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FEMA Announces Major Overhaul to Speed Up Disaster Aid

The changes, set to take effect in March, aim to reduce bureaucratic hurdles and provide more efficient assistance to disaster survivors.

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A mobile FEMA information center in Fort Myers following Hurricane Ian in 2022.
Federal Emergency Management Agency administrator Deanne Criswell listens as President Joe Biden speaks abou recovery efforts for the Maui wildfires and the response to Hurricane Idalia, in the Roosevelt Room of the White House, Aug. 30, 2023, in Washington. FEMA is making changes to its individual assistance program that helps disaster survivors. Criswell said the changes are designed to make it easier for disaster survivors to apply for and get help without the bureaucratic hassle. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci, File)
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Overview

  • FEMA has announced sweeping changes to its disaster recovery process, aimed at speeding up assistance and reducing bureaucratic hurdles.
  • The changes, which are the most comprehensive update to FEMA's individual assistance program in 20 years, are set to go into effect in March.
  • Under the new rules, homeowners who have received insufficient insurance payouts for home repairs can now apply for help from FEMA.
  • One of the major changes is the removal of the requirement for disaster survivors to first apply for a loan with the Small Business Administration and get rejected before they can apply for FEMA assistance.
  • Another significant change is the automatic availability of $750 payments for critical needs assistance whenever a disaster is declared that includes FEMA’s individual assistance funding stream.