Answers to Questions about FEMA

Iowans affected by recent flooding have asked these questions about FEMA assistance:

Question: If I receive FEMA assistance for flood damage, am I required to carry flood insurance?
Answer: Only homeowners and renters who live in high-risk flood zones, also known as Special Flood Hazard Areas, are required to carry flood insurance – if they accept FEMA Individual Assistance money. Speak with your community’s floodplain manager or go to https://msc.fema.gov/ to find out if your home is in a Special Flood Hazard Area. If eligible, FEMA will purchase up to three years of flood insurance coverage for you. For details, carefully read the letter you receive from FEMA.

Question: How are survivors without a bank account paid their benefits?
Answer: FEMA can pay by check. This is why it is important to give FEMA the address where the survivor is currently receiving mail.

Question: Some people in our community speak Spanish. Are FEMA home inspectors bi-lingual?
Answer: Many FEMA home inspectors are bi-lingual. When applying for FEMA assistance, please tell us your preferred language, so FEMA can provide an inspector to meet your needs.

Question: Does FEMA share information about survivors who are undocumented with other agencies within the U.S. Dept. of Homeland Security?
Answer: FEMA does not proactively provide applicant information to law enforcement organizations.

FEMA Civil Rights Office works to ensure assistance is distributed equitably, without regard to race, color, national origin, sex, age, disability, English proficiency, or economic status. Any disaster survivor and member of the public may contact the Civil Rights Office if they feel that they are the victim of discrimination. FEMA’s Civil Rights Office can be contact toll-free at 833-285-7448. Multilingual operators are available by pressing #2 for Spanish.
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FEMA’s mission is helping people before, during, and after disasters.

Respuestas a preguntas sobre FEMA

Los residentes de Iowa afectados por las inundaciones recientes han hecho estas preguntas sobre la asistencia de FEMA:

Preguntas: Si recibo asistencia de FEMA por daños causados por inundación, ¿tengo la obligación de tener un seguro de inundación?
Respuesta: Sólo los propietarios de viviendas e inquilinos que viven en áreas de alto riesgo de inundación, también conocidas como Áreas Especiales de Riesgo de Inundación, tienen como requisito tener un seguro de inundación, si aceptan dinero de la Asistencia Individual de FEMA. Hable con el manejador de valles de inundación de su comunidad o ingrese a https://msc.fema.gov/ (enlace en inglés) para averiguar si su vivienda se encuentra dentro de un Área Especial de Riesgo de Inundación. Si es elegible, FEMA adquirirá hasta tres años de cobertura del seguro de inundación para usted. Para obtener más información, lea detenidamente la carta que recibe de FEMA.

Pregunta: ¿Cómo reciben sus beneficios los sobrevivientes sin una cuenta bancaria?
Respuesta: FEMA puede pagar con un cheque. Por eso es importante informarle a FEMA la dirección en la que el sobreviviente recibe actualmente el correo.

Pregunta: Algunas personas de nuestra comunidad hablan español. ¿Los inspectores de vivienda de FEMA son bilingües?
Respuesta: Gran parte de los inspectores de vivienda de FEMA son bilingües. Al solicitar asistencia de FEMA, informe su idioma preferido, para que FEMA puede proporcionarle un inspector que satisfaga sus necesidades.

Pregunta: ¿FEMA divulga información sobre sobrevivientes sin documentación con otras agencias del Departamento de Seguridad Nacional?
Respuesta: FEMA no proporciona activamente la información de los solicitantes a los funcionarios de ley y orden.

La Oficina de Derechos Civiles de FEMA trabaja para garantizar que la asistencia se distribuya de manera equitativa, sin importar la raza, color, nacionalidad, género, edad, discapacidad, dominio del inglés o situación económica. Los sobrevivientes del desastre y miembros del público pueden comunicarse con la Oficina de Derechos Civiles si creen que han sido víctimas de discriminación. Puede comunicarse de forma gratuita con la Oficina de Derechos Civiles de FEMA llamando al 833-285-7448. Los operadores multilingües están disponibles pulsando #2 para español.

