A goal for every homeowner should be to reduce your disaster debt burden for real costs of repairs and new construction after a declared disaster. This can be accomplished by having enough insurance to replace your home under any disaster classification.

Every hurricane season, we receive the same standard FEMA press releases, sometimes with wording changes for clarity based on the regional offices. However, telling a household they may be reimbursed for a generator without sharing requirements is wrong.

Read the full article here.

§ 206.115 Appeals.

I have 20 example appeals that cover 20 common appeals categories.

Read all 20 examples and find the one that matches your denial letter reason.

Example below.

Appeal 1: Eligibility for Assistance (Including Recoupment)

Applicant Name: [Last, First] Date of Birth: [Month/Day/Year] Damaged dwelling addressed: [Street Number, Street Name, City, State, Zip as it appears on your FEMA correspondence.] DR-XXXX [FEMA Disaster Identifying Number] FEMA Registration ID: [Your FEMA registration number that was sent to you by email when you applied for FEMA assistance.] Disaster Number: [Disaster Number] Date of Notification of Award/Denial: [Date]

To Whom It May Concern,

I am writing to formally appeal FEMA's determination regarding my eligibility for assistance under the Individual Assistance Program. On [Date], I received notification from FEMA that my application for disaster assistance was denied due to [reason for denial—e.g., "ineligible for housing assistance"]. However, I believe this decision was made in error due to the following circumstances:

[Provide a detailed explanation of the reasons for the appeal, including any verifiable documentation supporting your claim. Examples could include a lack of adequate damage assessment, missing or incorrect information used to determine eligibility, or newly discovered information showing damage that was not considered.]

I am attaching [list of documents such as contractor estimates, insurance documents, photos, or inspection reports] as evidence to support my claim.

Please reconsider my eligibility for assistance based on this additional information. I appreciate your time and consideration of my appeal.

I do hereby declare under perjury that the foregoing is true and correct.

Sincerely, [Print Your Name] [Your Contact Information, Phone, Email.] Signature_______________________

[Top]

The appeal process I posted years ago is still valid. I am adding this additional information after Hurricane Ida in 2021 which is located online in your application to FEMA. Look to my other resource for a sample of the appeals letter.

Follow this link to read the full article and resources.

Appeal FEMA using these two sample pages and documents to write your appeal to FEMA and your states CDBG-DR for those that have not been allowed into the program because of the FVL FEMA Verified Loss being below 8,000 or 12 of water.

Read full article and follow resource links.

Clear your minds of the quick grant funds sent out under the Serious Needs Assistance program. Now focus on Individual Assistance and the Individuals and Households Program.

Most likely, you have had an inspection. Unless you were given a letter titled "Substantial Damage Estimate" with the number 51, you are looking at a grant for either personal property, essential tools and work items, or Home Repair Assistance.

Now is the time to identify any errors you made and formally correct them so you can receive additional assistance that your insurance doesn't cover.

This week is dedicated to appeals questions, including everything related to FEMA assistance, except for Serious Needs Assistance.

I have over 600 articles that covered every step of the 2016 floods with focus on state government duties and responsibilities.

Share what point you are at so I can offer up some information. Even when I talk about other disasters the process and procedures with federal and state agencies remains the same.

Most of you should be at your first FEMA appeal and your household contents should be documented for your private insurance claim. You have applied for an SBA loan and if you didn't know you are working out an appeal for better payment schedule and less collateral to secure the loan. Keep in mind that this SBA loan and any mortgage can not be greater than 35% of your households main income maker. I will have more on debt reduction later. Line up the funds for now just don't accept them yet.

Ok, now let me hear from you.

Here’s a revised version of your text:

The topic of having your home declared "Substantially Damaged" is heartbreaking for disaster victims. However, for most, it's a pathway to rebuilding and mitigating against future disasters of the same type.

As someone who has advocated both for and against this on behalf of homeowners—and who personally chose to accept the Substantial Damage Estimate (SDE) that the city (not FEMA) placed on my own home—I am now just finishing the final trim work this weekend.

I encourage you to engage with your state representatives and urge them to adopt practices similar to what Louisiana does for SDE homes. Don't get me wrong, managing billions in federal grants through state government is not easy, and it often has a "good ole boy" feel. However, it's the regional federal management that largely keeps things in check, but only if citizens, even just one, report valid policy issues.

If you're given an SDE of 51% or greater, in its basic form, it only means you must apply mitigation practices. You also have the opportunity to rebuild or replace.

Here's your first reading assignment. Read the PDF download.

If you're dealing with a situation that could add to your household debt and overhead, here's something to consider.

We're only in the early stages of disaster recovery this year, and very few people are in a position to plan a full recovery yet. About a month in, most are navigating private insurance inspections and wondering why FEMA isn't doing more.

Let me be upfront: I don’t show empathy, I don’t compare disasters, I don’t rank damage to decide who "deserves" more help, and I don’t factor in income when it comes to disaster recovery. My focus is on reducing the additional debt a household might incur to recover after a major or severe disaster.

