SAN DIEGO — If you were impacted by the January floods, the deadline to apply for FEMA aid is April 19.
FEMA workers are busy going out into the community to let flood victims know about the deadline and walk them through the process.
"We do want everybody to have that chance to apply,” said Rosemonde Menard-Webb with FEMA.
FEMA has been on the ground since February assisting flood victims with applications, but as the deadline looms, teams are ramping up their efforts by going to hotels where flood victims are staying and knocking on doors in impacted neighborhoods.
"If they're not home, we leave flyers. If they are, we speak to them," said Menard-Webb.
Another way FEMA is trying to reach people is by opening up disaster recovery centers at the Mountain View Community Center located at 641 South Boundary Street and the Spring Valley Library located at 836 Kempton Street in Spring Valley. The centers are open Tuesday through Friday, April 19, from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
There, you can apply in person.
You can also apply on disasterassistance.gov, through the FEMA app or by calling 1-800-621-3362 from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. PT daily. If you use a relay service such as Video Relay Service (VRS), captioned telephone service or others, give FEMA your number for that service.
Multilingual operators are available when registering for assistance by phone.
Disaster survivors who are deaf, have a hearing loss, or have a speech disability and use a Text Telephone (TTY) may call 1-800-462-7585.
You can also visit a Disaster Recovery Center. At a DRC, you can get help applying for federal assistance and SBA disaster assistance loans, updating applications and learning about other available resources including from the state and county. Immigration status checks are not available at the DRCs.
Millions in assistance approved for local households
The process can be overwhelming, but well worth it.
FEMA is offering grants to both renters and homeowners who were either not insured or under insured.
They can range from 18 months of rent to a maximum of $42,500 each for home repairs and personal property loss.
To date, FEMA has approved more than $20.9 million in assistance to households affected by the flooding.
This includes:
- $8,599,862.38 for repairs: These grants are meant to help applicants return their home to a safe and livable condition.
- Average grant $8,900
- 15 max grants of $42,500
- $8,565,199.80 in temporary rental assistance
- $3,767,909.54 for other needs: Grants to help pay for personal property replacement and other serious storm-related needs, such as moving and storage fees, transportation, childcare, and medical and dental expenses.
- Average grant $1,800
“We cannot confirm whether or not they'll qualify for the assistance, but we're there to support and encourage them to apply,” said Menard-Webb.
Menard-Webb says FEMA will not ask for any money to apply, so watch out for scammers who do.
Also, make sure you fill out everything completely.
If you do not have a social security number, you can apply on behalf of a child who does.
In regards to payment, the timeline can vary, though FEMA says people usually receive money within a few days of getting approved.
Approval comes after a home inspection occurs — that's scheduled within seven to 10 days after applying, sometimes less.
WATCH RELATED: How to apply for FEMA flood aid before the deadline (April 9, 2024)