Editorial: Floridians still need the help that FEMA and the SBA can provide

Driving through Central Florida, it’s not hard to spot the wreckage left by the twin furies of Helene and Milton: Roofs still shrouded in blue tarps, piles of debris in front yards, “closed for the storm” signs on businesses that have never come down.

For many of those residents and business owners, insurance won’t be covering their damages. Many of them have watched the condition of their property deteriorate even more as weeks drag by, due to damage they couldn’t afford to repair.

FEMA sends over $1 billion to Florida storm victims, but some still waiting on agency

Yet many haven’t considered applying for federal aid. And they’re running out of time. Tuesday, January 7,  marks the last day to apply for  disaster assistance through the Federal Emergency Management Agency and recovery loans from the Small Business Administration. That’s a slight extension from the average 60-day application period, but we’d argue that the aftermath of these two storms merits a longer application period, since more than 70,000 Floridians are still waiting to learn if their insurance will pay anything toward their losses and nearly 170,000 claims have been denied. That data, compiled by the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation, runs through the third week of December.

It gets worse.

A July survey by the Insurance Information Institute found that between 15% and 20% of Florida homeowners had dropped their property insurance because they couldn’t afford the ever-climbing cost of premiums — in some parts of Florida, the average insurance bill is three times that of the nation’s average bill. It’s hard to say how many of those property owners saw damage or economic losses from the storms, but the number is likely to be substantial.

It all adds up to a potentially massive need, since Florida’s property-damage total from the two storms is approaching $6 billion.

Floridians need help

We urge Florida’s Congressional delegation — along with lawmakers in other states hit by Milton and Helen —  to push for more hours on the clock. But for now, those with valid damage claims shouldn’t let this opportunity to apply for funding go by.

There are several forms of assistance available, and multiple ways to reach for it. FEMA offers programs that help with the costs of basic repairs to buildings and vehicles; temporary housing needs; emergency supplies including food and medical equipment; lodging expenses and other evacuation costs and other short-term needs. For more complete repairs, business losses and other long-term costs, SBA loans offer low-interest options that can be paid back over an extended period of time.

Jason Ross, a Sarasota-based spokeman for the SBA, says it’s not uncommon for people to assume they can’t qualify for the loan program, which can offer up to $2 million to businesses that have suffered property damage, and another $2 million to pay for non-damage costs such as storm-enforced closures. Homeowners can qualify for $500,000 in structural damage-repair loans and $100,000 in personal property loss, and that amount can be extended for homeowners who want to add further stormproofing protections to their homes.

But SBA loan programs — which offer below-market interest rates and extended repayment schedules — are very flexible, he says. “People disqualify themselves” worrying about credit scores or other barriers, he says — but in many cases, the loan qualifiers are more relaxed than a traditional mortgage or consumer loan.

Floridians don’t have to wait to get the final word from their insurance companies, Ross says. In fact, the loan programs (which can be  interest-free for the first year) often serve as bridge loans while consumers duke it out with their insurance companies.

It’s hard to say how many FEMA grants and SBA loans have been approved for the 2024 storms, but it’s already clear that the total falls well below the number of Floridians who suffered losses but didn’t have insurance or saw their claims denied. That should push Floridians who think they may be eligible for assistance to rush to get their applications in — which in turn could provide a clear signal to federal authorities that more time is needed.

There are multiple ways for Floridians to apply for funding:

The Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board consists of Opinion Editor Krys Fluker, Executive Editor Roger Simmons and Viewpoints Editor Jay Reddick. Contact us at [email protected].

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