FEMA aid for Duval residents

FEMA aid for Duval residents

Although other north Florida counties suffered serious damages from Tropical Storm Fay, Duval residents are the only ones eligible for individual federal assistance at this time.

Nearly half of Florida's counties are eligible for FEMA public assistance under the disaster 

declaration.

Under this arrangement, FEMA picks up 75 percent of the tab for storm-related repairs and mitigation to state and local governments and certain types of private, non-profit organizations. Eligible repairs include debris removal, local infrastructure and the repair, replacement, or restoration of disaster-damaged, publicly owned facilities like parks and beaches.

A presidential disaster declaration from Fay so far includes individual assistance in Duval and nine other Florida counties, Brevard, Hendry, Lee, Leon, Okeechobee, Seminole, St. Lucie, Volusia, and Wakulla.

Federal Emergency Management Agency representatives are visiting Duval neighborhoods this week to let residents know disaster aid is available. The aid will provide assistance for such things as home repairs and living expenses which can include clothing, medical costs and transportation. The average FEMA grant per home is about $4,000.

To get the grant process started, homeowners should call FEMA, which will send an application package and an inspector to their home within five to seven days. Although residents can apply for aid, not all victims of the storm will qualify.

To be eligible for housing aid, FEMA requires:

• You have losses in an area that has been declared a disaster by the president.

• You have filed for insurance benefits and the damage to your property is not covered by your insurance or your insurance settlement is insufficient to meet your losses.

• You or someone who lives with you is a citizen of the United States, a non-citizen national, or a qualified alien.

• The home in the disaster area is where you usually live and where you were living at the time of the disaster.

• You are not able to live in your home now, you cannot get to your home due to the disaster, or your home requires repairs because of damage from the disaster.

Residents may not be eligible for housing assistance if:

• You have other, adequate rent-free housing that you can use (for example, rental property that is not occupied).

• Your home that was damaged is your secondary or vacation residence.

• Your expenses resulted only from leaving your home as a precaution and you were able to return to your home immediately after the incident.

• You have refused assistance from your insurance provider(s).

• Your only losses are business losses (including farm business other than the farmhouse and self-employment) or items not covered by this program.

• The damaged home where you live is located in a designated flood hazard area and your community is not participating in the National Flood Insurance Program. In this case, the flood damage to your home would not be covered, but you may qualify for rental assistance or items not covered by flood insurance, such as water wells, septic systems, medical, dental, or funeral expenses.