Hurricane Ian assistance surpasses $4.45 billion — some aid still available

More than $4.45 billion in federal grants, disaster loans and flood insurance payments have been provided to the state of Florida and households to help survivors affected by Hurricane Ian jumpstart their recoveries. FEMA has provided $859 million to households affected by Hurricane Ian and $503 million to the state for emergency response to Hurricane Ian, while the U.S. Small Business Administration has provided $1.37 billion in disaster loans and the National Flood Insurance Program has paid $1.72 billion in claims to survivors of Hurricane Ian.

FEMA is meeting survivors affected by Hurricane Ian where they are to help jumpstart their recoveries. Disaster Survivor Assistance specialists are going door to door in Florida neighborhoods to help individuals register for assistance. These teams have visited nearly 352,000 homes and interacted with more than 152,000 survivors in counties designated for Individual Assistance after Hurricane Ian.

22 Disaster Recovery Centers are operating in areas affected by Hurricane Ian, with nearly 104,400 visits by survivors.

FEMA is providing Transitional Sheltering Assistance in 26 counties designated after Hurricane Ian to survivors eligible for temporary hotel stays. Recent statistics indicate the program is providing housing for 1,625 households with 3,978 members.

Hundreds of FEMA inspectors have performed more than 256,000 home inspections for Hurricane Ian survivors who applied for federal disaster assistance.

FEMA is providing temporary housing to eligible Hurricane Ian survivors in Charlotte, Collier, DeSoto, Hardee, Lee, Sarasota and Volusia counties. FEMA approved Direct Temporary Housing Assistance to provide options for those whose homes are uninhabitable because of the hurricane. FEMA determined that rental assistance is insufficient to meet the housing need in those counties because of a lack of available housing resources. FEMA will notify applicants who are eligible for direct housing. It will take time to transport, permit, install and inspect these units before they are available. Direct Temporary Housing Assistance may be provided for up to 18 months from Sept. 29, 2022, the date of the federal disaster declaration, to March 28, 2024.

The U.S. Small Business Administration has approved $1.37 billion in low-interest disaster loans to homeowners, renters and business owners affected by Hurricane Ian. Business Recovery Centers are located in Collier, Hillsborough, Lee, Manatee and Seminole counties.

FEMA's National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) has received more than 45,500 flood insurance claims and paid more than $1.72 billion to policyholders affected by Hurricane Ian.

NFIP policyholders may receive up to $1,000 to reimburse the purchase of supplies like sandbags, plastic sheeting and lumber. They may also receive up to $1,000 in storage expenses if they moved insured property. Policyholders should file a claim for flood loss avoidance reimbursement, regardless of whether it was successful in preventing flood damage.

FEMA is conducting local hiring for more than 300 jobs in Brandon, Fort Myers,

Kissimmee, Orlando and Sarasota. These positions are full-time, 120-day appointments that may be extended depending on operational needs. Interested candidates are encouraged to apply online through www.USAJobs.gov.

Disaster Unemployment Assistance is available to eligible survivors. Floridians can file a claim for loss of income caused by Hurricane Ian by going to Disaster Unemployment Assistance – www.FloridaJobs.org and selecting "Apply for Hurricane Ian DUA," visiting a local CareerSource Career Center, or calling 800-385-3920. Customer service representatives are available Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. ET.

Low-income Florida residents recovering from Hurricane Ian may be eligible for assistance from the Department of Agriculture's Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (D-SNAP). Survivors can find more information on Florida's D-SNAP program by visiting the Florida Department of Children and Families' Hurricane Ian Response & Recovery website.

Operation Blue Roof installed 20,119 roofs in Charlotte, Collier, Desoto, Lee and Sarasota counties. (Mission completed.)

National Flood Insurance Program Florida policyholders who had flood damage from Hurricane Ian have a 90-day window to renew their policies. The extension applies to policies with renewal dates beginning Aug. 25, 2022 through Oct. 23, 2022. Policyholders whose renewal date is in this range should contact their agent or insurance company. FEMA also extended the proof of loss requirement for flood insurance policyholders in Florida who experienced flood damage from Hurricane Ian from 60 to 365 days. For more information on how to file a flood insurance claim, visit How to Start Your Flood Insurance Claim.

If you or a member of your household uses adaptive or accessibility items that were damaged by Hurricane Ian, you may be eligible for FEMA assistance for those items. For homeowners, items can include an exterior ramp, grab bars and a paved pathway to the home's entrance from a vehicle. Awards do not count toward your Housing Assistance or Personal Property maximum awards. For more information for homeowners and renters, visit Update to FEMA's Individual Assistance Program and Policy Guide. ¦