Flood-stricken residents waiting patiently for federal assistance may find it wanting.
As it stands, the state has not documented enough damage to qualify for federal assistance through the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), said Mark Stewart, a spokesman for state Emergency Management, a division of the Washington Military Department.
Stewart is encouraging residents to fill out damage assessment forms, keeping in tune with county and local officials who have encouraged the same since the evening of the Jan. 5 flood.
Two programs could be available for the Harbor. The first, The Public Assistance Program, would help fund repairs to public entities and infrastructure, like city buildings and water lines. The other, the Individual and Human Services Program, would assist homeowners and residents.
To qualify for the Public Assistance Program through FEMA, two financial thresholds must be met. At the local level, each county must incur damage amounting to at least $3.56 per person countywide. Additionally, the damage must total $1.41 per person statewide, or approximately $9.5 million, Stewart said.
“While it looks like Grays Harbor, Pacific and Wahkiakum counties can make their thresholds, it’ll still be short on the state part,” Stewart said on Tuesday.
Another program, the Individual and Human Services Program would help individuals who were uninsured or under-insured. That program has no specified threshold, but it is selective, meaning some communities incurring more damage from disasters than the Harbor have applied but not received assistance.
“We’re not seeing the amount of damage that will allow us to seek Individual and Human Services Program assistance,” Stewart said. “We have fewer than 50 homes in that category right now. We’re hoping we can make the threshold, but we can’t guarantee anything.”
To put the situation into context, the Carlton Complex fire in Okanogan County last summer destroyed some 300 homes and did not meet the threshold, Stewart said.
Homes qualifying for that program will have claimed uninsured damages amounting to at least 40 percent of the home’s total value, Stewart said. If that program is put into motion, an inspection by FEMA representatives would take place and checks would be issued to cover some expenses for building materials, appliances, furniture, clothing and other necessities lost to the flood.
Additionally, if that program was put into effect, it wouldn’t act as a cure-all. The maximum amount residents could receive from the Individual and Human Services Program is $32,900. The average amount received nationwide is between $2,000 and $5,000.
“Sometimes folks think, ‘I’ve got FEMA to cover me,’ but it’s not what they think it is,” Stewart said.
The state’s Emergency Management division has been offering technical assistance to local governments to ensure damage assessments are readily available and easily accessible. The number of people who fill out damage assessment forms directly correlates to any federal assistance eligibility.
“Homeowners, if they were impacted and have not reported yet — they need to do that,” Stewart said.
Damage assessment teams have visited and received reports from Grays Harbor, Lewis, Pacific, Skagit, Snohomish, Thurston and Wahkiakum counties, gathering information that will be sent to FEMA in applying for federal assistance. If all thresholds were met for FEMA assistance, the state would then need to make a formal request to President Barack Obama through FEMA.
Without FEMA, the Small Business Administration Disaster Loan Program, a federal program, could become available to residents — homeowners, business owners and renters alike — offering low-interest loans for repairs, rather than grants. Because that program offers loans, those who are approved will have to undergo a credit check.
The state must first seek assistance through the program before individuals can apply.
Stewart reminds residents that any residual cleanup should be completed immediately. At this point, more than two weeks after the flood, the water will have encouraged mold growth, which can be detrimental to personal health and can cause further damage to property.
“If anyone’s been delaying cleanup, they need to do that,” Stewart said.
Various state agencies have stepped forward to help residents of Grays Harbor after the flooding. The Small Business Administration has been coordinating with Emergency Management and FEMA to identify potential eligibility for relief funds to small businesses.
Technical assistance has been initiated to Grays Harbor by the state to assist in conducting a public infrastructure damage assessment and a joint, preliminary damage assessment with the Small Business Administration, Grays Harbor and an Emergency Management representative. Verification of reported losses has been scheduled for Wednesday.
The state Department of Transportation has worked with Emergency Management on a request from the county for deployment of variable message signs to advertise recovery centers. Any damage to state transportation infrastructure would require separate assistance not available to local communities or individuals.
The state Department of Ecology gave the county $30,000 in assistance to help in creating the flood debris removal voucher system that was approved by county commissioners last week and implemented throughout the weekend at the LeMay Enterprises Transfer Station in Aberdeen. The state Department of Commerce and Hoquiam City Administrator Brian Shay have been looking at Community Development Block Grants and other local government funds to replace permanently damaged sewer lines.
Anyone who needs flood assistance of any kind or questions about emergency relief should contact the Coastal Community Action Program at (360) 533-5100 ext. 151 or email barbm@coastalcap.org.
Renters and homeowners can report damages to Grays Harbor County Emergency Management at this link: http://ift.tt/1xZGupA
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