Six months since December’s record-breaking flooding, the final day has arrived for victims to apply to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for disaster relief.
The deadline is the end of the business day on Wednesday, June 10.
So far, FEMA has approved over $8M in assistance for 925 applicants across ten counties and several tribal reservations. Officials say the money helps pay for temporary housing, displacement, home repair costs, personal property loss, and other disaster-caused expenses.
KIRO 7 spoke with homeowners who say the water damage in their homes is bringing in problems with foundation stability, cracked ceilings, mold, and saturated air ducts. Some affected residents report not having flood insurance because their homes aren’t listed in flood plains, and many say they are still working through the damage.
People can apply for three kinds of relief:
- Individual Disaster Assistance for individuals or families to cover some or all costs related to flooding
- Disaster Unemployment Assistance for lost wages or revenue because of flooding
- Low-Interest Loans from the Small Business Association
The FEMA funding is different from the Washington Individual Assistance program and U.S. Small Business Administration loans. FEMA officials say you must apply to each funding option separately.
There are several ways you can apply by today’s deadline:
- Online at disasterassistance.gov
- Over the phone at 800-621-3362
- Downloading and using the FEMA app
- Visiting one of the disaster recovery centers
Many types of assistance are available for people who don’t have insurance, are underinsured, or whose insurance doesn’t cover their damage.