FEMA Extends Disaster Assistance Deadline For New Jersey Hurricane Survivors To May 1

TRENTON, N.J. — Survivors of Hurricane Sandy in New Jersey now have until May 1 to register for disaster assistance through the Federal Emergency Management Agency and return Small Business Administration disaster loan applications.

People with storm losses in all counties in New Jersey can register online at DisasterAssistance.gov or via smartphone or tablet at m.fema.gov. Registration is also available by calling 800-621-3362, TTY 800-462-7585 or 711/VRS. The toll-free telephone numbers operate from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days a week.

FEMA disaster assistance for individuals and families can include money for rental assistance, essential home repairs, personal property and other serious disaster-related needs not covered by insurance. 

The simplest way to complete an SBA application is online by using the electronic loan application. Go to DisasterLoan.SBA.gov/ELA. More information is available by calling the SBA customer service center at 800-659-2955 or TTY 800-877-8339. SBA disaster loans are the largest source of federal recovery funds for individuals with property or content losses.

The deadline was extended one month at the request of the state of New Jersey. Through March 29, more than 60,000 storm survivors have been approved for help through FEMA’s Individual Assistance program in New Jersey.

Help is available by visiting a disaster recovery center for one-to-one assistance. Centers can be located by going to FEMA.gov/DRC.

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 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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FEMA Extends Disaster Assistance Deadline For New Jersey Hurricane Survivors To May 1

FEMA Awards $6.75M for Community Safe Rooms in Hidalgo Co, TX

DENTON, Texas — The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has awarded $6.75 million to the state of Texas for construction of four community safe rooms in the city of Pharr in Hidalgo County, Texas  

FEMA’s Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) will pay 75 percent or $6,750,000 of the combined $9 million cost.    

The concrete, dome safe rooms, which will also serve as multi-purpose community centers, will be 20,000 square feet each and should provide protection from storms and tornadoes for the people of Hidalgo County.

The community safe rooms will be built at two high schools, a fire station and a community center in Pharr. The safe rooms are accessible for people with disabilities.

The federal share of the funds for the project come from the agency’s Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP). HMGP provides grants to states, and tribal and local governments to implement long-term hazard mitigation measures that reduce the loss of life and property due to natural disasters and to enable mitigation measures to be implemented during the immediate recovery from a disaster.

Learn more about FEMA’s Hazard Mitigation Grant program online at http://go.usa.gov/D6D. 

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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. Follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/femaregion6, the R6 Preparedness website at www.fema.gov/region-vi/region-6-preparedness and the FEMA Blog at http://blog.fema.gov.

 

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FEMA Awards $6.75M for Community Safe Rooms in Hidalgo Co, TX

FEMA, HUD announce rental assistance program for NY Sandy survivors

NEW YORK – To assist families who are still struggling to locate housing after being displaced by Hurricane Sandy, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced today they will reinstitute the Disaster Housing Assistance Program (DHAP), a unique rental assistance program that provides temporary rental payments directly to landlords to help families displaced by disasters. DHAP-Sandy will help families find intermediate housing as they rebuild their lives.

“It is critical that we, along with our partners on the federal, tribal, state and local levels, provide a bridge for Hurricane Sandy families as they continue to rebuild their homes and return to a sense of normal,” said U.S. Housing and Urban Development Assistant Secretary Sandra Henriquez. “The DHAP program, which has a history of providing the temporary assistance families need after a disaster, will be that bridge to help families recover.” 

“In the aftermath of Sandy, New York presents a unique housing challenge,” said FEMA Federal Coordinating Officer Michael F. Bryne. “It’s a densely populated, urban environment and available rental resources are scarce. The purpose of this program is to assist those who have not been able to reach their permanent housing solution within FEMA’s standard forms of assistance.”

DHAP-Sandy will be executed through an interagency agreement between FEMA and HUD. Disaster survivors do not need to apply separately for the program. FEMA will determine which applicants qualify and will refer eligible applicants to HUD. HUD will work directly with state, and local housing agencies to administer the program.

Participation in DHAP will require survivors to take part in the State of New York or City of New York’s Disaster Case Management Program. This program is funded by FEMA and links disaster survivors with case managers who will help them develop and implement a disaster recovery plan.

The DHAP program was created in 2007, and provided a temporary housing solution to thousands of families who were displaced by Hurricane Katrina.  It successfully supported 37,000 families who were not previously HUD assisted following the 2005 hurricanes – Katrina and Ike. The DHAP program was also utilized to house families displaced by Hurricane Gustav in 2008.

Original source: 

FEMA, HUD announce rental assistance program for NY Sandy survivors

Dont Miss Your Chance To Receive Federal Disaster Recovery Money

TRENTON, N.J. — Hurricane Sandy survivors in New Jersey who do not return their Small Business Administration disaster loan applications could be missing out on valuable funds for their recovery.

