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The Individual Assistance Program is located within the Recovery and Mitigation Division, Virginia Department of Emergency Management. The program exists to help individuals and families receive the disaster assistance they need to begin to recover from a major disaster. Any inquiries regarding disaster assistance available to individuals and families can be directed to:
Larry Braja
Human Services Officer
804-897-6500, extension 6538
E-mail: Larry.Braja@vdem.virginia.gov
The American Red Cross (ARC) is the primary agency to notify if you have immediate emergency needs because you have been affected by a disaster. Assistance is available for small disasters, such as a house fire, or for large disasters affecting hundreds or thousands of people. Assistance may take the form of emergency cash grants and temporary lodging. The Red Cross can also make referrals to other agencies—governmental, non-profit, and faith-based--that provide assistance beyond what the Red Cross can provide.
To find the Red Cross chapter nearest you and get additional useful disaster information tips, visit the American Red Cross at www.redcross.org. [opens in a new browser]
Always contact your insurance agent as quickly as possible to make a claim against your homeowners, flood insurance, or car insurance policy when a disaster has occurred. Keep receipts for goods and services you purchased to recover from the disaster; document damages by taking pictures or by making a video, if possible. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) will not fully process an application for federal assistance until it knows the results of your insurance filing. In those special circumstances when federal assistance is available to citizens of the Commonwealth, federal disaster assistance grants cannot duplicate benefits received from insurance.
Whether the disaster is small or large, a coalition of voluntary and faith-based groups working under the umbrella association Virginia Voluntary Organizations Active in Disasters attempts to meet the most essential unmet needs that the Red Cross, insurance, or personal resources can not cover.
The provision of resources is prioritized to assist with basic human necessities.
Subsequent sections will discuss special forms of federal assistance that may be made available to the citizens of Virginia when there is a major disaster. However, the best form of protection for common disasters is for homeowners and renters to carry the appropriate form of insurance. Federal assistance is a program of last resort. Appropriate insurance, with sufficient coverage, is the best preparation homeowners and renters can take to guard against losses caused by a disaster. Homeowners should have a homeowner’s policy; renters should have a renter’s policy. Consumer information about homeowners, renters, and car insurance can be found at the Virginia Bureau of Insurance website www.scc.virginia.gov/division/boi.
Flood insurance is a very special case. Homeowners and renters need to know that insurance protection against a flood is only available through a National Flood Insurance Policy. Homeowners and renters policies do not cover damage from flooding. Many insurance companies can write an insurance policy that protects against flooding. For more information about flood insurance, go to www.floodsmart.gov.
In addition to carrying the appropriate forms of insurance for their situation, individuals and families should consider having an emergency fund. An emergency fund can be particularly useful: (1) when individuals and families have to evacuate temporarily from their primary residence, and (2) when an insurance claim has to be filed and a deductible met before the insurance company will pay the claim. No form of federal assistance will pay a deductible partially or in full.
PRESIDENTIALLY DECLARED DISASTERS
Federal disaster assistance becomes available to Virginia citizens through a presidential Individual Assistance Disaster Declaration. This form of assistance is often referred to as FEMA assistance. Not all disaster events become presidentially declared disasters and FEMA assistance is not available for every disaster. A disaster event has to be of significant size and must have severely damaged a substantial number of households and businesses for the Commonwealth to receive this form of assistance.
Citizens should not expect that federal grant assistance—financial assistance that does not have to be paid back-- will provide full compensation for their losses. Federal grant assistance is designed only to cover basic, essential needs. Besides grant assistance, the federal government provides low interest loans for qualified borrowers to help disaster victims more fully recover from their losses.
Registering for Disaster Assistance with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
All households living in declared jurisdictions that have disaster related damages, can register with FEMA. Applicants who have damages that may be covered by insurance will receive additional information about their situation at the time of registration.
When the president approves federal individual assistance, applicants register with FEMA by calling 1-800-621-3362. The telephone number for the hearing and speech impaired is 1-800-462-7585. Another way to register is through the internet. Click here www.fema.gov/assistance/index.shtm for more information. Generally speaking, the following information is needed for registration:
Individuals and Households Program
The Individuals and Households Program (IHP) is the name of the federal disaster assistance program activated when the president approves individual disaster assistance. Some aspects of the program are jointly administered by FEMA and Virginia. The basic elements of the program are described below. You can also visit www.fema.gov for information.
