SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Amador and Alpine counties have been added to the major disaster declaration for California’s severe storms and flooding that took place from Dec. 27, 2022 to Jan. 31, 2023.
Homeowners and renters in Amador County are eligible to apply for FEMA’s Individual Assistance program. Alpine County has just been added to the declaration for Public Assistance.
Currently, 14 California counties are eligible for Individual Assistance (IA). FEMA’s IA program may provide grants to help pay for temporary housing and essential home repairs as well as other serious disaster-related needs such as medical and dental expenses, transportation, childcare, and moving and storage expenses. Other counties eligible for IA include Alameda, Calaveras, Contra Costa, Merced, Mendocino, Monterey, Sacramento, San Joaquin, San Luis Obispo, San Mateo, Santa Barbara, Santa Cruz and Ventura.
To apply for FEMA IA assistance, visit DisasterAssistance.gov or download the FEMA mobile app. Applicants can also call the FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362. Help is available in many languages. If you use video relay service (VRS), captioned telephone service or others, give FEMA your number for that service. Helpline operators speak many languages and lines are open from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily. Press 2 for Spanish. Press 3 for an interpreter who speaks your language. The deadline to apply is March 16, 2023.
Some FEMA applicants may be referred to the U.S. Small Business Administration to apply for a disaster loan. Long term, low-interest disaster loans for businesses, nonprofits, homeowners and renters may be available to cover losses not fully compensated by insurance or other sources.
Homeowners and renters should submit an SBA disaster loan application even if they are not sure they will need or want a loan. If SBA cannot approve the application, in most cases SBA will refer survivors to FEMA’s Other Needs Assistance program for possible additional assistance. If the SBA application is approved, individuals are not obligated to accept an SBA loan but failure to return the application may disqualify them from other possible FEMA assistance.
Applicants may apply online, receive additional disaster assistance information and download applications at https://disasterloanassistance.sba.gov/. Applicants may also call SBA’s Customer Service Center at (800) 659-2955 or email disastercustomerservice@sba.gov for more information on SBA disaster assistance. For people who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, please dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunications relay services. Completed applications should be mailed to U.S. Small Business Administration, Processing and Disbursement Center, 14925 Kingsport Road, Fort Worth, TX 76155.
Alpine County is now eligible for Public Assistance, which reimburses local and state government agencies for the costs of emergency response, debris removal and restoration of disaster damaged public facilities and infrastructure. Houses of worship and certain nonprofit organizations may also be eligible. The PA Program also encourages protection of these damaged facilities from future events by providing assistance for hazard mitigation measures during the recovery process.
Currently, 44 counties are eligible for Public Assistance.
Counties eligible for both IA and PA (14): Alameda, Amador, Calaveras, Contra Costa, Mendocino, Merced, Monterey, Sacramento. San Joaquin. San Luis Obispo, San Mateo, Santa Barbara, Santa Cruz, Ventura.
Counties eligible for PA only (30): Alpine, Butte, Colusa, Del Norte, El Dorado, Fresno, Glenn, Humboldt, Inyo, Los Angeles, Madera, Marin, Mariposa, Napa, Nevada, Placer, San Benito, San Diego, San Francisco, Santa Clara, Siskiyou, Solano, Sonoma, Stanislaus, Sutter, Tehama, Tuolumne, Trinity, Tulare, and Yolo.
The federal cost share for Public Assistance projects is 75 percent with 25 percent covered by the state or local governments.
Applicants with questions about making a Request for Public Assistance should email: DisasterRecovery@CalOES.CA.gov.