FEMA housing inspectors setting appointments

FEMA housing inspectors are assisting eligible Oklahoma survivors of the severe storms, straight-line winds, tornadoes and flooding that occurred between May 7 and June 9, 2019, by setting appointments with applicants to verify eligible disaster-related damage.

Inspectors are currently making appointments in Canadian, Cherokee, Creek, Delaware, Kay, Le Flore, Logan, Mayes, Muskogee, Noble, Nowata, Okmulgee, Osage, Ottawa, Payne, Pottawatomie, Rogers, Sequoyah, Tulsa, Wagoner and Washington counties.

As additional counties get designated for FEMA Individual Assistance, inspectors will move into those areas.
• FEMA housing inspections are an essential part of the recovery process.
• Homeowners and renters must first register with FEMA. If it is determined an inspection is required, an inspector will call the applicant to set up an appointment.
• Appointments should not be missed; a delay in an inspection is a delay in the assistance process.
• Inspectors will present authorized identification.
• Applicants are advised not to demolish damaged property before inspections take place.
• Applicants may be asked to voluntarily participate in a subsequent quality control inspection.

For the inspector’s visit, applicants should:
• Ensure their home or mailbox number is clearly visible from the road.
• Present a valid identification and provide documentation verifying ownership or demonstrating possession such as a lease to rent.
• Tell the inspector about other property losses or disaster-related needs such as transportation, medical or dental care, tools needed for a trade, and educational materials.

Individual Assistance for homeowners and renters can include grants to help pay for temporary housing, home repairs and other serious disaster-related expenses not met by insurance or other assistance programs.

Low-interest disaster loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) are available to businesses, private nonprofit organizations, homeowners and renters to cover residential and business losses as a result of the disaster.

If possible, homeowners, renters and businesses should have contacted their insurance company and registered with FEMA before visiting a recovery center. Registration is available in the following ways:
• Online at DisasterAssistance.gov.
• Phone 800-621-3362 (voice, 711/VRS-Video Relay Service) (TTY: 800-462-7585). Multilingual operators are available (press 2 for Spanish).
• Via the FEMA app, available for Apple and Android mobile devices. To download visit: fema.gov/mobile-app.
Affected residents and business owners in the designated counties may also apply for disaster assistance by visiting their nearest state/federal Disaster Recovery Center (DRC). Recovery specialists from FEMA, the SBA and the Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management (OEM) are available at DRCs to talk about assistance and to help anyone who needs guidance in filing an application. Oklahomans can find their nearest DRC by searching at fema.gov/ESF6/DRCLocator.

Applicants can get one-on-one assistance applying for SBA low-interest loans at a disaster recovery center or apply online using SBA’s secure website at https://disasterloan.sba.gov/ela. In addition, applicants can get more information on SBA disaster assistance by calling SBA’s Customer Service Center at 800-659-2955, by visiting www.sba.gov/disaster, or by emailing [email protected]. Individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing may call 800-877-8339.

Find out more at https://www.fema.gov/okmit and https://www.fema.gov/disaster/4438. Follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/femaregion6 and the FEMA Blog at http://blog.fema.gov.

FEMA’s mission is to help before, during and after disasters.

Disaster recovery assistance is available without regard to race, color, religion, nationality, sex, age, disability, English proficiency or economic status. If you or someone you know has been discriminated against, call FEMA toll-free at 800-621-FEMA (3362). For TTY call 800-462-7585.

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is the federal government’s primary source of money for the long-term rebuilding of disaster-damaged private property. SBA helps businesses of all sizes, private non-profit organizations, homeowners and renters fund repairs or rebuilding efforts and cover the cost of replacing lost or disaster-damaged personal property. These disaster loans cover losses not fully compensated by insurance or other recoveries and do not duplicate benefits of other agencies or organizations. For more information, applicants may contact SBA’s Disaster Assistance Customer Service Center by calling 800-659-2955, emailing [email protected], or visiting SBA’s website at SBA.gov/disaster. Deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals may call 800-877-8339.