Obama approves federal aid for Virginians impacted by Hurricane Matthew

Governor Terry McAuliffe today announced that the President declared a major disaster to exist in the Commonwealth of Virginia and ordered federal aid to supplement commonwealth and local recovery efforts in the area affected by Hurricane Matthew beginning on October 7, 2016, and continuing.

The President’s action makes federal funding available and approves the Commonwealth’s request for federal Individual Assistance programs to help with recovery efforts for the following cities: Chesapeake, Newport News, Norfolk, and Virginia Beach.

“I am proud of the way our state agencies worked together with local and federal governments to expedite the disaster assessment and recovery process,” said Governor McAuliffe. “FEMA, VDEM, the Small Business Administration and local communities completed the Joint Preliminary Damage Assessments in record time, assessing more than 2,500 homes and buildings for damage in just three days. This declaration will ensure Virginia residents and businesses have access to the aid needed to support recovery efforts in the wake of Hurricane Matthew.”

Assistance can include grants for temporary housing and home repairs, low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses, and other programs to help individuals and business owners recover from the effects of the disaster.

“We encourage residents impacted in Chesapeake, Newport News, Norfolk and Virginia Beach to contact FEMA through the mediums identified below,” said Secretary of Public Safety and Homeland Security Brian Moran. “Helping Virginians recover from this disaster remains our top priority.”

The Individual Assistance programs made available to communities through the disaster declaration provide and/or coordinate several forms of recovery assistance for individuals and households. Residents must apply directly with FEMA. There are three ways to apply now:

• Call toll-free at (800) 621-3362 or (800) 462-7585
• Register on your computer at http://www.disasterassistance.gov/
• Register your smartphone at m.fema.gov

Local FEMA Disaster Recovery Centers will also be established to help residents register in person. Information on the locations of these centers will be made available soon.

For more information on the types of assistance available and to be connected with your local government emergency management, please call the 2-1-1 hotline. To learn more about the aid available in your locality and to apply for assistance visit FEMA’s website at: www.disasterassistance.gov.