FEMA Expands Disaster Aid to Additional Counties, Helps More Communities Recover from Severe Loss

WASHINGTON -- Homeowners in Brevard, Hendry, Monroe and Okeechobee counties are now eligible to apply for FEMA individual assistance. More than $268 million in federal disaster assistance has been approved for over 178,000 individuals and households to help jumpstart their recoveries. 

How FEMA is Helping Floridians

• FEMA has made individual assistance available to 24 counties in Florida. Residents in Brevard, Charlotte, Collier, DeSoto, Flagler, Hardee, Hendry, Highlands, Hillsborough, Lake, Lee, Manatee, Monroe, Okeechobee, Orange, Osceola, Palm Beach, Pinellas, Polk, Putnam, Sarasota, Seminole, St. Johns and Volusia counties are eligible to apply for individual assistance.
• FEMA is meeting survivors where they are to help jumpstart their recovery. Today, FEMA and state partners opened a Disaster Recovery Center in Volusia County. Along with Disaster Survivor Assistance specialists going door-to-door in Florida neighborhoods to help individuals register for assistance, survivors can visit one of the 11 Disaster Recovery Centers operating across the state. Centers are operating in Charlotte, Collier, Hardee, Orange, Osceola, Polk, Sarasota, Seminole and Volusia counties, with two centers in Lee County. More centers are planned to open in the coming days. Interpretation services and translated materials are available at these centers to help survivors communicate in the language they feel most comfortable. Disaster Recovery Center locations are chosen for their accessibility, with the goal of reaching as many people as possible. As centers are added, real-time locations will be updated at FloridaDisaster.org.
• FEMA will pay hotel and motel costs for eligible survivors. FEMA and the state of Florida activated the Transitional Shelter Assistance Program, which allows FEMA to make payments directly to participating hotels and motels in Alabama, Florida and Georgia that provide emergency shelter to survivors. As of today, the program is providing housing for 2,088 individuals and households.
• Hundreds of FEMA inspectors have performed over 39,000 home inspections for survivors who registered for federal disaster assistance.
• The U.S. Small Business Administration has approved $20 million in low-interest disaster loans to homeowners, renters and business owners. Business Recovery Centers are located in Collier, DeSoto, Hillsborough, Lee and Seminole counties.
• As of Oct. 11, FEMA’s National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) has received more than 35,000 flood insurance claims and paid more than $33 million to policyholders, including $23.9 in advance payments.
• NFIP policyholders may receive up to $1,000 to reimburse the purchase of supplies like sandbags, plastic sheeting and lumber. They may also receive up to $1,000 in storage expenses if they moved insured property. Policyholders should file a claim for flood loss avoidance reimbursement, regardless of if it was successful in preventing flood damage.

• Disaster Unemployment Assistance is available to eligible survivors. Floridians should file a claim for loss of income caused by Hurricane Ian by going to Disaster Unemployment Assistance - FloridaJobs.org and selecting “Apply for Hurricane Ian DUA,” visiting a local CareerSource Career Center, or calling  800-385-3920. Customer service representatives are available Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. ET.
• Low-income Florida residents recovering from Hurricane Ian may be eligible for assistance from the Department of Agriculture’s Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (D-SNAP). Survivors can find more information on Florida’s D-SNAP program by visiting the Florida Department of Children and Families’ Hurricane Ian Response & Recovery website.
• Operation Blue Roof has installed 89 roofs in Lee and Charlotte counties. This is a free service provided to homeowners and is currently operating in Charlotte, Collier, Desoto, Lee and Sarasota counties. Residents impacted by Hurricane Ian can sign up at BlueRoof.us or call toll-free at 1-888-ROOF-BLU (1-888-766-3258) for more information. The call center will be open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. ET.
• National Flood Insurance Program Florida policyholders who had flood damage from the hurricane now have a 90-day window to renew their policies. The extension applies to policies with renewal dates beginning Aug. 25 through Oct. 23. Policyholders whose policy renewal date is in this range should contact their agent or insurance company. FEMA also extended the proof of loss requirement for flood insurance policyholders in Florida who suffered flood damage from Hurricane Ian from 60 to 365 days.  For more information on how to file a flood insurance claim, visit How to Start Your Flood Insurance Claim.
• FEMA approved Critical Needs Assistance for disaster survivors with immediate or critical needs because they are displaced from their primary dwelling. Immediate or critical needs are life-saving and life-sustaining items. This assistance is a one-time payment of $700 per household.
• If you or a member of your household uses adaptive or accessibility items that were damaged by Hurricane Ian, you may be eligible for FEMA assistance for those items. For homeowners, items can include an exterior ramp, grab bars and a paved pathway to the home’s entrance from a vehicle. Awards do not count toward your Housing Assistance or Personal Property maximum awards. For more information for homeowners and renters, visit Update to FEMA’s Individual Assistance Program and Policy Guide.