Citizens have 60 days from today to register.
Citizens can apply with FEMA by calling - Call (800) 621-3362 / TTY (800) 462-7585 or on line at www.fema.gov or in person at the Disaster Assistance Center
Contact your insurance.
Recovery Programs for Individuals available:
Assistance for Home Damages
The following list shows the types of assistance that are available through IHP and what each provides.
Temporary Housing (a place to live for a limited period of time): Money is available to rent a different place to live, or a government provided housing unit when rental properties are not available.
Repair: Money is available to homeowners to repair damage from the disaster that is not covered by insurance. The goal is to make the damaged home safe, sanitary, and functional.
Replacement: Money is 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/Semi Permanent Housing Construction: Direct assistance or money for the construction of a home. This type of help occurs only in insular areas or remote locations specified by FEMA, where no other type of housing assistance is possible.
Other Needs: Money is available for necessary expenses and serious needs caused by the disaster. This includes medical, dental, funeral, personal property, transportation, moving and storage, and other expenses that are authorized by law.
Disaster Assistance Process
Apply online by visiting www.fema.gov or by phone by calling 1‐800‐621‐FEMA (3362) (hearing/speech impaired ONLY—call 1‐800‐462‐7585).
In addition to having a pen and paper, please have the following information ready:
Your Social Security Number.
A description of your losses that were caused by the disaster.
Insurance information.
Directions to your damaged property.
A telephone number where you can be contacted.
When you apply over the phone, the information you provide is put into the computer and an application is generated. When your application is complete, you will be provided a FEMA application number.
If you have questions AFTER you have applied for assistance or if the information you provided has changed, call the FEMA Helpline at 1‐800‐621‐FEMA (3362) (hearing/speech impaired ONLY—call 1‐800‐462‐7585). When you call, have your application number ready. This number will be given to you when you apply and will be on all mail sent to you from IHP.
When will I be contacted by an inspector? If you are uninsured or lack the appropriate insurance coverage, an inspector will call to schedule an appointment to visit your property. In some cases, you may be contacted the same day you apply. However, in most cases the inspector will call within the next several days, but usually no later than 10 days.
The inspector will assess disaster‐related damage for your real and personal property. There is no fee for the inspection. Inspectors are contractors, not FEMA employees, but your inspector will have picture identification. You or someone 18 years of age that lived in the household prior to the disaster must be present for your scheduled appointment.
The inspector will need to see your identification and you must provide proof of ownership (for homeowners) and occupancy to show the inspector.
The inspector will ask you to sign a form authorizing FEMA to verify that the information you have given is correct.
Inspectors file your report but do not determine your eligibility.
Within about 5 days of the inspector’s visit, you will receive a letter from IHP informing you of the decision on your request for help.
If you are eligible for help, the letter will be followed by a U.S. Treasury/State check or there will be a transfer of cash to your bank account. The letter will explain what the money can be used to pay for. You should use the money given to you as explained in the letter.
If you are not eligible for help, the letter will give the reason for the decision. You will be informed of your appeal rights in the letter.
If you were referred to the Small Business Administration (SBA) for help from the SBA Disaster Assistance Program, you will receive an SBA application.
Program Eligibility
To receive money or help for Housing Needs that are the result of a disaster, all of the following must be true:
You have filed for insurance benefits and the damage to your property is not covered by your insurance. You may be eligible for help from IHP to repair damage to your property.
You or someone who lives with you is a citizen of the United States, a non‐citizen national, or a qualified alien.
Your home is in an area that has been declared a disaster area by the President.
The home in the disaster area is where you usually live the majority of the year.
You are not able to live in your home now, you cannot get to your home due to the disaster, or your home requires repairs because of damage from the disaster.
To receive money for Needs Other than Housing that are the result of a disaster, all of the following must be true:
You have losses in an area that has been declared a disaster area by the President.
You have filed for insurance benefits and the damage to your personal property is not covered by your insurance. You may be eligible for help from IHP to repair damage to your property.
You or someone who lives with you is a citizen of the United States, a non‐citizen national, or a qualified alien.
You have necessary expenses or serious needs because of the disaster.
You have accepted assistance from all other sources for which you are eligible, such as insurance proceeds or SBA loans.
You may not be eligible for money or help from IHP if:
You have other, adequate rent‐free housing that you can use (for example, rental property that is not occupied).
Your home that was damaged is your secondary or vacation residence.
Your expenses resulted only from leaving your home as a precaution and you were able to return to your home immediately after the incident.
You have refused assistance from your insurance provider(s).
Your only losses are business losses (including farm business other than the farmhouse and self‐employment) or items not covered by this program.
The damaged home where you live is located in a designated flood hazard area and your community is not participating in the National Flood Insurance Program. In this case, the flood damage to your home would not be covered, but you may qualify for rental assistance or items not covered by flood insurance, such as water wells, septic systems, medical, dental, or funeral expenses.
Types of Eligible Losses
IHP only covers repairs or replacement of items that are damaged as a direct result of the disaster that are not covered by insurance. Repairs or rebuilding may not improve your home above its pre‐disaster condition unless such improvements are required by current building codes.
Housing Needs: Money to repair your home is limited to making your home safe and sanitary so you can live there. IHP will not pay to return your home to its condition before the disaster. You may use your money provided for housing needs to repair:
Structural parts of your home (foundation, outside walls, and roof).
Windows, doors, floors, walls, ceilings, and cabinetry.
Septic or sewage system.
Well or other water system.
Heating, ventilating, and air conditioning system.
Utilities (electrical, plumbing, and gas systems).
Entrance and exit ways from your home, including privately owned access roads.
Blocking, leveling, and anchoring of a mobile home and reconnecting or resetting its sewer, water, electrical and fuel lines, and tanks.
Other than Housing Needs: Money to repair damaged personal property or to pay for disaster‐related necessary expenses and serious needs is limited to items or services that help prevent or overcome a disaster‐related hardship, injury or adverse condition. IHP will not pay to return or replace your personal property to its condition before the disaster. You may use your money provided for other than housing needs to repair or pay for:
Disaster‐related medical and dental costs.
Disaster‐related funeral and burial cost.
Clothing; household items (room furnishings, appliances); tools (specialized or protective clothing and equipment) required for your job; Fuels for primary heat source (heating oil, gas, firewood).
Disaster‐specified clean‐up items (wet/dry vacuum, air purifier, and dehumidifier).
A vehicle damaged by the disaster.
Moving and storage expenses related to the disaster (moving and storing property to avoid additional disaster damage while disaster‐related repairs are being made to the home).
Other necessary expenses or serious needs as determined by FEMA.
If You Are Eligible For Help
If your application for help under IHP has met the required conditions and has been approved, the money or help you receive must be used as described below. Money from this program may not be used to pay for staying with family or friends. Below is an explanation of the categories.
Dental: Money to address the cost of dental treatments due to dental injuries received during the disaster.
Funeral: Money to address the cost of funeral services, burial or cremation, and other funeral expenses related to a death caused by the disaster.
Home Repair: Money, available to homeowners, to address the cost of labor and materials to make repairs to your home to make it safe, sanitary and/or functional.
Housing Assistance: Help with the cost of disaster‐related housing needs.
Medical: Money to address the cost of medical treatment or the purchase of medical equipment required because of physical injuries received as a result of the disaster.
