Time Running Out To Register For Disaster Assistance
Release Date: March 20, 2006
Release Number: 1628-049
» More Information on California Severe Storms, Flooding, Mudslides, and Landslides
SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- Only two weeks remain for Californians who have yet to register for federal and state disaster assistance for damage suffered in the December-January flooding.
“We will continue to process existing assistance applications, but the deadline to register is Tuesday, April 4,” said Federal Coordinating Officer Tom Davies of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
Individuals and business owners affected by the severe storms and flooding of Dec. 17 through Jan. 3 should register online at www.fema.gov or by calling 1-800-621-FEMA (3362) or (TTY) 1-800-462-7585. Both numbers are open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday.
“Don’t assume you aren’t eligible for assistance,” said State Coordinating Officer Henry Renteria, director of the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (OES). “We don’t want to miss anyone who has been affected by these floods who may need help in the recovery process.”
Even if you have insurance, you may still be eligible for disaster assistance for under-insured losses. In order to complete an application, FEMA will need the resident’s insurance settlement information to avoid any duplication of benefits.
People who have registered can call the FEMA Helpline at the numbers listed above for answers about assistance or the status of their cases. Multilingual representatives are available.
A variety of assistance programs are available to disaster victims, including:
- grants for temporary disaster housing;
- grants for repairing uninsured homes to a livable condition,
- grants for serious, disaster-related needs and expenses not covered by insurance or other assistance programs;
- U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) low-interest loans for homeowners, renters businesses of all sizes to repair or replace disaster-damaged property.
Residents are eligible for individual assistance programs in Contra Costa, Del Norte, El Dorado, Lake, Marin, Mendocino, Napa, Nevada, Sacramento, Shasta, Siskiyou, Solano and Sonoma counties.
Last Modified: Monday, 20-Mar-2006 13:29:17