Returning SBA disaster loan applications is a critical step for homeowners and renters who registered with the Federal Emergency Management Agency to be considered for federal loans or grants that could be valuable recovery assets.

SBA disaster loans are not just for businesses. They are the largest federal disaster recovery funds for homeowners, who may be able to qualify for low-interest loans up to $200,000 to repair or replace their primary residence. Homeowners and renters may apply to receive up to $40,000 for personal property losses.

Homeowners can receive an additional 20 percent of the approved loan amount for mitigation improvements including building elevation, retaining walls, seawalls, sump pumps and relocating utilities.

In some cases, the SBA may be willing to refinance all or part of a previous mortgage when the survivor does not have credit available elsewhere and has suffered substantial disaster damage not covered by insurance.

Proceeds from insurance coverage on a survivor’s home will be deducted from the total damage estimate to determine eligible loan amount. The SBA is not permitted to duplicate benefits.

The simplest way to apply is online at DisasterLoan.gov/ELA. More information is available by calling the SBA customer service center at 800-659-2955 or TTY 800-877-8339. Help is also available by visiting a disaster recovery center for one-to-one assistance. Centers can be located by going to FEMA.gov/DRC.

Survivors can register with FEMA online at DisasterAssistance.gov or via smartphone or tablet at m.fema.gov. They can also call 800-621-3362 or TTY 800-462-7585. Phone lines are open 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days a week.

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 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.

Link to original – 

Dont Miss Your Chance To Receive Federal Disaster Recovery Money

FEMA registration deadline extended for Sandy survivors in N.Y.

NEW YORK – At the request of the State of New York, the Federal Emergency Management Agency has approved a 15-day extension for Hurricane Sandy survivors to apply for disaster assistance.

Survivors now have until April 13 to register with FEMA and to return their disaster loan applications to the U.S. Small Business Administration.

Individuals can register online at www.DisasterAssistance.gov or via smartphone or tablet at m.fema.gov. They may also call the FEMA helpline 800-621-3362 (Voice, 7-1-1/Relay) or (TTY) 800-462-7585. The helpline is available 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. EDT, seven days a week.

Hurricane Sandy survivors should keep all options open for assistance in their recovery.

Registering with FEMA is a critical step.

Survivors who have delayed registration for any reason should apply for potential assistance. Registering with FEMA opens the possibility of disaster assistance provided by FEMA and its federal partner, the SBA.

New York City and the State of New York have developed plans for using federal funds to help homeowners, small businesses and communities impacted by three storms: Sandy, Irene and Lee. Those plans are being reviewed by HUD. Registration with FEMA might lead to eligibility for future grants or assistance, regardless of funding administered by New York City or the State of New York.

Survivors who register and receive an SBA low-interest disaster loan application should return the application. It might lead to additional FEMA assistance.

FEMA assistance can include:

  • Rental assistance: Temporary rental assistance is provided by FEMA to assist homeowners until damaged homes can be repaired or rebuilt and to help renters until they can return to former rentals or relocate to a new residence.
  • Home Repair: Grants are available to homeowners to repair disaster-related damage that is not covered by insurance. The goal is to make the home safe, sanitary and functional.
  • Other Needs: Grants are available for necessary expenses and serious needs caused by the disaster. This includes medical, dental, funeral, personal property, transportation, moving and storage and other expenses authorized by law.

Applying for an SBA disaster loan

There’s no need to wait for an insurance settlement to apply for an SBA disaster loan, which may help if applicants later find they are underinsured.

Homeowners may be eligible for low-interest loans up to $200,000 to repair or replace their storm-damaged home. Homeowners and renters may be eligible for up to $40,000 to replace personal property. Businesses and private nonprofit organizations may be eligible to borrow up to $2 million to repair or replace storm-damaged property.

To apply for a low-interest SBA disaster loan, go to https://DisasterLoan.SBA.gov/ELA. Survivors may also visit a Disaster Loan Outreach Center or a Business Recovery Center. To locate the nearest center, visit FEMA.gov/disaster-recovery-centers or text “DRC” and your Zip Code to 43362.

For assistance, call the SBA Disaster Customer Service Center at 800-659-2955 (TTY 800-877-8339) or send an email to DisasterCustomerService@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.

Link – 

FEMA registration deadline extended for Sandy survivors in N.Y.

Graham County Makes Flood Insurance Available to its Residents and Property Owners

ATLANTA – Graham County, N.C. is now a participating community in the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), which means property owners in unincorporated areas of Graham County can purchase federally-underwritten flood insurance.

