Deadline to Register for Disaster Assistance for Hurricane Michael in Florida Extended to Monday, Dec. 17

TALLAHASSEE, Florida, Dec. 8 -- The U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency issued the following news release:

Hurricane Michael survivors in Florida now have until Monday, Dec. 17, to register for disaster assistance. Homeowners and renters may be eligible for assistance to cover essential disaster-related needs not covered by insurance. This may include grants to cover basic repairs to make their homes habitable, funds to cover disaster-related personal property losses, and various forms of temporary housing assistance.

Visit DisasterAssistance.gov to register online or call the FEMA helpline at 800-621-3362 (TTY 800-462-7585).

Monday also is the deadline to apply for low-interest disaster loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration. SBA disaster loans are the largest source of federal disaster funds for homeowners, renters and businesses. Renters and homeowners who are referred to SBA to complete a loan application must do so in order to remain eligible for other potential FEMA assistance. Failure to complete the loan application stops the federal assistance process, so it's important that survivors complete the application even if they do not plan to accept a loan or feel they will not qualify.

Survivors can submit their SBA loan application online at https://disasterloan.sba.gov/ela. For more information, visit sba.gov/disaster or contact SBA's Disaster Assistance Customer Service Center by calling 800-659-2955, emailing DisasterCustomerService@sba.gov. Deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals may call (800) 877-8339.

Disaster survivors who need help with the registration process can visit any disaster recovery center to speak face to face with representatives from FEMA, SBA, HUD and other agencies. To locate the nearest center, visit FEMA.gov/DRC or call the FEMA helpline.

Survivors who miss the registration deadline of Dec. 17 must provide written justification before their registration can be processed. The letter must include details on the extenuating circumstances that prevented them from applying on time.

For more on Florida's recovery from Hurricane Michael, visit FloridaDisaster.org and FEMA.gov/Disaster/4399.