If you were affected by Sandy and do not have Flood Insurance, you may be eligible for FEMA Disaster Assistance and/or Aid Programs.
The following is a summary of several federal disaster aid programs that may be available to you. Key resources to utilize are FEMA and disasterassistance.gov for additional information.
Assistance for Those Affected May Include the Following:
- Rental payments may be available for temporary housing for homes that are unlivable. Initial assistance can be provided for up to three months for homeowners and at least one month for renters. Assistance may be extended based on a review of individual applicants.
- The Individuals and Households Program (IHP) provides assistance to individuals and households affected that cannot be covered through other forms of disaster assistance or insurance. Forms of housing assistance under IHP include temporary housing, repair, replacement, and semi-permanent/permanent housing construction.
- Grants may be provided to replace personal property and help meet medical, dental, funeral, transportation and other serious disaster-related needs not covered by insurance or other federal, state and charitable aid programs.
- The Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA) program provides unemployment benefits and re-employment services to individuals who have become unemployed because of major disasters. Payments may be available up to 26 weeks for workers who temporarily lost jobs because of the disaster and who do not qualify for state benefits, such as self-employed individuals.
- Low-interest Loans can cover losses not fully compensated by insurance. The U.S. Small Business Administration is available to provide affordable, timely and accessible financial assistance to homeowners, renters and businesses of all sizes located in a declared disaster area.
How to Apply for Assistance:
- Those in counties designated for assistance can begin the disaster application process by registering online at www.DisasterAssistance.gov, or by calling 1-800-621-FEMA (3362). Applicants registering for aid should be prepared to provide basic information about themselves (name, permanent address, phone number), insurance coverage and any other information to help substantiate losses.
The counties that are included are: (NY) Bronx County, Kings County, Nassau County, New York County, Queens County, Richmond County and Suffolk County (NJ) Atlantic County, Cape May County, Essex County, Hudson County, Middlesex County, Monmouth County, Ocean County and Union County (CT) Fairfield County, Mashantucket Pequot Indian Reservation, Middlesex County, New Haven County and New London County.
