Ineligibility Letter May Not Be Last Word On Disaster Assistance 

Release Date: September 25, 2008
Release Number: 1791-043

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AUSTIN, Texas -- A letter stating a person is ineligible for disaster assistance may not be the final word on an application with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

An applicant may be ineligible for a variety of reasons, including:

On the other hand, during repairs, applicants may discover that additional emergency repairs are needed beyond the FEMA grant amount they were initially awarded. If a FEMA applicant finds that additional funding is needed or disagrees with a determination, they can appeal the initial decision. The process is not limited to emergency home repair. An applicant may appeal any FEMA decision.

Submitting repair estimates, receipts, statements or invoices is essential to being considered for an effective appeal or to request an increase in the FEMA grant award. Following the steps below will assure that the applicant's appeal is acted upon promptly and properly.

All appeals must be in writing. Applicants should explain why they think the decision is not correct. The applicant or someone who represents the applicant should sign the letter. Applicants should include their application number on each page of their letter and on their documentation. If the person writing the letter is not a member of their household, the appeal should include a signed statement from the applicant affirming that the person may act on their behalf.

The appeal letter must be postmarked, received by fax or personally submitted at a Disaster Recovery Center (DRC) within 60 days of the date on the decision letter. Retaining a copy of the appeal letter as a record is encouraged.

Appeal letters should be mailed to:

FEMA – Individuals & Households Program
National Processing Service Center
P.O. Box 10055
Hyattsville, MD 20782-7055

Fax the appeal letter to:
1-800-827-8112
Attention:
FEMA – Individuals & Households Program

Disaster assistance may include grants to help pay for temporary housing, home repair and other serious disaster-related expenses not covered by insurance or other sources.

Applicants ineligible for FEMA assistance may still be eligible for other programs such as disaster unemployment or help from nonprofit organizations. Low-interest disaster loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) are also available for homeowners, renters, and business owners for losses not covered by insurance or other sources.  

To begin the assistance process, residents can register at www.fema.gov or by calling FEMA at 1-800-621-FEMA (3362), TTY 1-800-462-7585, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Applicants can get guidance on the appeals issue at any DRC or by calling FEMA's Helpline at the same numbers.

FEMA coordinates the federal government's role in preparing for, preventing, mitigating the effects of, responding to, and recovering from all domestic disasters, whether natural or man-made, including acts of terror.

Last Modified: Thursday, 25-Sep-2008 17:25:41