The deadline to apply for federal disaster assistance for storm and flood damage that began in late December 2022 is Thursday, March 16, so if you need it, now is the time to apply.
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 expenses.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency ?FEMA, for its acronym in English? and the Federal Small Business Administration offer a variety of relief grants, loans, and other assistance.
As of March 7, for example, San Mateo County residents and businesses have been approved for a total of $3,996,000 from the Small Business Administration's loan program for storm-related damage.
“If you, your family or your business suffered damages due to the series of storms that began just before the New Year, I encourage you to apply for federal assistance as soon as possible,” said San Mateo County Executive Director Mike Callagy.
"There are still 745 families or individuals who have registered with FEMA and have not completed the process to determine which program they qualify for," Callagy said. "Sometimes people realize too late that they should have finished the process."
Those who want help with the application process can visit the Disaster Recovery Center at the San Mateo County Events Center, where specialists are available to answer questions and help with paperwork.
The specialists can also direct you to operators who can communicate in English, Spanish and many other languages, while the centers also offer printed materials in multiple languages.
The San Mateo County Events Center is accessed through the west entrance of the parking lot at 2495 S. Delaware St. Disaster recovery staff are located in Cypress Hall from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. 7:00 p.m. every day, except Sunday March 12, which will remain closed.
Please note that the center will close at 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday, March 14.
However, help can also be applied for online. Those interested can access the website www.DisasterAssistance.gov or use the FEMA mobile app, as well as being able to call the FEMA helpline at 800-621-3362.
If you use Video Relay Service (VRS), captioned telephone service, or others, provide FEMA with your number for that service. Helpline operators are available from 7:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. every day. Press 2 for Spanish.
To apply online, receive additional information on disaster assistance, and download applications, you can access https://disasterloanassistance.sba.gov/, call the SBA Customer Service Center at 800-659-2955 or email DisasterCustomerService@sba.gov for more information.
People who are deaf, hard of hearing, or speech impaired should dial 711 to access telecommunications relay services.
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