DETROIT – A month after historic flooding impacted Metro Detroit, new FEMA centers opened in Garden City, Detroit and Dearborn.
FEMA agents will assess whether residents qualify for financial assistance. Local 4 spoke with devastated homeowners who said they feel forgotten.
“For this event we’re focusing on individuals and households,” Latanga Hopes, with FEMA, said.
FEMA is offering grants to eligible homeowners. Several centers are open 12 hours a day, seven days a week.
“The need is great. People were devastated, they lost everything, hot water tanks, furnaces things we’re going to need in the future,” Steven Densmore, assistant fire chief for the Dearborn Fire Department, said.
FEMA’s individual and household programs will help cover property damage, including appliances and potentially vehicles ruined in the floods.
“Sometimes the people that you’re speaking with, they’ve been in disasters so they’re going to be patient and they can help with resources,” Hopes said.
If you don’t qualify for a FEMA grant, you might be able to get a low-interest loan from the Small Business Administration’s Office of Disaster Assistance.
“If you apply for a loan and you get it, great, but if we turn you down, we send you to FEMA for additional grant consideration,” Julie Garrett, public affairs specialist with the SBA’s Office of Disaster Assistance, said.
So far, the organization has approved 11 loans totaling more than $250,000. If you’re heading to a FEMA center to see if you qualify, come prepared.
“Some of the paperwork you should bring is banking info to speed up the process, social security and pictures of the damage. It’s just one more step to get you the help,” Densmore said.
How to get help
If you can’t make it to a resource center, or need additional information on FEMA and the SBA, use the information below:
- To contact FEMA call 800-621-3362 or visit disasterassistance.gov
- The SBA can be reached at 800-659-2955 or click here to get in touch.