The deadline to apply for federal disaster assistance for damages resulting from the severe storms and flooding of July 19-August 7 has been extended to November 17. The Disaster Recovery Center at 4905 West North Avenue in the Harold Washington Plaza Shopping Center will remain open until then to assist with claims, appeals, questions, and SBA loan applications.
The FEMA HOTLINE also continues to take claim applications at 1-800-621-3362. Persons suffering losses are urged to apply as quickly as possible, however, so that inspectors can visit homes to examine damage, so that cash assistance is received quickly and, in case of claim denials, people can receive assistance with appeals and refilings.
FEMA reminds persons suffering flood losses to remember the following ten points:
1. Disaster assistance is available to renters as well as homeowners
2. Assistance is available to all residents of the seven counties designated as disaster areas
3. People must apply to FEMA to receive federal disaster assistance, even if they reported storm damage to local or county officials immediately after the storms
4. FEMA can help persons with limited English proficiency apply for assistance through its multilingual operators at 1-800-621-3362.
5. Furnaces in homes affected by the flooding should be checked for proper operation before the onset of cold weather; federal assistance for cleaning and testing of flood-damaged furnaces in the disaster –declared counties may be available
6. FEMA assistance grants are not taxable as income
7. FEMA grants do not affect Social Security benefits or eligibility for welfare programs such as food stamps
8. FEMA may be able to reimburse people for some disaster-related expenses, such as uninsured medical or dental losses, but receipts are necessary to document those expenses
9. While FEMA assistance is meant to get people back on their feet after a disaster, U.S. Small Business Administration disaster recovery loans may be available to fund extensive repairs needed to return a home to its original condition before the disaster and pay for proven methods of hazard mitigation to reduce future storm or flood damage
10. The deadline to apply for assistance is WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2010; apply online at www.DisasterAssistance.gov or call 1-800-621-3362, (TTY) 1-800-462-7585.
As of October 11, 5,271 residents of Zip Code 60651 had applied for assistance and $12,480,268 in grants has been approved.
In Zip Code 60644, 3,054 residents registered for aid and a total of $6,360,072 in grants has been approved
For other Zip Codes served by THE VOICE Newspapers, the statistics are as follows:
60639 – 3,254 Registrations & $7,953,051 in aid grants approved.
60624 – 2,037 Registrations & $4,238,053 in aid grants approved.
60623 – 2,839 Registrations & $6,530,819 in aid grants approved.
60612 – 706 Registrations & $1,130,089 in aid grants approved.
60608 – 81 Registrations & $1,973,044 in aid grants approved.
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