IHP Housing Assistance - Rental
This form of help aids disaster victims by providing financial assistance for alternate living arrangements if the primary residence is uninhabitable and insurance does not cover this expense. Homeowners or renters disaster may qualify for this type of aid. Approved applicants are certified for an initial period and then must present justification to FEMA for additional periods of rental assistance.
IHP Housing Assistance – FEMA Housing Unit
When there are not enough rental properties available in an area, FEMA may provide a housing unit. While housing units are more often made available for homeowners, it is possible for renters to receive such units. Housing units may be placed on a homeowner’s land or, in special circumstances, group sites may have to be developed.
IHP Housing Assistance – Minimal Repair Assistance
FEMA places a priority on helping homeowners return their unlivable primary residence to a state of repair that will allow it to be safely occupied. Please note that this is a very limited goal. Past disaster experience indicates that homeowners may have more expansive rebuilding goals that are beyond what a repair grant will cover. For example, there may have been storm damage that tore a hole in the roof of a house. FEMA housing assistance would focus on a grant that would repair the hole in the roof, while a homeowner might want to replace the entire roof because the roof is near the end of its useful life. Financial assistance for repair expenses beyond what home repair grants will cover may come from low interest loans provided by the Small Business Administration.
IHP Other Needs Assistance:
Grant assistance not related to home repair or rental assistance is called Other Needs Assistance. Losses covered by insurance are not eligible. Both homeowners and renters are eligible for this type of assistance. FEMA uses its own method to determine the value of losses. Grant assistance can often be much less than the price an applicant paid for the original item. The following items under Other Needs Assistance are the most common ones for which a grant may be approved:
Non-essential items will not be reimbursed at any level. Some examples of items for which there is not any reimbursement include antiques, hobby collections, electronic gaming systems, and home entertainment systems.
Small Business Disaster Loans (SBA) for Private Citizens and Business
An integral part of disaster assistance in a presidentially declared disaster is the availability of low interest loans to replace personal property and supplement home repair grants. The disaster law makes it mandatory that most households must apply for a SBA loan before being considered for disaster grants for destroyed or damaged personal property under the Other Needs Assistance program. FEMA informs applicants if they must first apply for a SBA loan. If an applicant receives a SBA loan application to fill out with their registration materials, it is extremely important that it be filled out and returned. Applicants are not considered for grant assistance until the results of the SBA application are known.
Citizens should not get confused and think that SBA loans are only for small businesses. The SBA is also the designated lender for individuals and families who have suffered disaster related losses. In fact, in the typical disaster, the amount of disaster assistance from loans will far exceed the amount of disaster assistance from grants.
SBA low interest loans are the only avenue of help for businesses when there is an Individual Assistance Disaster Declaration.
How much Dollar Assistance is Available?
Currently, the maximum grant assistance available under IHP for all assistance categories is $29,900. However, grant awards usually average far less than the maximum award. Applicants may apply for a low interest loans through the Small Business Administration (SBA) to supplement grant assistance.
How does FEMA know what my disaster losses are?
After a person has registered with FEMA, FEMA sends an inspector to the damaged residence to inspect and verify losses. During the registration process, information is provided about the inspection visit.
Disaster events that are not severe enough to qualify for a presidential Individual Assistance Disaster Declaration may qualify for a Small Business Administration Declaration. Usually this type of disaster affects less than 100 citizens and businesses. Only loan assistance—not grant assistance--is available with this declaration type. Additionally, loans are available to individuals and not just businesses. Loans can be used to repair residences and businesses, replace damaged personal property or replace business inventory, and help businesses cover business expenses. For additional information go to www.sba.gov/services/disasterassistance.
ADDITIONAL STATE RESOURCES
Useful information regarding disaster recovery may be found at the following websites:
Virginia Department for the Aging: www.vda.virginia.gov
Although this department does not have specific disaster programs, senior citizens may want to check to see if there are regular programs that will help their current living situation or a living situation after a disaster.
Virginia Housing and Redevelopment Authority (VHDA)
www.VirginiaHousingSearch.com
VDHA provides this database to search for available rental properties. There is no charge for landlords to list property or for consumers to search the database. The database is a particularly good source to find housing for those with low incomes or special needs.
Virginia Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation
www.dpor.virginia.gov
This department licenses contractors and maintains a list of contractors who have been sanctioned. The department also publishes a very useful guide, What You Should Know before You Hire a Contractor. An electronic copy of this guide is available through the website.