Many folks in the 2nd Congressional District have suffered damage and losses to their homes and businesses from Hurricane Matthew. If you need help, please call my office at 919-782-4400. You may also be entitled to assistance from FEMA, the SBA and other agencies. I have provided information and resources below.
FEMA:
As of October 18th, the following counties already eligible to apply for assistance, under the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Individual and Households Program, are: Beaufort, Bertie, Bladen, Columbus, Craven, Cumberland, Dare, Duplin, Edgecombe, Gates, Greene, Harnett, Hoke, Hyde, Johnston, Jones, Lenoir, Martin, Nash, Pender, Pitt, Robeson, Sampson, Tyrrell, Washington, Wayne and Wilson. As FEMA damage assessments continue, more counties could be added in the coming days.
Storm damage and losses from the hurricane and flooding must have occurred, as a result of Hurricane Matthew, beginning on October 4.
Survivors are encouraged to register with FEMA as soon as possible. If you have phone and/or internet access, you may register in one of the following ways:
• Online at DisasterAssistance.gov
• Download the FEMA Mobile App
• Phone 800-621-3362 (FEMA). Applicants who use 711 or Video Relay Service may also call 800-621-3362. Persons who are deaf, hard of hearing or have a speech disability and use a TTY may call 800-462-7585.
• The toll-free numbers are open from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m., seven days a week.
• Multilingual operators are available.
For those who do not have access to telephone or internet service, don’t be discouraged. North Carolina Emergency Management and FEMA are coming to you. Teams of State and FEMA disaster survivor assistance specialists will soon be moving into affected communities to help people register for assistance. Additionally, Disaster Recovery Centers are open in Edgecombe, Harnett, Nash and Wilson counties with more planned to open in the near future.
Assistance for eligible survivors can include grants for temporary housing and home repairs, and for other serious disaster-related needs, such as medical and dental expenses or funeral and burial costs. Long-term, low-interest disaster loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) also may be available to cover losses not fully compensated by insurance and do not duplicate benefits of other agencies or organizations.
Survivors should contact their insurance company to file their insurance claim. FEMA is unable to duplicate insurance payments. However, those without insurance or those who may be underinsured may still receive help after their insurance claims have been settled.
National Flood Insurance Program Information:
Survivors in affected areas who have flood insurance through FEMA’s National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) and whose property suffered flood damage are encouraged to contact their local insurance agency or company to file aflood insurance claim. When calling, they should have their policy number and a telephone number/email address where they can be reached. Policyholders affected by Hurricane Matthew are also now eligible for advanced payments under their flood insurance policy.
Policyholders with additional questions about filing a claim or about their NFIP policy can call the FEMA helpline at 800-621-3362 and press option “2.” For a TTY line, call 800-462-7585. The line is open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. EDT Monday to Friday.
U.S. Small Business Administration:
The SBA offers low-interest, long-term disaster loans for physical damage and working capital. To be considered for this assistance, survivors need to apply by the deadline.
Additional information on the disaster loan program may be obtained by calling SBA’s Customer Service Center at 800-659-2955 (800-877-8339 for the deaf and hard-of-hearing) or by sending an email to
disastercustomerservice@sba.gov. Loan applications can be downloaded from www.sba.gov. Applicants may apply online using the Electronic Loan Application (ELA) via SBA’s secure website at https://disasterloan.sba.gov/ela.
The filing deadline to return applications for physical property damage is Dec. 9, 2016.
The deadline to return economic injury applications is July 10, 2017.
U.S. Department of Agriculture
The Farm Service Agency of USDA provides assistance for natural disaster losses, resulting from drought, flood, fire, freeze, tornadoes, pest infestation, and other calamities.
N.C. Department of Agriculture:
N.C. Department of Agriculture hotline is 1-866-645-9403. This line is staffed 24 hours.
Internal Revenue Service:
For tax relief information for Victims of Hurricane Matthew, please visit the Internal Revenue Service.
N.C. Emergency Management:
For the latest information regarding Hurricane Matthew please visit N.C. Emergency Management.
N.C. Department of Transportation:
Please call the N.C. Department of Transportation at 5-1-1 for road updates.
If you have any questions or need additional assistance, please contact my Raleigh office at (919)-782-4400. We are here to help.
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