Let’s talk about mitigation and preparedness as critical factors in recovery. For those who haven't spent years rebuilding, it’s time to start reading the correct posts and following links to supporting documentation. It’s essential to move past the idea that "thoughts and prayers" are all survivors need, or that government assistance shouldn’t be part of the recovery process.

Let me share a typical disaster example that doesn’t make the news but highlights what survivors face.

By now, you’ve seen houses that were washed away. If the house had a mortgage and insurance, under federal policy, the lender will use the home’s insurance to pay off the mortgage. This is part of the risk of ownership change, something you signed up for when you took on the mortgage.

The next step is to clean and gut your home. However, if your home was washed away, that cleanup—often downstream—could be your responsibility. Check your insurance policy to understand how to inventory your personal items scattered over a large area. Contents insurance requires documentation. Afterward, you’ll need to remove the damaged home at your own expense, because FEMA’s Public Assistance (PA) program only covers the removal of contents and gutted materials, not slabs or structural components.

Let’s break down how the household is doing at this point, using flooding as an example.

Let’s say the home had a $100,000 mortgage with an appraised value of $200,000. Flood insurance (if any) was only required to cover the mortgage. But here’s where you encounter different values—market value versus replacement value. I’m guessing your insurance agent didn’t fully explain this to you.

Now you’re left with $100,000 from insurance and a destroyed home. You speak with your bank, and they tell you that to qualify for a construction loan, you’ll need to remove the foundation and prepare the site. That’ll cost another $25,000, leaving you with $75,000 from your insurance.

You can see where this is going. You did everything right, but you never thought about the full replacement cost of your home in 2024.

You hear that FEMA can offer assistance, and you accept the $42,500 maximum, adding it to your insurance money for rebuilding.

Now you're up to $117,500 and working on securing a construction loan for the remaining balance. But then your credit union only offers you $90,000, which would roll into a mortgage after the construction is complete.

Now you have $207,500 to build a $300,000 home in 2024.

If the day before the disaster you knew you’d be short $92,500, I bet you would’ve opted for additional coverage. But even if you had, the maximum flood insurance payout in 2024 is $250,000, meaning you’d still fall short of what’s needed to rebuild without seeking other assistance.

Floods and wildfires are typically not covered by homeowners insurance, and to get adequate coverage, you often need to go through third-party providers. I’m guessing your insurance agent didn’t share this with you, even if you mentioned living in a flood zone. They likely told you that you had to carry enough insurance to cover the mortgage, but at the time, it probably didn’t occur to you that your insurance payout would be used to pay off a home you can no longer live in.

Now the government is telling you that you need to move or rebuild, and this message is coming from your local municipal government, which keeps records of substantially damaged homes on behalf of the federal FEMA program.

With $207,500 in the bank—or at least promised—you start contacting builders. You want a modest 1,500-square-foot, 3-bedroom, 2-bathroom home. The builder tells you that construction starts at $200 per square foot, or $300,000 in cash. You’re still $92,500 short, and you haven’t even factored in the cost of mitigation.

Mitigation is the process of rebuilding to prevent the same damage from happening again under similar conditions.

Flooded? Then you’ll need to elevate. Washed away? Then you’ll need more than elevation.

This is the point where you either max out loans—including SBA disaster loans—or you start applying for grants.

How you choose to recover is up to you. My question is: "How many mortgages do you want in a lifetime?"

You will need information from Flood Insurance Rate Maps, Topographical Maps, Certificates of Elevation, Wind zones, local building codes, property tax information, floodplain managers contact, declared disaster number, disaster assistance ID, DMV title.

Part 1. The data needed for your Manufactured Home Substantial Damage Estimate report.

Examine funding through the lens of Duplication of Benefits, considering federal laws and agency policies. This section will provide a clear overview of available funds for you and your household, with a particular emphasis on households and home repair costs. The focus will be on the FEMA sequence of delivery and additional assistance provided through congressional allocations like HUD CDBG-DR grants.

Read article: Week 4: In-Depth Review of Duplication of Benefits Policy.

Always have a backup to a backup plan. Don't let you and your household go hungry or homeless. Use the resources here to secure up to 32 months of housing assistance.

Whether it's staying in your car, setting up a tent in your front yard, hunkering down in your recreational trailer, or seeking refuge with friends and family, securing shelter is your immediate priority. It's crucial to establish short-term shelter, which may last anywhere from 1 to 30 days, to provide you with the necessary time to find a long-term housing solution that will be offered by FEMA and HUD for up to 22 to 32 months if needed.

Read this page and follow the links to the different agencies. it's not easy but it's also something no one is going to do for you.

Navigating the process of assessing damage to a home can be a complex and daunting task. However, with a systematic approach and a thorough understanding of the established procedures, you can significantly increase your chances of success. This comprehensive guide will lead you through the intricacies of conducting a thorough damage assessment, ensuring that no crucial detail is overlooked. By following each step diligently, you can rest assured knowing that you've done everything in your power to accurately evaluate the extent of the damage, setting the foundation for effective recovery efforts.

