FIVE STEPS TO KEEP YOUR DISASTER RECOVERY ON TRACK
[https://www.fema.gov/press-release/20221103/five-steps-keep-your-disaster-recovery-track]


Release Date: 
十一月 3, 2022 

SAN JUAN, PUERTO RICO — Recovering from a disaster is a continuous
process with many options and it is important for disaster survivors
to know the resources available to support their recovery efforts.
Depending on your particular needs and the steps you’ve already
taken, there are several additional steps you can take to recover from
your losses and mitigate your property against future damage.

Here is a checklist to ensure you’ve taken all the steps in your
federal assistance process:

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VISIT A TEMPORARY DISASTER RECOVERY CENTER (DRC) NEAR YOU. A DRC is a
place where you can receive in-person support, speak with FEMA and
other federal representatives, upload documents, review the status of
your application and submit appeals. To find your nearest DRC and its
hours of operation, click on the FEMA DRC link: DRC Locator
[http://www.fema.gov/drc]. Get answers to your questions while the DRC
is open.

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APPLY FOR A LOW-INTEREST U.S. SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION (SBA)
DISASTER LOAN. SBA disaster loans are not just for businesses.
Homeowners, renters and nonprofit organizations may also apply. Next
to insurance, an SBA low-interest disaster loan is the primary source
of funds for property repairs and for replacing contents destroyed in
a disaster event. Know that you are never obligated to accept a loan.
To apply visit: disasterloanassistance.sba.gov/ela/s/
[https://disasterloanassistance.sba.gov/ela/s/]. Call SBA’s Customer
Service Center at 1-800-659-2955  (if you are deaf, hard of hearing,
or have a speech disability, please dial 7-1-1 to access
telecommunications relay services), or by sending an email to
DisasterCustomerService@sba.gov. Loan applications can be downloaded
from the SBA’s website at sba.gov/disaster
[https://disasterloanassistance.sba.gov/ela/s/article/Paper-Forms].
Completed applications should be mailed to: U.S. Small Business
Administration, Processing and Disbursement Center, 14925 Kingsport
Road, Fort Worth, TX 76155.

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REQUEST CONTINUED TEMPORARY RENTAL ASSISTANCE FORMS. If you received
initial rental assistance and remain unable to return to your
pre-disaster primary residence due to a disaster declared event, make
sure to apply for FEMA’s Continued Rental Assistance. If you did not
receive a form by mail, you may request one by calling the FEMA
helpline.

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STAY IN TOUCH WITH FEMA. Disaster survivors who applied for
assistance from FEMA are asked to please stay in touch with the agency
to review their application status, update their contact information
and provide required documentation as needed. It is critical to keep
in touch with FEMA. Missing or out of date information could slow much
needed disaster assistance. Let FEMA know if your address or phone
number has changed. Download the FEMA App
[https://www.fema.gov/mobile-app], visit DisasterAssistance.gov
[https://www.disasterassistance.gov/] or call FEMA’s helpline.

 	*
KNOW YOUR APPEAL OPTIONS. If you disagree with FEMA decisions, you
have the option to submit an appeal letter with additional
documentation such as your insurance settlement or prove home
ownership or documentation to prove your identity to have your case
reconsidered. The appeal should be submitted within 60 days of the
initial FEMA decision and include a signed and dated letter explaining
why you are appealing and include supporting documentation, such as a
copy of a verifiable contractor’s estimate for repairs.

For questions about federal disaster assistance, call the FEMA
helpline: 1-800-621-3362. If you use a relay service, such as video
relay service (VRS), captioned telephone service or others, give FEMA
the number for that service. Operators are available seven days a
week.