WASHINGTON (NEWSnet/AP) — Anyone who has lived through a natural disaster, then applied to the federal government for assistance, knows it can be a lengthy, bureaucratic process.
New rules announced Friday aim to simplify it.
Deanne Criswell, who heads Federal Emergency Management Agency, said the revisions, which take effect in March, are designed to make it easier for disaster survivors to get help.
“Mother Nature is not letting up,” Criswell said to reporters on a call announcing the initiative. “We need to be better prepared and better informed to recover from natural disasters faster and more effectively.”
Changes came as a result of feedback from survivors, organizations that work in disaster recovery and elected officials.
New rules go into effect March 22. The update is expected to cost $671 million per year, with $159 million of that borne by states and tribal nations where disasters occur.
A look at some changes outlined by FEMA.
Help for homeowners. Under previous rules, homeowners who had received payment from their insurance company for home repair, but not enough to cover all damage, could not receive help from FEMA. Now, homeowners can apply to FEMA in such cases. Criswell gave an example of a homeowner who has $80,000 in damage, but receives only $45,000 from the insurance company. Previously, FEMA couldn't help insurance payout exceeded the agency's assistance cap of $42,500 per disaster. With the new plan, a homeowner can receive money from the agency to make up the difference.
No more ‘loan rule.’ Previously, disaster survivors first had to apply for a loan with Small Business Administration and, if rejected, only then could seek FEMA assistance. Criswell said survivors found the SBA application requirement “confusing and challenging,” so the agency is eliminating it.
Critical needs. With FEMA’s critical needs assistance, allows survivors to use $750 for whatever they need soon after a disaster: baby formula or food, for example. But states or tribal nations had to specifically request that category of assistance, and it was done on a case-by-case basis. Now, if a disaster is declared that includes FEMA's individual assistance funding stream, those payments are available. Survivors still must apply, and there is some vetting to prevent fraud.
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