Hurricane Matthew Update On Debris Collection And More

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hurricane-debris

Volusia County, FL- Second and final pass for debris ends Dec. 22

● Volusia County’s debris collection for Hurricane Matthew will end

Thursday, Dec 22. One million cubic yards of debris has been collected

to date from 1,100 miles of county-maintained roads and 500 miles of

private roads.

● Unincorporated county residents should follow standard yard waste

collection guidelines for all non-storm related debris. The guidelines

can be viewed at www.volusia.org/debrisguidelines.

● Residents may call 386-871-2147 if they have questions regarding

the removal of storm-related debris.

Disaster Recovery Center closes Dec. 16; SBA continues to be on site

through Dec. 22

● The Disaster Recovery Center at the Florida Department of Health,

1845 Holsonback Drive, Daytona Beach, will close at 6 p.m. Friday, Dec.

16.

● However, representatives from the U.S. Small Business

Administration (SBA) will continue to be available at this location from

8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday, Dec. 19, through Thursday, Dec. 22.

● The deadline for residents to register for FEMA assistance due to

damages or losses sustained from Hurricane Matthew is Dec. 16.

Although the registration deadline for Hurricane Matthew ends Dec. 16,

residents are reminded that FEMA and the SBA will still be available to

answer questions and provide assistance to applicants with unmet needs

or needs not met by insurance settlements.

While not everyone who applies for federal disaster assistance will

qualify for aid, the appeals process will ensure you receive all the

federal disaster aid for which you are legally eligible. An applicant

has 60 days from the date on FEMA’s determination letter to file an

appeal. The determination letter describes the amount and type of

assistance being offered. A determination letter may state the

application is missing information such as verification of occupancy of

the damaged property, documentation of disaster damage, proof of

identity, and what is covered under an insurance policy.

If addresses or phone numbers change, they should be updated with FEMA

as soon as possible. Missing or erroneous information could result in

delays in getting a home inspection or receiving assistance.

If you disagree with FEMA’s decision or have questions about the

appeals process, call the FEMA helpline at 800-621-3362

(voice/711/VRS-Video Relay Service) (TTY: 800-462-7585). Multilingual

operators are available (press 2 for Spanish). The toll-free lines are

open from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. seven days a week until further notice.

More information on the FEMA appeals process can be found in the FEMA

booklet, “Help after a Disaster: Applicant’s Guide to the

Individuals & Households Program.” This free booklet is available in

numerous languages for download at fema.gov/help-after-disaster.

The SBA is the federal government’s primary source of money for the

long-term rebuilding of disaster-damaged private property, offering

low-interest disaster assistance loans to businesses of all sizes,

private nonprofit organizations, homeowners and renters. SBA disaster

loans are available to businesses of all sizes, most private non-profit

organizations, and homeowners and renters to cover uninsured losses from

the disaster. Interest rates are as low as 4 percent for businesses,

2.625 percent for private nonprofit organizations, and 1.563 percent for

homeowners and renters. Loan terms can be up to 30 years.

To date, the SBA has approved 493 loans for $11,199,000 for residences

and businesses in Volusia County. Residents should be aware if they have

an SBA loan and receive a "substantial damage letter" from their local

authorities, the SBA can usually finance any shortfall of funds after

insurance and FEMA grants to pay for code required upgrades. This

includes the cost to elevate structures damaged by Hurricane Matthew.

The deadline to file an SBA disaster loan application for physical

damage is Dec. 16.

Applicants may apply online using the Electronic Loan Application (ELA)

on SBA’s secure website,  https://disasterloan.sba.gov/ela. Disaster

loan information and application forms may also be obtained by calling

the SBA’s Customer Service Center at 800-659-2955 (800-877-8339 for

the deaf and hard-of-hearing) or by sending an email to

disastercustomerservice@sba.gov. Loan applications can be downloaded

from www.sba.gov/disaster.  Completed applications can be returned to a

recovery center or mailed to: U.S. Small Business Administration,

Processing and Disbursement Center, 14925 Kingsport Road, Fort Worth, TX

76155.

The filing deadline to return applications for physical property damage

is Dec. 16. The deadline to return economic injury applications is July

17.

FEMA Other Needs Assistance (ONA) grants may cover uninsured losses for

furniture, appliances and other personal property, even vehicles.

Survivors may not be considered for this type of assistance unless they

have completed and returned an SBA loan application. Some types of ONA

— medical, dental and funeral expenses — are not SBA dependent,

and completing the loan application is not required.

To be considered for all forms of disaster assistance, applicants

should register with FEMA online at www.DisasterAssistance.gov or by

mobile device at m.fema.gov. If online or mobile access is unavailable,

applicants should call the FEMA toll-free helpline at 800-621-3362.

Those who use 711-Relay or Video Relay Services should call 800-621-3362

(800-462-7585 TTY).

For more information about the DRC or for Hurricane Matthew recovery

information, call Volusia County Emergency Management at 386-258-4088 or

visit www.volusia.org/pin.