Deadline to Apply for FEMA Assistance Extended to September 1

 

SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Renters and homeowners in 14 counties impacted by the February

and March storms and flooding will now have more time to sign up for federal disaster

assistance.

FEMA’s registration period, due to end July 20, has been extended to September 1, 2023.

The eligible counties are Butte, Kern, Madera, Mariposa, Mendocino, Mono, Monterey,

Nevada, San Benito, San Bernardino, San Luis Obispo, Santa Cruz, Tulare and Tuolumne.

The extended registration deadline will provide more time for survivors living in remote

areas as well as for residents in counties recently designated for federal disaster assistance.

President Biden declared the federal disaster April 3, 2023. It covers damage caused by

severe winter storms, straight-line winds, flooding, landslides and mudslides between

Feb. 21 and July 10, 2023.

FEMA’s Individuals and Households Program may provide disaster assistance for eligible

costs of home repairs, rental assistance for temporary housing, essential personal property,

disaster-related medical and dental care, funeral expenses, transportation and childcare.

There are three ways to apply for FEMA: Online at DisasterAssistance.gov, the FEMA mobile

app or by calling FEMA 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 4 a.m. to 10 p.m. PT daily. Press 2 for Spanish. Press 3 for an interpreter who

speaks your language. For an accessible video on how to apply, go to

youtube.com/watch?v=WZGpWI2RCNw.

Learn more at fema.gov 2

If FEMA refers you to SBA, you must apply with SBA before you can be considered for

certain FEMA grant money, such as reimbursement for damaged personal property,

transportation assistance and Group Flood Insurance Policy (GFIP). Residents are not

obligated to take out a loan if they are approved, but a failure to return the application

may disqualify them from possible FEMA assistance. Long-term, low-interest disaster

loans for businesses, nonprofits, homeowners and renters may be available to cover

losses not fully compensated by insurance or other sources.

For the latest information on California’s recovery from the severe winter storms, flooding,

landslides and mudslides, visit FEMA.gov/disaster/4699. You may also follow

twitter.com/Cal_OES, facebook.com/CaliforniaOES, @FEMARegion9/Twitter and

Facebook.com/FEMA.

FEMA’s mission is helping people before, during, and after disasters.

All FEMA disaster assistance will be provided without discrimination on the grounds of race, color, sex

(including sexual harassment), sexual orientation, religion, national origin, age, disability, limited English

proficiency or economic status. If you believe your civil rights are being violated, call the Civil Rights Resource

line at 833-285-7448.

Recently, U.S. SBA Administrator Isabella Casillas Guzman announced a policy change granting 12 months of no

payments and 0% interest. This pertains to all disaster loans approved in response to disasters declared on or after

September 21, 2022, through September 30, 2023. This policy change will benefit disaster survivors and help them to

decrease the overall cost of recovery by reducing the amount of accrued interest they must repay.

The U.S. Small Business Administration is the federal government’s primary source of funds 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. Applicants may apply online, receive additional disaster

assistance information and download applications at Disaster Loan Assistance .

Applicants may also call SBA’s Customer Service Center at 800-659-2955 or email disastercustomerservice@sba.gov

for more information on SBA disaster assistance. For people who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability,

please dial 711 to access telecommunications relay services.