It’s been a month to the day since the historic flooding forced more than 1,200 residents from their homes in the San Diego neighborhoods of Southcrest, Shelltown, Mountain View and Encanto, and the nearby cities of Lemon Grove, Spring Valley, La Mesa and National City.
Since that time, a host of local organizations — governmental and otherwise — have thrown lifelines to the displaced, the vast majority of whom are among the poorest in the county and are without the resources to, say, rent another house, never mind a hotel room for a short stay.
So it was welcome news this week when the White House declared that the flooding in San Diego on Jan. 22 qualified as a major disaster, activating FEMA assistance.
So what does that mean, exactly, for locals? What’s the process like, when will assistance arrive, how much aid will it mean for individuals, and which of their needs will be singled out for help from the federal government?
How can flood victims apply for FEMA assistance?
The FEMA app is a one-stop shop for victims to register for assistance, or click here for a desktop link or call 800-621-3362.
What information is FEMA going to ask for when registering?
- A current phone number victims can be contacted
- Address of the damaged primary residence
- Social Security number
- A general list of damages and losses
- Current telephone number
- Information about insurance coverage
- Bank account and routing numbers for direct deposit of funds
It’s good to have as much documentation as possible, FEMA’s external affairs officer Brady Penn told NBC 7 on Wednesday.
“So we do want people to continue to document their damages, take photos, save receipts, things along those lines,” Penn said. “Every case is going to be different, depending on what assistance you are registering for, the process and the verification process will look different.”
What assistance is available to people who register with FEMA?
- Temporary…
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