Good morning, Rock Rapids and Lyon County residents:

This grant opportunity for home owners to help assist with repair or rehabilitation of your home up to $50,000.  Please review to see if  the stipulations are suitable for your need.  Thanks

https://www.iowagrants.gov/viewStorefrontOpportunity.do?OIDString=1720728254477|Opportunity

Program Overview
The Disaster Recovery Housing Assistance Program will provide financial assistance to eligible homeowners affected by recent natural disasters, helping them to expediate repairs to their homes.
Eligible homes must be located in a county approved for federal Individual Assistance following the three presidentially declared natural disasters this spring and summer. These counties currently include Adair, Adams, Buena Vista, Cedar, Cherokee, Clarke, Clay, Emmet, Harrison, Jasper, Lyon, Mills, Montgomery, O’Brien, Plymouth, Polk, Pottawattamie, Ringgold, Shelby, Sioux, Union and Woodbury.
*Additional counties may be added. A list of counties, including those approved for FEMA Individual Assistance, as required for this program, is available at disasterassistance.gov.
Application Window
• Applications will be accepted on an ongoing basis until funds have been exhausted.
• Applications will be reviewed and approved on a first submitted, first ready to proceed basis.
• Incomplete application submissions may be offered a reasonable timeframe to cure those deficiencies.
Eligible Assistance
• Maximum award $50,000 for repair or rehabilitation of the eligible disaster-affected home
• Assistance provided in the form of a forgivable loan, forgiven monthly over five years and secured by a recorded retention agreement. If the homeowner sells the home or the home ceases to be the homeowner’s primary residence before the end of the five-year retention period, the homeowner will be required to repay the remaining loan balance upon the sale of their home.
Eligible Applicants
• Eligible homeowners who have unmet housing recovery needs that fall beyond the scope of insurance coverage and/or FEMA Individual Assistance must meet all the following requirements:
o The disaster-affected home must have been the applicant’s primary, owner-occupied residence as of the date of the disaster and be located in a county declared eligible for FEMA Individual Assistance.
o If the homeowner had insurance coverage covering disaster damage, the homeowner must have filed a claim with their insurance company and received final approval or denial of that claim.
o The homeowner must have registered with FEMA and been awarded some form of FEMA Housing Assistance, which may include assistance for home repairs or temporary housing.
o The homeowner’s disaster-affected home must have sustained damage greater than the damage that is covered by insurance plus any other state or federal disaster-related financial assistance the homeowner is eligible to receive.
o The disaster-affected home must be deemed suitable for rehabilitation by the local program administrator.
o The disaster-affected home is not eligible for buyout or the homeowner is requesting a forgivable loan for repair or rehabilitation in lieu of a buyout.
o The homeowner must be in good standing with the Iowa Department of Revenue.
IOWA FINANCE AUTHORITY
o Assistance under the program must not duplicate benefits provided by any local, state, or federal disaster recovery assistance program.
Eligible Homes
• Single-family home
• Condominium unit
• Manufactured homes permanently affixed to real property and taxed as real estate
o Proof of flood impact (such as photos) are required
Ineligible Homes
• Homes located within the 100-year floodplain are not eligible for the program.
Eligible Repairs
• Eligible repairs will be limited to those determined reasonable and necessary by the local program administrator to return the home to its pre-disaster condition.
• Assistance provided under the program must be in compliance with all applicable local and state rules and ordinances, including but not limited to, those relating to building codes, zoning, flood plain ordinances, lead-safe renovators and work practices, and asbestos inspection and removal.
Ineligible Repairs
• Repairs to outbuildings, detached garages, boat docks, shoreline restoration, landscaping, repair or replacement of household appliances, clean-up expenses, repairs to a home business or business located on the same site, remodeling to enhance the home’s pre-disaster features, expansion or addition of a deck or porch beyond the pre-disaster footprint other than to enhance mobility accessibility, purchase of personal items or furniture.
Required Documentation
• Copy of driver’s license or other legal form of identification
• Insurance settlement information, if applicable
• FEMA Housing Assistance approval letter
• If seeking reimbursement for eligible expenses, required documentation includes receipts for the purchase of materials, paid invoices from hired contractors who are registered to work in the State of Iowa, and other documentation deemed acceptable by IFA. IFA may verify the accuracy of the submitted paid invoice through verification from the contractor.
Award Process
• Applications will be reviewed for eligibility, duplication of benefits, and if deemed preliminarily eligible, will be referred to a local administrative partner who will be the homeowner’s point of contact for inspections, feasibility for repair determination, scope of work and payment of eligible expenses.
Payment Process
• Assistance may be paid directly to contractors completing the repair or rehabilitation work or to the homeowner as reimbursement for eligible costs incurred.
Contact
For questions, please email disaster@iowaeda.com.

