Edhat StaffSource: FEMA
Southern California residents recovering from the December wildfires and January mudslides and flooding have two weeks left to register for federal disaster assistance The last day to register is March 16, 2018.
Individuals and families who were living in Los Angeles, San Diego, Santa Barbara and Ventura counties and suffered damage or losses from the fires and mudslides are encouraged to register for assistance. After applying for disaster assistance with FEMA, they may also be referred to the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). Survivors are encouraged to submit their application for a low-interest disaster loan, if contacted by the SBA to do so.
Homeowners may borrow up to $200,000 from SBA to repair or replace their primary residence. Homeowners and renters may borrow up to $40,000 to repair or replace personal property. Businesses and private non-profit organizations may borrow up to $2 million for any combination of property damage or economic injury.
So far, 629 individuals and households have been deemed eligible for FEMA individual assistance and more than $3.7 million has been approved in grants. The SBA has approved 287 disaster loans for businesses, homeowners and renters for more than $30 million.
Survivors are encouraged to register even if they have insurance. By law, FEMA cannot duplicate insurance or other benefits but may be able to help with uninsured or underinsured losses.
Survivors can apply for disaster assistance by going online at DisasterAssistance.gov, by using the FEMA app on a smart phone or by calling 800-621-3362 or (TTY) 800-462-7585. Applicants who use 711 or Video Relay Service can call 800-621-3362. The toll-free numbers are open 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., local time, seven days a week.
Applicants registering for disaster assistance should have the following information available:
- Social Security number
- Address of the damaged primary residence
- Description of the damage
- Information about insurance coverage
- A current contact telephone number
- An address where they can receive mail
- Bank account and routing numbers for direct deposit of funds
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All FEMA disaster assistance will be provided without discrimination on the grounds of race, color, sex (including sexual harassment), religion, national origin, age, disability, limited English proficiency, economic status, or retaliation. If you believe your civil rights are being violated, call 800-621-3362 or 800-462-7585(TTY/TDD).
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 nonprofit 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.
