Senator Flanagan Announces FEMA Assistance Registration Deadline Extended

            Senator John Flanagan (2^nd Senate District) is informing all Long Islanders who suffered damage in Hurricane Sandy that the deadline to register for assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has been extended to January 28, 2013.  The previous deadline was December 31, 2012.

            Applications for assistance can be made via the Internet by visiting http://www.fema.gov/ or by calling 1‐800‐621‐FEMA (3362) (hearing/speech impaired ONLY—call 1‐800‐462‐7585).  FEMA will need homeowners to supply the following information:

·         Social Security Number

·         A description of losses caused by the disaster

·         Insurance information

·         Directions to the damaged property

·         A primary contact telephone number

            When an application is made over the phone, FEMA will enter the information provided into its system and an application will be generated.  When the application is complete, FEMA will provide the applicant with a FEMA application number.

            According to FEMA, those who have already filed a claim with their insurance companies may also be eligible for federal assistance.  FEMA may be able to provide assistance if an insurance settlement is delayed more than 30- days from the time it was filed, the settlement is insufficient to meet disaster-related needs, the homeowner has exhausted the Additional Living Expenses (ALE) provided by your insurance company or if a person is unable to find rental housing in their area.

            Residents have up to twelve months from the date you registered with FEMA to submit your insurance information for review.  By law, FEMA cannot provide money to individuals or households for losses that are covered by insurance.

            In order to receive money or help for Housing Needs that are the result of this disaster, applicants must meet all of the following:

·         Applicant must have filed for any available insurance benefits;

·         Someone in the household must be a citizen of the United States, a non‐citizen national, or a qualified alien;

·         The home must be a primary residence and in an area that has been declared a disaster area by the President; and

·         Homeowner is unable to live in the home now, unable to get to the home due to the disaster or the home requires repairs that were caused by the disaster.

            Additionally, to receive money for Needs Other than Housing that are the result of a disaster, applicants must also have a need that is directly related to the disaster and have accepted assistance from all other sources for which you are eligible, such as insurance proceeds or United States Small Business Administration loans.

            According to FEMA, New York survivors of Hurricane Sandy have already received $564 million in federal individual assistance grants to help them recover from damages caused by the storm.  The assistance includes $531 million in housing grants, including short-term rental assistance and home repair costs, and $33 million to cover other essential disaster-related needs, such as medical and dental expenses and lost personal possessions.

            “Hurricane Sandy caused widespread damage throughout our region and its impact will be felt by many of our residents for quite some time.  It is critically important to inform everyone affected by the storm that they may be eligible for federal assistance and I urge everyone to take advantage of these potential resources by the January 28^th deadline.  This is help that our homeowners and small businesses are entitled to,” stated Senator Flanagan.           

            For more information on applying with FEMA, residents should click here to visit the FEMA Hurricane Sandy web site.