Now, more than 10 months after Typhoon Mawar devastated the island territory, Guam residents continue down their road to recovery with the help of federal funding from the U.S. Small Business Administration and FEMA. To date, more than $324 million in low interest disaster loans from the SBA and direct disaster assistance through FEMA have flowed into communities to help jumpstart the recovery process.
Small Business Administration:
The U.S. Small Business Administration has approved more than $253 million in low-interest disaster loans. The SBA is the number one source of federal disaster recovery funding. Through low-interest disaster loans the SBA provides recovery loans to businesses of all sizes, private non-profit organizations, homeowners, and renters.
For homeowners and renters, the SBA has approved 2,342 disaster loans totaling nearly $210.1 million dollars. These loans can be used to repair or replace a survivor’s disaster damaged home and personal property. Additionally, 240 businesses and private non-profits have been approved for loans totaling more than $40 million. These funds will help these businesses and organizations recover by replacing real estate, machinery and equipment, and inventory and business assets.
Individuals and Households Program
As of March 11, 2024
When it comes to FEMA assistance, more than 19,000 homeowners and renters have been approved for more than $70 million in federal awards through FEMA’s Individuals and Households Program. Unlike SBA loans, this money does not have to be paid back.
This includes:
More than $20 million in repair and replacement assistance to help survivors rebuild, or make basic repairs to make their home safe, sanitary, and functional and provide funds to owners whose primary residences were destroyed due to Typhoon Mawar.
More than $19.5 million in rental assistance was provided to more than 6,048 applicants. FEMA rental assistance is intended to help survivors pay for somewhere to live while they repair or rebuild their disaster damaged home. FEMA awards eligible applicants an initial Rental Assistance payment based on the Fair Market Rent established by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) for where their pre-disaster residence is located and the number of bedrooms the household requires.
Other Needs Assistance
Other Needs Assistance provides financial assistance for disaster-related necessary expenses and serious needs that are not covered by insurance or provided by any other source. More than $30.9 million in ONA has been awarded to Guam survivors.
This includes:
Critical needs assistance, transportation assistance, personal property assistance, moving and storage, disaster related medical and dental assistance and money to clean and sanitize a disaster damaged home.
The application period has closed as of July 28, 2023. To provide updates on your application, submit new information or ask questions; call the FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362 from 10 p.m. through 2 p.m. CHST the following day.
Download the FEMA mobile app.
For the latest FEMA information visit www.fema.gov/disaster/4715
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FEMA’s mission is helping people before, during, and after disasters. All FEMA disaster assistance will be provided without discrimination on the grounds of race, color, sex (including sexual harassment), sexual orientation, religion, national origin, age, disability, limited English proficiency, or economic status. If you believe your civil rights are being violated, you can call the Civil Rights Resource line at 833-285-7448.