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/debrisguidelin
● 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/e
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.go
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.