San Mateo County residents will now be eligible for federal disaster assistance after the area was included in the Major Disaster Declaration for the State of California after being affected by storms since December 27, 2022.
That was announced by Reps. Anna Eshoo, D-Menlo Park, and Kevin Mullin, D-San Mateo, who said disaster relief from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) will help residents and business owners facing losses from the storms.
They therefore encouraged homeowners and renters who suffered damage or loss as a direct result of the storms to apply for FEMA assistance before the March 16, 2023 deadline.
Disaster assistance may include grants to help pay for temporary housing and essential home repairs, as well as other serious disaster-related needs such as medical and dental expenses, transportation, child care, and moving and storage costs.
“This will be a huge help to individuals and business owners who suffered losses during the severe storms that dumped 13 inches of rain on the county in December and January,” Mullin said. “My colleague Anna Eshoo and I will do everything we can to help our constituents as they recover and rebuild.”
Notably, Eshoo and Mullin wrote to President Joe Biden on January 23 to request an amendment to include San Mateo County in the Major Disaster Declaration issued for California.
San Mateo County residents can now access individual FEMA assistance by phone at 1-800-621-FEMA (3362) or online at www.DisasterAssistance.gov to cover basic needs.
The declaration allows FEMA to provide direct support to individuals and households in nine counties: Calaveras, Merced, Monterey, Sacramento, San Joaquin, San Luis Obispo, San Mateo, Santa Barbara and Santa Cruz.
Officials said that if you have insurance, you should first file a claim with your insurance provider. FEMA provides assistance to uninsured and underinsured applicants for serious disaster-related expenses and needs.
There are several ways to apply for FEMA assistance under the Individual Assistance program:
- Visit DisasterAssistance.gov
- Download the FEMA mobile app
- Call the FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362. Help is available in many languages. If you use Video Relay Service (VRS), captioned telephone service, or other services, provide FEMA with the number for that service. Helpline operators speak many languages and lines are open from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily. Press 2 for Spanish. Press 3 for an interpreter who speaks your language.
- To view an accessible video on how to apply, go to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LU7wzRjByhI
- You can also visit a Disaster Recovery Center and meet with FEMA staff and representatives from other federal and state agencies who can provide you with information about disaster assistance. To find a recovery center near you, visit the DRC Locator (fema.gov).
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