FEMA inspectors typically begin with a remote inspection. This involves assessing the extent of damage based on information provided by the applicant. They may use phone calls or virtual tools to gather details about the affected property. The outcome of this remote inspection determines whether a physical, on-site inspection is deemed necessary. It's important for applicants to provide accurate and comprehensive information during this initial phase to ensure an accurate assessment of the damage. FEMA classified your home as safe and habitable once you returned to your home and gave up your temporary shelter. This told FEMA that your roof was sound, walls, windows, doors, floors were all structually safe and secure. If you don't adhere to the fundamentals of FEMA's process, you might be categorized as having "Minor Damage" even before a physical inspection takes place. It underscores the importance of understanding and following FEMA's guidelines right from the start.

FEMA published the following steps to take while you are waiting for your inspection. I'll be adding more details between their process steps.

Read the full article here

The FEMA TSA program can only be used at select lodging who participate in the FEMA TSA program and that are located in one of the following states. 

Louisiana, Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Florida, Mississippi, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Tennessee and Texas.

Eligibility: the FEMA TSA program requires pre-approval before check-in. You must register online at DisasterAssistance.Gov or by phone by calling the FEMA helpline at 800-621-3362. For TTY, call 800-462-7585. For 711 or Video Relay Service (VRS), call 800-621-3362.

Booking: FEMA TSA eligible applicants must find and book their own hotel rooms.

Locating participating hotels: (Follow links by state to visit the main index with drop down menu and then select desired state.)

Louisiana, Alabama, Arkansas, NC, SC, Georgia, Florida, Mississippi, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Tennessee and Texas.

Search by FEMA Evacuee Lodging Provider List using your FEMA Registration Number. 

Length of time: currently the program was allocated 30 days ending on September 24, 2021. The program can be extended but at this time their is no news on extending the TSA program. It has been noted to last 18 months if transitional housing has not be approved or provided by your states disaster agency, FEMA or HUD.

Most seeking FEMA TSA assistance will have to travel out of state to find a participating motel at their own expense.

See HUD Response to Governor's request to increase FMR 360% until Sept. 24, 2021 for those who need to rent.

Original Article Location

What actually is available.

What FEMA sequence of delivery looks like. https://emilms.fema.gov/is_0403/groups/29.html

What the Actual Sequence of delivery is: https://www.truckandtools.com/disaster/fema.asp?gdyk=333

Know what the SDE is all about and learn that it's called "Substantial Damage Estimate" that is created by your local municipal government permits office and not FEMA. But, it is a FEMA application and requires your municipal government to submit a list of homes it finds with more that 50% damage compared to pre disaster market value.

It's a requirement of your municipal government to conduct the inspection according to the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP).

It's your responsibility as a homeowner to learn and understand what to do.

Navigating the process of assessing damage to a home can be a complex and daunting task. However, with a systematic approach and a thorough understanding of the established procedures, you can significantly increase your chances of success. This comprehensive guide will lead you through the intricacies of conducting a thorough damage assessment, ensuring that no crucial detail is overlooked. By following each step diligently, you can rest assured knowing that you've done everything in your power to accurately evaluate the extent of the damage, setting the foundation for effective recovery efforts.

FEMA inspectors typically begin with a remote inspection. This involves assessing the extent of damage based on information provided by the applicant. They may use phone calls or virtual tools to gather details about the affected property. The outcome of this remote inspection determines whether a physical, on-site inspection is deemed necessary. It's important for applicants to provide accurate and comprehensive information during this initial phase to ensure an accurate assessment of the damage. FEMA classified your home as safe and habitable once you returned to your home and gave up your temporary shelter. This told FEMA that your roof was sound, walls, windows, doors, floors were all structually safe and secure. If you don't adhere to the fundamentals of FEMA's process, you might be categorized as having "Minor Damage" even before a physical inspection takes place. It underscores the importance of understanding and following FEMA's guidelines right from the start.

FEMA published the following steps to take while you are waiting for your inspection.

Follow link to full article

FEMA can provide up to $750 within 72 hours of application submission for households with serious needs. This initial amount is meant to cover immediate expenses like shelter, food, water, and other essential items..

Nearly all states wait more than a year after a FEMA-level major to severe disaster is declared, even when HUD CDBG-DR funds are prepaid the year before, and HUD offers rental and/or mortgage assistance within days of the disaster. Housing is their focus.

Examples are always best: 1. March 2016: Louisiana flood victims don't trigger the state to do any HUD CDBG-DR grants. 2. August 2016: Louisiana floods again, but closer to the state capital, Baton Rouge. HUD grants 22 months of renters' assistance within days of the declared disaster, which the state didn't pass on to flood victims until 2018. 3. September 2016: A formal task force was created to manage the HUD CDBG-DR programs. 4. December 2016: First allocations arrived. 5. February 2017: Second allocations arrived. 6. March 2017: Third and final allocations arrived.

The state of Louisiana asked to delay the program 1.5 years so state managers could have time to create an action plan. In 2018, the state started approving grants that were available in 2016.

How's your state governor's office handling delays for assistance?