On March 21, 2013, Graham County was re-instated into the NFIP and is now among nearly 22,000 communities participating in the program nationwide.  The NFIP does more than make flood insurance available; it also supports local communities in their efforts to reduce the risk and consequences of serious flooding. In order to participate in the program, a community must agree to adopt and enforce sound floodplain management regulations and ordinances to reduce future flood damage. In exchange for these practices, flood insurance is available to homeowners, business owners and renters in participating communities.

Standard homeowner’s, business owner’s, and renter’s insurance doesn’t cover flood damage, so a separate flood insurance policy can provide property owners with financial protection against the devastating effects of flooding. Flooding is the most common and costly natural disaster in the U.S., so flood insurance is an important consideration for everyone.

Even if you don’t live in an area at high-risk of flooding, you should still consider flood insurance because anyone can be financially vulnerable to floods. In fact, about 25 percent of flood insurance claims occur in lower risk flood zones.

The NFIP is administered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency which works with nearly 90 private insurance companies to provide flood insurance to property owners and renters in NFIP-participating communities.  Flood insurance policies may be written by state-licensed property and casualty insurance agents.

For more information on the National Flood Insurance Program, visit www.floodsmart.gov.

Continued: 

Graham County Makes Flood Insurance Available to its Residents and Property Owners

FEMA Coastal Construction Information Available For Post – Sandy Rebuilding

TRENTON, N.J. — The Federal Emergency Management Agency has produced materials to give technical guidance to home builders and property owners planning post-Sandy construction or repairs in coastal areas.

Investigations conducted by FEMA and other organizations have consistently shown that properly sited, well-designed and well-constructed coastal residential buildings generally perform well in coastal disasters.

For residential builders and do-it-yourselfers, FEMA offers a series of Fact Sheets (available free at Fema.gov) that provide technical guidance and recommendations concerning the construction of coastal residential buildings.

The Home Builders Guide to Coastal Construction: Technical Fact Sheet Series is aimed at improving the stability of buildings in coastal environments that may be subject to flood and wind forces.

The 37 fact sheets are divided into 10 categories that cover various aspects of the construction process. Each fact sheet provides specific information on topics like National Flood Insurance Program regulatory requirements, the proper siting of coastal buildings and recommended design and construction practices.

Many of the fact sheets also include lists of FEMA and other resources that provide more information about the topics discussed. Where appropriate, resources are accompanied by active web links.

Updated in 2011, a Coastal Construction Manual — prepared with assistance from other agencies, organizations and professionals involved in coastal construction and regulation — is intended to help designers and contractors identify and evaluate practices that improve construction quality.

The two-volume publication provides a comprehensive approach to planning, siting, designing, constructing and maintaining homes in the coastal environment.

Volume 1 provides information on hazard identification, siting decisions, regulatory requirements, economic implications and risk management.

Volume II contains in-depth descriptions of design, construction and maintenance practices that, when followed, will increase the durability of residential buildings in the harsh coastal environment and reduce economic losses associated with coastal natural disasters.

The primary audience for Volume I includes design professionals, officials and those involved in the decision making process. The primary audience for Volume II is the design professional who is familiar with building codes and standards and has a basic understanding of engineering projects.

The Coastal Construction Manual (FEMA publication P-55) and the Home Builders Guide to Coastal Construction Technical Fact Sheet Series (FEMA publication P-499) may be downloaded in Portable Document Format as PDF files or as plain text (.txt) files at fema.gov.

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 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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FEMA Coastal Construction Information Available For Post – Sandy Rebuilding

FEMA’s Post-Irene Housing Pilot Program Deemed Success

BARRE, Vt. – After Tropical Storm Irene swept through Vermont, many residents were left homeless in areas of the state that were already experiencing shortages of affordable housing.

Local, state and federal officials worked together on a number of fronts, including a pilot program that helped renovate unoccupied and uninhabitable multi-family rental housing units in Barre through a private-public partnership.

Now with the last disaster survivors moving out or becoming rent-paying tenants, the project is being hailed as a success story for all of the parties involved.

“This project not only provided cost-effective housing for seven families displaced by Irene, but it helped refurbish rental housing stock in an area that really needed it,” said Dave Rapaport, Vermont’s Irene Recovery Officer.

The Multi-Family Repair Program takes Federal Emergency Management Agency funds to renovate unoccupied multi-family rental housing units that need to be brought to a habitable standard in areas where existing rental units cannot meet the needs of disaster survivors.

The owners of the property agree to make the repaired rental units solely available to FEMA-identified disaster survivors for up to 18 months from the date of the disaster.

In Barre, that meant using roughly $87,000 in federal funds to fix up a South Main Street apartment building to provide five rental units to families, several of whom owned their own homes but needed alternate living quarters while they made repairs to their damaged dwellings.

