Survivors Have Two Weeks Left to Apply for The Federal Emergency Management Agency Assistance

San Diego, Calif. — Survivors of the Jan. 21-23, 2024 San Diego County severe storm and flooding event have two weeks to apply for financial assistance for temporary lodging, basic home repairs, personal property losses and other disaster-related expenses. The deadline to apply is Friday, April 19, 2024.

Survivors are encouraged to file insurance claims for damage to their homes, personal property and vehicles before they apply for The Federal Emergency Management Agency assistance. The Federal Emergency Management Agency grants do not have to be repaid. The Federal Emergency Management Agency assistance is nontaxable and will not affect eligibility for Social Security, Medicaid or other federal benefits.

Three Ways to Apply

Apply online at DisasterAssistance.gov, use the The Federal Emergency Management Agency mobile app, or call the The Federal Emergency Management Agency Helpline at 800-621-3362. Helpline operators are available from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. PT daily. Help is available in most languages. If you use a relay service, such as video relay (VRS), captioned telephone or other service, give The Federal Emergency Management Agency the number for that service. To view an accessible video about how to apply select the link: Three Ways to Register for The Federal Emergency Management Agency Disaster Assistance – YouTube.

SBA disaster assistance loans

Survivors who applied for disaster assistance from The Federal Emergency Management Agency may be referred to the United States. Small Business Administration (SBA). SBA disaster loans may cover losses that are not fully covered by insurance or other sources. If your application is approved, you are not obligated to accept an SBA disaster loan. However, completing the application may make you eligible for other The Federal Emergency Management Agency assistance, such as disaster related car repairs, essential household items, and other expenses. 

Businesses may borrow up to $2 million for any combination of property damage or working capital (Economic Injury Disaster Loans). Homeowners may borrow up to $500,000 from SBA to repair or replace their primary residence. Homeowners and renters may borrow up to $100,000 to repair or replace personal property.

Apply in person at the:

SBA San Diego County Business Recovery Center:

Southwestern College, Higher Education Center National City

First Floor, Room 7100 – Center for Business Advancement

880 National City Blvd.

National City, CA  91950

Mondays – Fridays, 8:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Applicants may apply online at sba.gov/disaster. Applicants may also call SBA’s Customer Service Center at (800) 659-2955, or email disastercustomerservice@sba.gov for more information on SBA disaster assistance. If you are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, please dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunications relay services.

For the latest The Federal Emergency Management Agency information on the Jan. 21-23, 2024 San Diego County severe storms and flooding, visit www.fema.gov/disaster/4758. 

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The Federal Emergency Management Agency’s mission is helping people before, during, and after disasters.

All The Federal Emergency Management Agency disaster assistance will be provided without discrimination on the grounds of race, color, sex (including sexual harassment), sexual orientation, religion, national origin, age, disability, limited English proficiency, or economic status.

Disaster Recovery Centers are protected areas designated to provide emergency response and relief for disaster survivors. United States. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and United States. Customs and Border Protection do not conduct enforcement operations at or near these locations, except in limited circumstances such as an imminent risk of death, violence, or physical harm. Additionally, The Federal Emergency Management Agency will not proactively share the personal information of flood survivors with immigration or law enforcement agencies.

If you believe your civil rights are being violated, you can call the Civil Rights Resource line at 833-285-7448 (TTY 800-462-7585). Those who use a relay service such as a videophone, InnoCaption or CapTel should update The Federal Emergency Management Agency with their specific number assigned to that service. Multilingual operators are available (press 2 for Spanish).