FEMA Aid Deadline Approaching For Bucks Co. Residents Impacted By Ida

BUCKS COUNTY, PA — Bucks County community members who received initial rental assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency in Hurricane Ida's aftermath could be eligible to keep receiving help with their rent, several months after the disaster.

Individual Assistance funds for residents affected by the disaster are still available in Bucks County a little while longer. The deadline to register for assistance is Dec. 10, according to FEMA's latest update.

As of Dec. 6, the FEMA Individual and Household Program has approved $76,700,705 in funds across the eight eligible counties in the commonwealth. Housing assistance represented $56,936,063 of that sum, and assistance for other needs comprised $19,764,753.

According to FEMA, community members are eligible for continued rental assistance if:

• They were awarded initial rental assistance and used it as intended. The initial award covered two months.
• They are unable to return to their pre-disaster residence because it is uninhabitable, cannot be accessed or is not available due to Hurricane Ida.
• They cannot pay for housing without assistance.
• They are not receiving temporary housing help from any other source.
• They are developing a longer-term or permanent housing plan or can demonstrate progress toward one.

Then, to apply for assistance, residents need to provide three types of documents: pre- and post-disaster income for household members 18 and older, proof of pre-disaster housing costs, and proof of post-disaster housing costs.

Survivors applying for continued assistance must also complete an Application for Continued Temporary Housing Assistance. To request this form, community members can call the FEMA Helpline at 800-621- 3362

The application form and supporting documents should be returned to FEMA in one of the following ways:

• Upload them to your disaster account at DisasterAssistance.gov.
• Mail them to FEMA, PO Box 10055, Hyattsville, MD 20782-8055.
• Fax them to 800-827-8112.

FEMA will evaluate the request to determine if the applicant is eligible.

FEMA operators are available daily until 11 p.m. to answer questions or to provide guidance on the registration process. Survivors can apply for federal disaster assistance by registering online or by calling 1-800-621-FEMA (3362) or 1-800-462-7585 TTY for the hearing and speech impaired.

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