FEMA is here to help and may save your day in the early days but be careful for your long term recovery.

Hurricane Laura FEMA Sequence of Delivery for Disaster Assistance

To help educate how FEMA interacts with disaster victims I will share with you the order of events and as many resources that I can find that are funded and ready to assist you the disaster victim.

By Murray Wennerlund published 9-3-2020 updated 9-3-2020
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Road Traveled How to work the National Flood Insurance Program to REDUCE Homeowner Recovery DEBT.

This is a series of posts that Ill be sharing designed to maximize your recovery by careful planning and knowing what to do and when to do it.

By Murray Wennerlund published 5-9-2019 updated 1-15-2022
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All areas within the disaster state are offered assistance under the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program

After Hurricane Gustav many had forgot about the HMGP offered by FEMA. By the time Isaac cleanup was over the window to apply for these disasters for elevation and acquisitions were over. Dont miss out on your opportunity to use grants to mitigate damage

By Murray Wennerlund published 10-5-2018 updated 9-20-2019
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What to expect when you register with FEMA after your disaster from a homeowners point of view.

FEMA has some great media information, but like all glossy handouts, its missing the actual end user experiences and feedback. We never find customer complaints and it's always missing information they just seem to not share with disaster victims.

By Murray Wennerlund published 9-20-2018 updated 9-7-2020
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FEMA Individual and Households Program IHP Grants explained Part 2 spending for reimbursement earnings.

After you have read part one this is the part that ties it all together. This is from our 2016 Floods and our experience with FEMA Grants and the Duplication of Benefits issue we all face when HUD CDBG-DR grants become available.

By Murray Wennerlund published 9-19-2018 updated 10-28-2024
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FEMA Individual and Households Program IHP Grants explained Part 1 of 2

FEMA may have awarded you up to 42,500 in Individual and Households grants called IHP and they may have listed that this grant is for Home Repairs. Your letter will say home repairs and you might think everything in your home is repairable, right?

By Murray Wennerlund published 9-18-2018 updated 10-30-2024
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Appeal FEMA inspector verified loss determination. You need $8,000 in damages to qualify for HUD CBDG-DR Grant

Appeal FEMA using these two sample pages and documents to write your appeal to FEMA and your states CDBG-DR for those that have not been allowed into the program because of the FVL FEMA Verified Loss being below 8,000 or 12" of water.

By Murray Wennerlund published 9-16-2018 updated 12-5-2022
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Just tell FEMA No Thanks when they refer you to the SBA Disaster Loan Program. 80 Percent AMI or lower? Say NO

After a Disaster you must identify what your AMI is before you file with FEMA. This was learned from experience and from policies in place by states with declared disaster.

By Contributor published 8-9-2018 updated 8-13-2018
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Limited rental assistance to no more than 24 months to a household, now is 3 yrs. for TX, LA, PR, Virgin Isl

FEMA Limits rental assistance to no more than 24 months to a household. Continuums of Care in Texas, Louisiana, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico and Florida due to damages and related flooding sustained by Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria.

By Contributor published 7-10-2018 updated 1-2-2020
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Not all Federal Grant Dollars that are classified a Duplication of Benefits counts against you.

If you have had any experience with a natural disaster you know the term "Duplication of Benefits". But do you know they are not always the same when it comes time to tally up the grant money and assign it to your recovery project?

By Supervisor published 5-31-2018 updated 12-15-2018
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