FEMA and SBA Deadline to Register for Assistance cannot be extended.
DEADLINE: December 11, 2017. APPLY even if you have insurance!
Whether people need the funding now, or in 18 months for rental assistance, child care, medical expenses, etc. there is a firm cap of $34,000 per household for renters as well as homeowners. The Small Business Administration (SBA) loan deadline for businesses impacted by the fire is the same - December 11, 2017. APPLY even if you have insurance!
FEMA assistance is for those directly impacted by fires: https://www.fema.gov/individual-disaster-assistance# FEMA Disaster Assistance can help support your recovery from a major disaster. If you're ready to apply now for disaster assistance or would like more information on the types of assistance available please visit disasterassistance.gov.
Small Business Administration (SBA) low-interest loans include businesses indirectly affected by the fires. Some applications for disaster assistance require you to also submit an SBA application before we can determine your eligibility for assistance. Learn more about the home and property disaster loan application.
FEMA assistance
- Home/Primary Residence: We provide housing assistance to individuals and families who have lost their homes as a result of a presidentially-declared disaster. If you are a renter or homeowner you may qualify for assistance. By law, FEMA assistance cannot duplicate the assistance you receive from your insurance company, but you may receive assistance for items not covered by insurance. If your home was impacted by a major disaster we recommend that you apply for assistance.
- Business: We do not offer assistance for small businesses impacted by a presidentially-declared disaster. However, we do partner with the Small Business Administration (SBA), which offers low interest loans for business damages. Learn more about the business loan application process.
- Other Needs Assistance: We offer disaster assistance for some of your other disaster-caused expenses including, medical and dental, child care, funeral and burial, essential household items, moving and storage, vehicle, and some clean-up items.
What if I Have Insurance?
You will have up to 12 months from the date you registered with FEMA to submit insurance information for review. We cannot provide money to individuals or households for losses already covered by insurance.
If you have not already contacted your insurance agent to file a claim, please do this as soon as possible. Failure to file a claim with your insurance company may affect your eligibility for assistance. After filing a claim, if any of the following situations occur, we may be able to provide some assistance:
- Your insurance settlement is delayed. Delayed means a decision on your insurance settlement has been delayed longer than 30 days from the time you filed the claim. If a decision on your insurance settlement has been delayed, you will need to write a letter to FEMA explaining the circumstance. You should include documentation from the insurance company proving that you filed the claim. If you filed your claim over the telephone, you should include the claim number, the date when you applied, and the estimated time it will take to receive your settlement. Any help awarded to you by FEMA would be considered an advance and must be repaid to FEMA once an insurance settlement is received.
- Your insurance settlement is insufficient to meet your disaster-caused needs. If you have received the maximum settlement from your insurance and still have an unmet disaster-caused need, you will need to write a letter to FEMA indicating your unmet need. You will also need to send in the claim settlement documentation from your insurance company for review.
- You have exhausted the Additional Living Expenses provided by your insurance company. If you have received the maximum settlement from your insurance for Additional Living Expenses (Loss of Use) and still need help with your disaster-caused temporary housing need, write a letter to FEMA indicating why you continue to have a temporary housing need. You will also need to provide documentation to prove use of Additional Living Expenses from insurance, and a permanent housing plan.
- You are unable to locate rental resources in your area. The FEMA Helpline (1-800-621-3362 / TTY (800) 462-7585) can assist you in finding rental resources in the disaster area by searching online with you. If no resources are available in your county, then the helpline agent can help you search for resources in an adjacent county.
What Does Individual Assistance Cover?
While some housing assistance funds are available through our Individuals and Households Program, most disaster assistance from the Federal government is in the form of low interest disaster loans administered by the Small Business Administration. The Individuals and Households Program Unified Guidance is a single, comprehensive reference containing policy statements and conditions of eligibility for all forms of Individuals and Households Program (IHP) assistance
The following can be provided through the Individuals and Households Program:
Housing Needs
- Temporary Housing (a place to live for a limited period of time): Financial assistance may be available to homeowners or renters to rent a temporary place to live. If no rental properties are available, a government housing unit may be provided, but only as a last resort.
- Lodging Expenses Reimbursement: Reimbursement of hotel expenses for homeowners or renters may be available for short periods of time due to inaccessibility or utility outage if not covered by insurance or any other program.
- Repair: Financial assistance may be available to homeowners to repair disater-caused damage to their primary residence that is not covered by insurance. The goal is to make the damaged home safe, sanitary, or fit to occupy.
- Replacement: Financial assistance may be available to homeowners to replace their home destroyed in the disaster that is not covered by insurance. The goal is to help the homeowner with the cost of replacing their destroyed home.
- Permanent or Semi-Permanent Housing Construction: Direct assistance or money for the construction of a home. This type of help occurs only in insular areas or other locations specified by FEMA, where no other type of housing assistance is possible.
Other Needs
Assistance is available for necessary expenses and serious needs caused by the disaster. This includes:
- Disaster-caused child care expenses.
- Disaster-caused medical and dental expenses.
- Disaster-caused funeral and burial expenses.
- Disaster-caused damages to essential household items (room furnishings, appliances); clothing; tools (specialized or protective clothing and equipment) required for your job; necessary educational materials (computers, school books, supplies).
- Fuel for the primary heat source (heating oil, gas).
- Clean-up items (wet/dry vacuum, dehumidifier).
- Disaster-caused damage to an essential vehicle.
- Moving and storage expenses caused by the disaster (moving and storage of personal property while repairs are being made to the primary residence, and returning property to the primary address).
- Other necessary expenses or serious needs as determined by FEMA.
- Other expenses that are authorized by law.
Click here to read the full article: Fire Loss FEMA Funding and SBA Loan Deadline December 11
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