News Release:
One Week Left to Register for Disaster Assistance/Low-Interest Loans
SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Survivors of the October 2017 wildfires have one week left to register with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for disaster assistance and to apply for a low-interest disaster loan from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA).
The deadline for both is Dec. 11, 2017 for those with losses.
Residents of Butte, Lake, Mendocino, Napa, Nevada, Orange, Sonoma and Yuba counties who suffered damage may be eligible for federal grants, which do not have to be repaid. Grants can help cover disaster-related expenses, including rent, essential home repairs and other disaster-related needs not covered by insurance.
Applicants can apply for disaster assistance by going online at DisasterAssistance.gov, by using the FEMA app on a smart phone or by calling 800-621-3362 or (TTY) 800-462-7585. Applicants who use 711 or Video Relay Service can call 800-621-3362. The toll-free numbers are open 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days a week.
In-person registration assistance is available at the Local Assistance Center in Napa County or at one of the Disaster Recovery Centers (DRCs) in Mendocino, Napa or Sonoma counties. To find the closest center, go online at fema.gov/drc or text 43362 with the message DRC and the resident’s ZIP code. Standard message and data rates apply.
If an applicant’s contact information changes, let FEMA know as the agency may need to get in touch.
Business owners and nonprofits located in the designated counties may qualify for up to $2 million in low-interest SBA disaster loans both for physical and economic damage. Homeowners may qualify for up to $200,000 for home damage. Homeowners and renters can apply for up to $40,000 to replace personal property. Call 800-659-2955 or visit www.sba.gov/disaster for more information.
Registrants who are contacted by SBA should complete and return the application even if they don’t want a loan. Application information can be considered to determine eligibility for other disaster assistance, such as reimbursement for personal property, medical, storage and vehicles.
Those who receive a letter from FEMA saying they are not eligible for disaster assistance should contact FEMA with questions or if they need assistance to appeal the decision.
Link to PDF of this news release: DR-4344-CA NR022 One Week Left to Register For Federal Disaster Assistance
All FEMA disaster assistance will be provided without discrimination on the grounds of race, color, sex (including sexual harassment), religion, national origin, age, disability, limited English proficiency, economic status, or retaliation. If you believe your civil rights are being violated, call 800-621-3362 or 800-462-7585(TTY/TDD).
FEMA’s mission is to support our citizens and first responders to ensure that as a nation we work together to build, sustain, and improve our capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate all hazards.
The SBA is the federal government’s primary source of money for the long-term rebuilding of disaster-damaged private property. SBA helps businesses of all sizes, private nonprofit organizations, homeowners and renters fund repairs or rebuilding efforts and cover the cost of replacing lost or disaster-damaged personal property. These disaster loans cover losses not fully compensated by insurance or other recoveries and do not duplicate benefits of other agencies or organizations. For more information, applicants may contact SBA’s Disaster Assistance Customer Service Center by calling 800-659-2955, emailing disastercustomerservice@sba.gov, or visiting SBA’s website at www.sba.gov/disaster. Deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals may call 800-877-8339 (TTY).