Donation Center hours for the rest of the week:

 

Flood victims in need of Clothing & Furniture

Today (Monday, July 15) 10AM-2PM

By Appointment only July 16-19 & 22-26

Final Week: July 29-31

 

CL Elem. Gym (enter from 12th Ave.)

FEMA Categories: The City of Rock Rapids is currently in A & B categories.

 

Emergency Work

Category A: Debris removal

Category B: Emergency protective measures

Permanent Work

Category C: Roads and bridges

Category D: Water control facilities

Category E: Public buildings and contents

Category F: Public utilities

Category G: Parks, recreation, and other facilities

Administrative Cost

Category Z: Administrative cost

English Version:  FS-Disaster Assistance for Non-U.S. Citizens DR4796IA 07032024

Spanish Version:  SPA_FS-Disaster Assistance for Non-U.S. Citizens DR4796IA 07032024

If we have volunteer’s that are willing to pick up flood debris, they will pick it up when they can.  Please be patient with the pick up as it may not happen immediately.  We do have dumpsters at the City shop and you can drop it off there.  We are NO LONGER accepting paint cans.  The city is planning to do a final pickup in the coming weeks with a date to be determined.  Please watch rockrapids.com for those dates.

07.01.24 SBA Disaster Recovery Resources

Click Here for the Press Release

SBA Business Recovery Center to open in Sioux Center.

Approved Counties: Clay, Emmet, Lyon, Plymouth and Sioux

For BUSINESS

https://www.sba.gov/funding-programs/disaster-assistance/economic-injury-disaster-loans

This is actually a VERY easy site to navigate and I suspect people can do most of this on their own. If you need assistance, reach out to me…if they need internet connection, laptop usage, a guiding hand, etc…..

–  It mentions the use, terms, payments, etc.

 

For HOME:

This one is a little more tricky

Individuals and business owners who sustained losses in the designated areas can begin applying for assistance by calling 1-800-621-3362.

Other options include registering online at www.disasterassistance.gov or downloading the FEMA app.

 

They have made this very self guided

What to Expect When You Apply Online

–  Disaster is Declared
After a major disaster, the President may declare Individual Assistance for certain damaged areas in a state. If you live in one of these areas, you may qualify to apply

START THE APPLICATION PROCESS
Create an Account on Login.gov
You need to create an account so you can do a few things:

Save your application to finish later, get your status and respond to messages, and upload documents.

Gather Your Personal Information
You’ll need to have as much of the following info ready as you can:
Home, mailing, and email addresses; phone number; Social Security number (SSN); banking and insurance info.

Fill Out the Application
Enter as much detail as you can. You can go back to your account later to enter anything you don’t have handy now.

Review and Send Your Application
Check what you’ve entered, make changes if you need to, and send your application to FEMA. Remember to save and keep your Application ID. You’ll need it anytime you talk with FEMA.

AFTER YOU APPLY

FEMA Reviews Your Application
If FEMA can’t qualify you based on your application alone, we may request more info or to inspect your home.

Check Your Email
FEMA will email you when you have messages in your account.

Check Your Status
You can sign in to your account at any time to check the status of your application.

Get Payment
If you qualify, FEMA will send a payment using the method you choose. You can get a direct deposit or a check by mail.