Some wildfire survivors who applied for disaster assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (“FEMA”) received a letter or text message saying they were ineligible for disaster assistance.
Now, FEMA is saying, applicants should know that FEMA's first communication to them may not be the last word.
According to FEMA, ineligibility can “[v]ery often” be resolved quickly. That's because the most common reasons for this determination include:
- The application may be incomplete. More information or documentation is needed;
- The applicant did not sign the required documents;
- The applicant did not prove occupancy or ownership;
- A letter of determination, or other information, may be needed from an insurance company; or
- The applicant may have insurance coverage and may receive assistance for unmet needs after insurance claims have been settled.
FEMA added that the “problem of missing information” often can be fixed online at www.DisasterAssistance.gov or by calling 800-621-3362 (TTY 800-462-7585). Multi-lingual operators are available. The toll-free numbers are open daily 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. (PST). Survivors may check the status of their applications or update their contact information at these same numbers.
Moreover, FEMA pointed out, applicants ineligible for FEMA grants still may be eligible for other programs, such as disaster unemployment assistance, or for low-interest disaster loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration (“SBA”).
Steven A. Meyerowitz
Steven A. Meyerowitz, a Harvard Law School graduate, is the founder and president of Meyerowitz Communications Inc., a law firm marketing communications consulting company. He may be contacted at [email protected].