Florida – Those affected by Hurricane Irma are being reminded that the deadlines to apply for Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) assistance are approaching.
There are several types of FEMA assistance available to individuals, businesses, and governments. The following deadlines are subject to change, however, they are accurate as of November 2.
Request for Public Assistance (RPA)
Applications for the RPA grant must be submitted by Sunday, November 5. This FEMA grant provides local governments and some nonprofit organizations with reimbursement grants to help offset the costs of emergency response, debris pick up and repairs to public infrastructure.
The Florida Division of Emergency Management recommends all applications be submitted by the deadline, so they can be given to FEMA by their November 10 deadline. So far, 957 applications for this type of aid have been submitted.
Disaster Unemployment Assistance
Applications for Disaster Unemployment Assistance must be submitted by Wednesday, November 14. If you do not qualify for traditional state unemployment benefits but you need help with re-employment after losing your job as a result of Irma, you may be eligible for this type of assistance. You can apply online here.
Individual Assistance
Applications for Individual Assistance are required by Friday, November 24. This aid can be used towards rent, temporary housing, repairs, and other disaster-related needs. Those who rent may qualify for rental assistance.
$877 million will be dispersed and about 2.6 million applications have been submitted. You can apply online here, or over the phone at 800-621-3362 (Voice, 711 or VRS) or 800-462-7585 (TTY users). If you need help with any aspect of the process, you can call 800-621-3362 (Voice, 711 or VRS) or 800-462-7585 (TTY users) from 7 AM to 11 PM daily.
U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) Low-Interest Loans
Applications for SBA loans are due Friday, November 24. Other than insurance, SBA loans are used by businesses to repair or reconstruct damaged property. If you are filing for economic injury, the deadline for your application is June 11. You can apply online here.
Florida Small Business Emergency Bridge Loan Program
Applications for Florida Small Business Emergency Bridge Loan Program are required by Thursday, November 30. Small businesses affected economically or physically may qualify for up to a $50,000 short-term, interest-free loan. You can apply online here.
Immediate Foreclosure Relief
A 90-day moratorium has been placed on foreclosures and forbearance on foreclosures of Florida home mortgages insured by the Federal Housing Administration by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. The moratorium ends on March 9, 2018.
Transitional Sheltering Assistance (TSA)
If you received TSA after your home became unlivable after Hurricane Irma, you are reminded to keep an eye on your hotel/motel checkout date. You can go online to your account here, call the FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362, check your emails and text if you signed up for them, or go to a Disaster Recovery Center.
Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (D-SNAP)
If you sustained economic or physical losses that prevent you from buying healthy food, you may qualify for the Food for Florida (FFF) Disaster Food Assistance Program (D-SNAP). You can check for dates, times and locations here. If your country has not opened an FFF location, you are asked to be patient until they do. If it has already closed, you are urged to go to another county.
NFIP Grace Period Extension for Policy Renewals
If you have a National Flood Insurance Program that expires anywhere from August 7, 2017, through October 6, 2017, you qualify for a payment 120-day grace period. NFIP cannot pay out if claims occur after the expiration date unless it is claimed before the grace period ends.
Insurance
If you were denied by FEMA due to your insurance, even if your insurance did not cover all damages, you may become eligible once the insurance pays out. If you are able to prove that insurance has not covered all of your needs or that you are uninsured, you are encouraged to reapply. FEMA is able to help with damages not covered by flood or homeowners insurance, but cannot duplicate an insurance payment.
After you apply for FEMA, you have 1 year to provide records of an insurance settlement. If your insurance has not settled after 30 days, FEMA will accept letters explaining the situation. In this case, if you receive money from FEMA, you would have to pay it back with the insurance payout.
If you are denied, you are encouraged to look over your application as it may be due to a small error or missing documents. You can submit documents online here or at a Disaster Recovery Center. A list of centers is available here.
FEMA mailing address
FEMA – Individuals & Households Program
National Processing Service Center
P.O. Box 10055
Hyattsville, MD 20782-7055
FEMA faxing address800-827-8112
Attention: FEMA – Individuals & Households Program
Additional information about FEMA can be found on their website, Twitter, and Facebook pages.
Photo courtesy of Elena Fernandez Z and Shutterstock.com.
Copyright Southern Stone Communications 2017.
