbor Senior Center, 641 Radio Road.

Manahawkin-Ocean County Southern Resource Center, 179A South Main St.

Monmouth County

Leonardo-Henry Hudson Trail Activity Center, 945 Highway 36.

Union Beach-Union Beach Municipal Building, 650 Poole Ave.

Monmouth-Belmar Municipal Building 601 Main St.

Long Branch-Long Branch Fire Station No. 4, 205 Union Ave.

Atlantic County

Atlantic City-Boardwalk Hall, 2301 Boardwalk.

Mays Landing-Hamilton Mall, 4403 Blackhorse Pike.

Cape May County

Ocean City-Ocean City Community Center, 1735 Simpson Ave.

Hudson County

Jersey City-Hudson County Government Building, 830 Bergen Ave.

Middlesex County

Sayreville-Sayreville Senior Center, 423 Main St.

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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Summary Of Hurricane Sandy News For Weekly Newspapers

Deadlines extended for FEMA registration and Transitional Sheltering Assistance program in New York

NEW YORK – The Federal Emergency Management Agency, at the request of the State of New York, has approved a 30-day extension for survivors to register for federal disaster assistance. The new registration deadline for Hurricane Sandy survivors in New York is Feb. 27. FEMA also approved a 14-day extension to the Transitional Sheltering Assistance (TSA) program. The new checkout date for applicants staying in hotels under this program is Sunday, Feb. 10.

Registration deadline

The Feb. 27 registration deadline allows survivors in the 13 New York counties designated for federal disaster assistance an additional 30 days to register with FEMA and complete and return low-interest SBA disaster loan applications, an important step in the FEMA grant process. Designated counties include: Bronx, Kings, Nassau, New York, Orange, Putnam, Queens, Richmond, Rockland, Suffolk, Sullivan, Ulster and Westchester.

People in these counties who sustained losses due to Hurricane Sandy should register with FEMA even if they have insurance. Applying by the deadline may help survivors avoid a funding shortfall if they later find that they are underinsured or have additional damages.

Survivors who register may be eligible for federal grants to help cover various disaster-related expenses including rent, essential home repairs, personal property losses and other serious disaster-related needs not covered by insurance.

By returning the SBA disaster loan application, homeowners may be eligible for up to $200,000 to repair or replace their storm-damaged primary residence. Homeowners and renters may be eligible for up to $40,000 for replacement of personal property. Businesses and private nonprofits may be eligible to borrow up to $2 million to repair or replace storm-damaged property.

Transitional Sheltering Assistance Program deadline

The temporary Transitional Sheltering Assistance program allows eligible Hurricane Sandy survivors whose houses have been severely damaged or destroyed to stay in a hotel or motel for a limited time and have the cost of the room and taxes paid directly to the hotel by FEMA.

The extension was approved to help those applicants still eligible for the program to remain in hotels as FEMA and its state and local partners work to identify longer-term housing solutions. All TSA applicants currently staying in hotels will be evaluated for continued eligibility.

FEMA continues to work in coordination with state, local and voluntary agency partners to assist applicants through outreach and comprehensive casework to identify and transition them to more suitable temporary or long-term housing.

Meals, telephone calls and other incidental charges are not covered, and applicants are responsible for any lodging costs above the authorized allowance. The program does not reimburse previously incurred hotel expenses.

How to register

Individuals also can register with FEMA online at www.DisasterAssistance.gov or via smartphone or tablet by going to m.fema.gov or by downloading the FEMA app.

Survivors also can call 800-621-3362 (TTY 800-462-7585). People who use 7-1-1 Relay or Video Relay Services (VRS) should call 800-621-3362. The toll-free telephone numbers operate 7 a.m. to 1 a.m. EST, seven days a week until further notice.

Survivors who have questions regarding the registration process, the status of their application and available disaster assistance programs are encouraged to visit a Disaster Recovery Center or contact FEMA.

To find the nearest Disaster 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, the Disaster Recovery Center locator is available online at www.FEMA.gov/disaster-recovery-centers.

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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Deadlines extended for FEMA registration and Transitional Sheltering Assistance program in New York

SBA Disaster Loan Important for Homeowners and Renters

NEW YORK – Of the more than 161,000 low-interest U. S. Small Business Administration disaster loan applications sent to New York’s Hurricane Sandy survivors, fewer than 34,000 have been completed and returned.

SBA loans represent a major source of federal funding for disaster home repair and reconstruction. Applicants are urged to complete and return their applications as soon as possible.

Most SBA disaster loans go to individuals and families, and interest rates may be as low as 1.688 percent with terms up to 30 years.

