CLINTON, MS – September 12, 2012 – (RealEstateRama) — Federal Emergency Management Agency inspectors are currently visiting the primary residences of disaster applicants in Mississippi to assess damages related to Hurricane Isaac.
Inspectors are private contractors and always display identification badges. Inspectors will contact applicants to make appointments before visiting properties.
Federal assistance to homeowners and renters may include grants to help pay for rental housing, essential home repairs and other disaster-related expenses.
What To Expect:
Inspector’s Call: A nine-digit application number is assigned to applicants after they register with FEMA. An inspector will call within 10 days to schedule an appointment to visit the damaged property.
Inspector’s Visit: Inspectors will review structural and personal property damage and file a report, but they do not determine eligibility or estimate or determine the value of damage or losses. The inspection typically takes 15 to 45 minutes.
The applicant, or someone who is 18 or older and lived in the household prior to Hurricane Isaac, must be present for the scheduled appointment.
Applicants can speed up the process by having the appropriate documents on hand:
- A photo ID to prove identity, such as driver’s license or passport.
- Homeowners must present proof of ownership, which may include any one of the following:
- Deed showing applicant as the legal owner.
- Title that lists the applicant on actual escrow or title document for the purchase of the home.
- Mortgage payment book that names the applicant along with the address of the damaged home.
- Property insurance policy for the damaged home with applicant’s name listed as the insured.Tax receipts or a property tax bill that lists the address of the damaged home and the applicant as the responsible party to the assessments.
- Renters must present proof of occupancy, which may include any one of the following:
- A lease, rent payment receipt, utility bill or other document confirming the home was the primary residence at the time of the disaster.
- An employee pay stub and similar documents addressed to the applicant and showing the address of the damaged home.
Property owners who need to replace a document to prove ownership should visit their local tax office. Proof of ownership may avoid long delays in receiving eligible FEMA funds.
After the Inspector’s Visit: Within 10 days of the visit, an applicant will receive a joint letter from the state of Mississippi and FEMA that contains a decision.
Anyone with questions should call 800-621-3362. Those who use TTY can call 800-462-7585.
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FEMA’s mission is to support our citizens and first responders to ensure that as a nation we work together to build, sustain, and improve our capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate all hazards.
Disaster recovery assistance is available without regard to race, color, religion, nationality, sex, age, disability, English proficiency or economic status. If you or someone you know has been discriminated against, call FEMA toll-free at 800-621-FEMA (3362). For TTY call 800-462-7585.
FEMA’s temporary housing assistance and grants for public transportation expenses, medical and dental expenses, and funeral and burial expenses do not require individuals to apply for an SBA loan. However, applicants who receive SBA loan applications must submit them to SBA loan officers to be eligible for assistance that covers personal property, vehicle repair or replacement, and moving and storage expenses.
