Manatee, Sarasota Counties Eligible for Individual Assistance
Manatee and Sarasota counties are now eligible for FEMA Individual Assistance. If you sustained loss from Hurricane Idalia and live in Citrus, Columbia, Dixie, Gilchrist, Hamilton, Hernando, Jefferson, Lafayette, Levy, Madison, Manatee, Pasco, Pinellas, Sarasota, Suwannee or Taylor counties, FEMA may be able to help. You may be eligible for FEMA financial assistance for temporary lodging, basic home repairs, personal property losses and other uninsured disaster-related expenses. To date, FEMA has approved $31.2 million for 11,688 households.
How to Apply for FEMA Assistance
Go online to DisasterAssistance.gov, download the FEMA App for mobile devices, or call toll-free 800-621-3362. The line is open every day from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. ET. Help is available in most languages. If you use a relay service such as VRS, captioned telephone service or others, give FEMA your number for that service. To view an accessible video on how to apply visit Three Ways to Apply for FEMA Disaster Assistance - YouTube. The deadline to apply is Oct. 30, 2023.
Understanding Your FEMA Letter
If you applied for FEMA assistance after Hurricane Idalia you will receive an eligibility letter from FEMA. The letter will explain your application status and how to respond. You might need to provide more information to FEMA. If the letter says you are ineligible, it will tell you how to provide more information and appeal the decision. If you have a question, visit a Disaster Recovery Center or call 800-621-3362 for help.
Agricultural Assistance
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) partnered with FEMA and other organizations to create the Disaster Resource Center. This central source of information has a searchable base of disaster-related resources. USDA also developed a disaster assistance discovery tool specifically targeted to rural and agricultural issues. The tool walks producers through five questions that generate personalized results identifying which USDA disaster assistance programs can help them recover from a natural disaster.
FEMA Personnel Carry ID and Never Ask for Money
FEMA teams are in communities helping people apply for assistance and conducting home inspections to verify damage for FEMA. These personnel carry FEMA photo ID and never charge for services. If someone asks for money for disaster assistance, they do not represent FEMA. Be alert to fraud, which sometimes follows a disaster.
Mobile Center to Help With Applications
Information about a mobile center in Manatee County will be posted as soon as a determination has been made.
What Kind of Help Can FEMA Provide?
FEMA assistance does not replace insurance and cannot restore your home to its pre-disaster condition. But FEMA may be able to provide help for uninsured or underinsured costs. File your insurance claim, then apply to FEMA.
Rental Assistance: Financial help for rent, including a security deposit, if your primary residence was made uninhabitable by the disaster. The assistance includes essential utilities such as electricity and water.
Housing Assistance: Covers repairs to structural parts of your home, such as windows, doors, floors, walls, ceilings, cabinets, heating, ventilation and air-conditioning system, utilities, well and septic system.
Other Needs Assistance: Covers disaster-related items such as medical and dental expenses; funeral and burial costs; furniture and appliances; specialized tools used in your occupation; educational materials; moving and storage; vehicles; generators.
Critical Needs Assistance: Immediate or critical needs are lifesaving and life-sustaining items, including water, food, first aid, prescriptions, infant formula, diapers, consumable medical supplies, durable medical equipment, personal hygiene items and fuel for transportation. Critical Needs Assistance is a one-time $700 payment per household.
Clean and Sanitize Assistance: If your home was damaged by Hurricane Idalia but you can live in it safely, FEMA may be able to provide up to $300 in one-time financial assistance to help with cleanup. This assistance is for eligible homeowners and renters.
Low-Interest Disaster Loans
The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) offers low-interest disaster loans for homeowners, renters, businesses and nonprofit organizations to cover losses not fully compensated by insurance and other sources. Apply online using the Electronic Loan Application (ELA) via the SBA’s secure website at DisasterLoanAssistance.sba.gov/ela/s/. Disaster loan information and application forms can also be obtained by calling the SBA’s Customer Service Center at 800-659-2955. Application deadline for physical damage is Oct. 30, 2023, and for economic injury May 31, 2024. SBA is operating Business Recovery Centers at Cedar Key Community Center and Suwannee County Chamber of Commerce in Live Oak. To date, SBA has approved $1.66 million in disaster loans.
Mold Cleanup
Homeowner’s and Renter’s Guide to Mold Cleanup After Disasters | Mold | CDC
Guía del propietario y arrendatario para la limpieza de moho (hongos) después de desastres | Mold | CDC
More Resources
Disaster Unemployment Assistance: Visit FloridaJobs.org or call 800-385-3920.
Free Cleanup Help: Call 800-451-1954, through Sept. 15, 2023.
For the latest information on Florida’s recovery from Hurricane Idalia, visit floridadisaster.org/updates/ and fema.gov/disaster/4734. Follow FEMA on X, formerly known as Twitter, at twitter.com/femaregion4 and at facebook.com/fema.