News and Media: Disaster all

SACRAMENTO, Calif. –The amount some wildfire survivors receive from insurance, grants and other sources may come up short for repairing or rebuilding their business or home to its pre-disaster condition. A disaster loan may fill this critical gap.

The U.S. Small Business Administration offers eligible wildfire survivors affordable financial help in the form of low-interest, long-term disaster loans. As of Oct. 1, SBA had made 146 wildfire disaster loans valued at more than $16.1 million: 14 to businesses and 132 to individual survivors of California’s August wildfire siege.

Hurricane Laura survivors, registered with FEMA, in Allen, Beauregard, Calcasieu, Cameron, Jefferson Davis and Vernon parishes may be considered for direct temporary housing.

There is no need to register more than once, and no additional application is required to be considered for housing. Once a survivor is registered, FEMA will call applicants whose homes were destroyed or are uninhabitable to discuss housing needs and to determine the next steps.

ORLANDO, Fla. – FEMA has approved a grant of $2,160,987 for the State of Florida to help the City of Homestead defray the cost of removing debris after Hurricane Irma in 2017.

FEMA Public Assistance funds will reimburse the city for expenses incurred removing more than 130,000 cubic yards of debris from public roads, sidewalks, parks, parking lots and rights-of-way throughout the city.

SACRAMENTO, Calif.  – California residents who applied for assistance from FEMA after sustaining losses from the wildfires starting Aug. 14 may have received a letter saying they are ineligible for housing assistance.

This is called a determination letter. To understand why FEMA determined you to be ineligible, you must read the letter carefully to the end. It may be for a reason you can fix. Here are some of the more common reasons for FEMA’s decision:

No inspection

MONTGOMERY, Ala. – A FEMA Mobile Registration Intake Center (MRIC) opens this week at Brewton in Escambia County. The center is a registration option available to Hurricane Sally survivors, especially those without access to internet service or telephone.

Impacted residents of Baldwin, Escambia and Mobile counties can visit the Brewton MRIC Thursday, Oct. 1 through Saturday, Oct. 3, at the Brewton Civic Center, 1010-C Douglas Ave., Brewton.