“It could have cost as much as $50,000 apiece to purchase mobile homes for use by these families,” said Federal Coordinating Officer Mark Landry, the head of FEMA’s Vermont operations. “Then we would have had to sell off the mobile homes or otherwise dispose of them. This was much more cost-effective.”

A total of 106 mobile homes and 157 stick-built homes were destroyed or substantially damaged by Irene in Washington County, an area that was already facing a tight housing market before the storm struck.

“This was not only a case of helping our neighbors, but also helping our city,” said Barre Mayor Thom Lauzon. “The investment in this building not only helps our tax base and improves the area, it provides additional rental capacity for Barre residents now that the disaster survivors have moved into their own homes again. This truly was win-win-win for the displaced victims, the private sector and the City.”

In fact, one of the residents who had been displaced by Irene and had been having their rent paid by FEMA is remaining in the building and has already signed a private lease with the owners.

“The Multi-Family Repair Program was a great fit here,” said FEMA’s Albert Ferri, who oversaw its implementation in Vermont. “FEMA is committed to trying new programs designed to assist survivors, and it’s gratifying to see positive results like these.”

FEMA’s mission is to support our citizens and first responders and 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.

 

Original source: 

FEMA’s Post-Irene Housing Pilot Program Deemed Success

FEMA Extends Deadline For Irene-Related Mitigation Grants

ESSEX JUNCTION, Vt. – The state and Vermont municipalities and non-profits seeking federal grants for projects to make their communities more resilient in future disasters will have more time to apply for these funds.

Officials with the state and Federal Emergency Management Agency announced today that the deadline for submitting Hazard Mitigation Grant Program applications related to Tropical Storm Irene to FEMA has been extended to September 1, 2013. The state will establish its own deadlines for municipalities and other eligible applicants in order to meet FEMA’s deadline.

The HMGP program provides grant funds in addition to the disaster aid given to individuals and state or local governments after a federally-declared disaster for projects designed to reduce the risks to life and property in future disasters.

“This is an important deadline extension,” said Dave Rapaport, Vermont’s Irene Recovery Officer. “The huge size of this disaster means that we’re receiving more funding through this program than we’ve had the capacity to use before time ran out. The additional time will mean that we’ll be able to avoid leaving money on the table and formulate more eligible projects to prevent damage from future storms.”

The amount of money available is a percentage – 15 percent – of the total disaster aid provided by FEMA, and the program is administered by the Vermont Division of Emergency Management and Homeland Security. Only state, municipal, or tribal governments and certain non-profits can apply and are responsible for a 25-percent match.

Projects can include flood-proofing structures or making them resistant to hurricanes or tornadoes, or buying out flood-prone properties as Vermont has chosen to do.

“FEMA has already obligated about $13 million in HMGP funds to Vermont, and there could be as much as $21 million more coming,” said Federal Coordinating Officer Mark Landry, the head of FEMA’s Vermont operations.

FEMA had already granted Vermont two extensions of three months each from the normal one-year deadline, Landry said, and utilized a little-known provision of the Stafford Act – the law named after former Vermont Senator Robert Stafford that helped create FEMA – to give the state another six months.

An HMGP application can be downloaded from DEMHS’s website at http://vem.vermont.gov/mitigation, or interested parties may contact the State Hazard Mitigation Officer, Ray Doherty, at 800-347-0488 or ray.doherty@state.vt.us for an application or assistance in applying for funds. He will be providing additional detailed guidance for applicants shortly.

HMGP funds are awarded on a competitive basis and all applications are reviewed and selected by the state mitigation project selection committee, then subject to approval by FEMA.

FEMA’s mission is to support our citizens and first responders and 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.

Continue reading:  

FEMA Extends Deadline For Irene-Related Mitigation Grants

Renters: Complete and Return SBA Applications

TRENTON, N.J. — New Jersey renters who had losses during Hurricane Sandy may be eligible to receive federal disaster assistance to replace damaged contents.

Renters can receive up to $40,000 in low-interest disaster home loans from the Small Business Administration for personal property losses. Loan applications are due no later than Monday, April 1.

No one is required to accept a loan offer. Renters may be referred for Federal Emergency Management Agency grants if they are not approved for an SBA disaster home loan.

The simplest way to complete the application is online by using the SBA’s electronic loan application. Go to DisasterLoan.SBA.gov/ELA. More information is available by calling the SBA customer service center at 800-659-2955 or TTY 800-877-8339. Help is also available by visiting a disaster recovery center for one-to-one assistance. Centers can be located by going to FEMA.gov/DRC.

Survivors can register with FEMA online at DisasterAssistance.gov or via smartphone or tablet at m.fema.gov. They can also call 800-621-3362 or TTY 800-462-7585. Phone lines are open 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days a week. Survivors must register by April 1 to be considered for federal disaster assistance.

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 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.

Link – 

Renters: Complete and Return SBA Applications

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