NEW YORK – It has been four months since the remnants of Hurricane Ida impacted homes, businesses and infrastructure across New York state. To date, FEMA, the U.S. Small Business Administration and the National Flood Insurance Program has disbursed nearly half a billion dollars to help New Yorkers recover and rebuild.
“We stand alongside our state, local, community and other federal partners to continue a robust recovery effort,” said FEMA Federal Coordinating Officer Lai Sun Yee. “In addition to funding, FEMA mobilized more than 40 disaster recovery centers, visited nearly 99,000 homes and interacted with at least 42,000 survivors through its Disaster Survivor Assistance teams.”
Nearly 40,000 New Yorkers from the Bronx, Brooklyn (Kings County), Queens, Staten Island (Richmond County), Dutchess, Nassau, Orange, Rockland, Suffolk and Westchester counties have been approved for FEMA disaster assistance since the Sept. 5 major disaster declaration. Orange County was added to the declaration on Dec. 1.
As of Jan. 5. FEMA approved $191.1 million for housing and other essential storm-related needs under the Individual Assistance program. This amount includes $171.9 million approved for temporary housing, rental assistance, home repair and replacement for eligible survivors and $19.2 million approved for other needs assistance which can help eligible survivors pay for medical and dental expenses, childcare, and other disaster-related necessary expenses.
The Small Business Administration has approved 4,010 home and business loans for a total of more than $196.5 million to help homeowners, renters and businesses recover from remnants of Hurricane Ida. SBA disaster loans are the largest source of federal disaster recovery funds for survivors. These low-interest loans are not just for businesses. Homeowners, renters and certain nonprofits impacted by Ida may also apply. FEMA’s National Flood Insurance Program has paid more than $110.1 million to New York policyholders and closed 3,032 claims for flood damage caused by the storm.
Although the federal government cannot make you whole, it is part of the solution, as disaster recovery is a whole community effort. Many entities are involved including local and state agencies, nonprofits, voluntary and faith-based organizations, and the private sector. FEMA continues to work closely with its whole-of-community partners to ensure disaster survivors have access to the resources they need from all eligible programs available.
Residents of Orange County who suffered damage or losses from remnants of Hurricane Ida, have until Monday, Jan. 31 to apply for disaster assistance with FEMA.
The application period for residents of the Bronx, Brooklyn (Kings County), Queens, Staten Island (Richmond County), Dutchess, Nassau, Rockland, Suffolk and Westchester counties ended on Jan. 4. However, individuals from these nine counties have a 60-day grace period to submit a late application. For a late application, the applicant must submit a letter to FEMA that explains the extenuating circumstances that prevented them from applying within the application period.
To apply for FEMA assistance, visit DisasterAssistance.gov, use the FEMA mobile app or call the FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362. If you use video relay service (VRS), captioned telephone service or others, give FEMA the number for that service. Helpline operators are available from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily. Press 2 for Spanish. Press 3 for an interpreter who speaks your language.
Applying for an SBA loan assures that all available disaster assistance options remain open to you. If you are not eligible for an SBA loan, this may open the door to additional assistance from FEMA.
Applicants may apply online using SBA’s secure website at DisasterLoanAssistance.sba.gov or call SBA’s Customer Service Center at 800-659-2955. Individuals who are deaf or hard-of-hearing may call 800-877-8339. For more information, email DisasterCustomerService@SBA.gov.