The deadline for New York’s Hurricane Sandy survivors to apply for both FEMA assistance and an SBA loan is Jan. 28, 2013.

Some of the top reasons for submitting an SBA application by the deadline include:

Your homeowner insurance settlement falls short. You may find out that you were under-insured for the amount of work it will take to repair or replace your damaged home. An SBA low-interest loan can cover the uninsured costs. By submitting the loan application, you may have loan money available when it is needed most. SBA can approve a loan for the repair or replacement of your home up to $200,000. Once your insurance settles, you may apply those funds to your disaster loan. However, the opportunity for an SBA disaster loan may be lost if you wait past the application deadline.

SBA can work with an applicant to shape a loan that fits your personal budget. If you already have a mortgage on the damaged property, SBA specialists can work with you to come up with an affordable low-interest loan package. In some cases, SBA can refinance all or part of an existing mortgage when the applicant has sustained significant damage to their house.

SBA can help renters replace their essential items. Renters, as well as homeowners, may borrow up to $40,000 to repair or replace clothing, furniture, cars or appliances damaged or destroyed in the disaster.

By submitting your SBA loan application, you keep the full range of disaster assistance available as an option. If SBA does not approve a loan for you – or approves a small loan that doesn’t cover all of your needs – you may be referred to other programs that can provide grants to replace essential household items, replace or repair a damaged vehicle or cover storage expenses, among other serious disaster-related needs. But if you do not submit the loan application you received from SBA, the assistance process may stop.

It takes less than 30 minutes to fill out an application. A simple, fast, and very available way to complete the application is online, using the SBA’s electronic loan application. Go to https://DisasterLoan.SBA.gov/ELA. Plus, you can receive an update on the status of your application by calling 800-659-2955 (800-877-8339 for the deaf and hard-of-hearing).

SBA customer service representatives are available to issue or accept low-interest disaster loan applications and answer questions at all New York State/FEMA disaster recovery centers and

SBA business recovery centers. To locate the nearest business recovery center, visit www.sba.gov or call 800-659-2955 (800-877-8339 for the deaf and hard-of-hearing).

To find the nearest disaster recovery center, check out the disaster recovery center locator at www.FEMA.gov/disaster-recovery-centers or, with a tablet or smartphone, go to m.fema.gov. You may also text “DRC” and your Zip Code to 43362 (4FEMA). For example, if you lived in Staten Island, you would text: “DRC 10301.” Or call 800-621-3362 (TTY 800-462-7585).

More information is available by calling the SBA Disaster Customer Service Center toll-free number, 800-659-2955 (800-877-8339 for the deaf and hard-of-hearing). Assistance is also available by sending an email to DisasterCustomerService@sba.gov or by visiting www.sba.gov.

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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SBA Disaster Loan Important for Homeowners and Renters

Who Qualifies for FEMA Disaster Assistance?

NEW YORK – To qualify for assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, a survivor of Hurricane Sandy must meet certain conditions.

First, the individual or household losses must have occurred in an area covered by the presidential disaster declaration for New York, which includes 13 counties.

Bronx, Kings, Nassau, New York, Orange, Putnam, Queens, Richmond, Rockland, Suffolk, Sullivan, Ulster and Westchester.

The survivor must register with FEMA. There are several ways to do this:

Via smartphone or tablet, go to m.fema.gov or download the FEMA app.
Call 800-621-3362 or (TTY) 800-462-7585.
For 7-1-1Relay or Video Relay Services (VRS), call 800-621-3362.
The toll-free telephone numbers operate 7 a.m. to 1 a.m., seven days a week until further notice.
A FEMA Language Assistance Line is available for those who need interpretation services in languages other than English or Spanish. Call: 866-333-1796.

The deadline to register with FEMA is Jan. 28 in New York.

If the applicant has insurance, he or she must file a claim with the insurance company.

For housing assistance

The damage to the property is not covered by insurance or the insurance settlement is insufficient to cover the losses.
The applicant or someone who lives in the household is a citizen of the United States, a non-citizen national, or a qualified alien.
The applicant must have a valid Social Security number.
The damaged home is where the applicant usually lives and was living at the time of the disaster.

A survivor may not be eligible for housing assistance if:

The home that was damaged is a secondary or vacation residence.
Expenses resulted only from leaving the home as a precaution and the applicant was able to return to the home immediately after the incident.
The applicant has refused assistance from his or her insurance provider.
The only losses are business losses.
The damaged home is located in a designated flood hazard area and the applicant’s community is not participating in the National Flood Insurance Program.l
- In this case, the flood damage to the home would not be covered, but the applicant may qualify for rental assistance or assistance for items not covered by flood 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.

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Who Qualifies for FEMA Disaster Assistance?

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