Two Weeks Remain to Apply for Federal Assistance
WAYNESVILLE, N.C. – Residents of Buncombe, Haywood and Transylvania counties who were impacted by Tropical Storm Fred have until Nov. 8, 2021 to apply for assistance from FEMA and the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA).
FEMA’s Individual Assistance program is designed to help disaster survivors with basic, critical needs such as a safe, sanitary, and functional place to live while survivors look for a long-term or permanent housing solution. It is not designed to make survivors whole and is not a substitute for insurance coverage. FEMA Individual Assistance cannot duplicate other sources of assistance.
You can register with FEMA in several ways: Go online to DisasterAssistance.gov, call 800-621-3362, or use the FEMA app for smartphones. If you use a relay service, such as video relay (VRS), captioned telephone service or others, give FEMA the number for that service. Lines are open from 7 a.m. to 1 a.m. local time, seven days a week.
Nov. 8, 2021 is also the deadline for homeowners, renters, businesses and nonprofits to apply to the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) for low-interest disaster loans for physical property and personal property damage.
You may apply online using the Electronic Loan Application (ELA) via the SBA’s secure website at disasterloanassistance.sba.gov/ela/s/ or by visiting a Business Recovery Center. Paper applications may be requested by calling the SBA Customer Service Center at 800-659-2955 (800-877-8339 TTY) or by sending an email to disastercustomerservice@sba.gov.
SBA Economic Injury Disaster Loans are available to businesses and private nonprofit organizations of any size in Buncombe, Haywood and Transylvania counties and in the following adjacent counties: Henderson, Jackson, Madison, McDowell, Rutherford, Swain and Yancey in North Carolina; Greenville, Oconee and Pickens in South Carolina and Cocke and Sevier in Tennessee. The deadline to file economic injury applications is June 8, 2022.
There is no cost to apply for assistance from FEMA or the SBA.
For more information about Tropical Storm Fred recovery in North Carolina, visit fema.gov/disaster/4617 and ncdps.gov/TSFred. Follow us on Twitter: @NCEmergency and @FEMARegion4.
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FEMA’s mission is helping people before, during, and after disasters.