This trailer in Tishabee was totally destroyed by the tornado that roared through.

BIRMINGHAM, AL – Less than a week remains for Alabama disaster survivors to register for federal disaster assistance.

Survivors must register with the Federal Emergency Management Agency and return their U.S. Small Business Administration loan applications by Monday, June 27, to be considered for FEMA and SBA disaster assistance.

The Alabama Emergency Management Agency, FEMA and its federal partners encourage any person or business owner who had storm-related damage to their home, vehicle, personal property, business or inventory between April 15 and May 31 and has not registered to do so quickly.

Anyone in the 43 counties eligible for Individual Assistance who was impacted by storms, tornadoes, straight-line winds or floods should apply for assistance, regardless of whether a survivor has insurance or is unsure if they are eligible. Survivors should still contact their insurance companies and file necessary claims.

Disaster assistance may include rental payments for temporary housing for those whose homes are unlivable, grants for home repairs and replacement of essential household items not covered by insurance. There are grants to replace personal property and to help meet medical, dental, funeral, transportation and other serious disaster-related needs not covered by insurance or other federal, state or charitable aid programs.

Anyone who has not registered with FEMA for disaster aid, has questions about an application or seeks more information about recovery programs should call FEMA’s toll-free helpline at 800-621-FEMA (3362). People who are deaf or hard of hearing can call (TTY) 800-462-7585. Lines are open from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. and multilingual assistance is available. Online registration is available at www.DisasterAssistance.gov or through a smartphone or tablet at m.fema.gov.

Monday, June 27, also is the deadline for filing an application for a low-interest disaster loan with the Small Business Administration. While survivors are not required to accept a disaster loan, completing the SBA application is essential to receiving other assistance from FEMA.

Low-interest disaster loans are available to homeowners, renters, nonprofits and businesses of all sizes. They are the largest federal source of disaster funds for repairing or replacing damaged or destroyed property.

Statewide, as of close of business Sunday, June 19, 2011, these are the figures on disaster assistance provided:

Total Registrations – 82,211

Total IHP Approved:  $56,058,577

*Housing Assistance: 

$39,942,648

Other Needs Assistance: 

$16,115,929

SBA Disaster Loans

Total Applications received –

3,496

Total Loans Approved: 

$40,905,800

·Homeowners : $36,481,100

*Businesses:  $ 3,985,700

*Business Economic Injury

$439,000

For Greene County, as of close of business Sunday, June 19, 2011, there were:

 Total Applications 611

 Individuals and Households

Program

IHP Referrals  520

IHP Eligible  133

IHP Amount  $510,628

 Housing Assistance

HA Referrals  502

HA Eligible  113

HA Amount  $467,080

ON Amount  $43,548

Churches and other

Non-profits may rebuild

with SBA loans

Churches, temples, mosques and other religious centers, as well as other private nonprofit organizations in Alabama’s storm-damaged designated counties, are eligible to apply for U.S. Small Business Administration loans to help rebuild. Applications must be received by June 27.

Private nonprofits of any size may borrow up to $2 million at interest rates as low as 3 percent to repair or replace damaged or destroyed real estate, furniture, fixtures, appliances, equipment, vehicles, other assets and leasehold improvements. (Leasehold improvements could include items such as paint, carpeting, lighting, office partitions or other items attached to the leased structure but owned by the renter.)

    The terms of the loans may be up to 30 years, making payments affordable. The SBA sets loan amounts and terms based on each applicant’s financial condition. Interested organizations may apply before their insurance claims are settled.

    The SBA may increase a loan up to 20 percent of the total amount of disaster damage to real estate and/or leasehold improvements so that you can make changes while repairing or rebuilding that reduce the risk of property damage by future disasters of the same kind.

    For more information, nonprofits may call the SBA at 800-659-2955 (800-877-8339 TTY) or visit a disaster recovery center. Applications can be downloaded from www.sba.gov. Or nonprofits may visit SBA’s secure website at https://disasterloan.sba.gov/ela/ to apply online for disaster loans. Registration with FEMA is also recommended; call 800-621-FEMA (3362) or (TTY) 800-462-7585 for the deaf or hard of hearing. Online registration is available at www.DisasterAssistance.gov.

    Churches and other nonprofits should also investigate sources of aid from charitable agencies, volunteer groups and private donors.

Call FEMA to request

another inspection or to\

appeal

 If you think the FEMA inspector did not see all of the damages to your home or property after the Alabama tornadoes, you can ask the Federal Emergency Management Agency for another inspection.

If you want an inspector to take another look or if you have questions about your FEMA letter, you should call FEMA at 800-621-3362 from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. local time. People who are deaf or hard of hearing can call 800-462-7585. Or you can go to the Web at www.DisasterAssistance.gov or go to m.fema.gov using your smartphone or tablet.

If you want to meet with someone about your situation, you can visit a disaster recovery center. To find the nearest center, call 800-621-3362 /TTY 800-462-7585 or go to www.fema.gov/drclocator.

If your FEMA status cannot be cleared up by phone, by visiting a disaster recovery center or through FEMA’s website, then a written appeal should be made to FEMA within 60 days of receiving your determination letter.

In your letter:

  *Explain why you think the decision you received is not correct.

   *Include your full name, date, place of birth and address.

*Your letter must either be notarized, include a copy of a state-issued identification card or include the following statement: “I hereby declare under penalty of perjury that the foregoing is true and correct.”

 *You must sign the letter.

 Appeal letters should include your FEMA disaster identification registration number and the federal disaster declaration number (for the Alabama tornadoes, it is DR-1971-AL). Date your appeal letter and mail it to the following address:

  FEMA – Appeals Officer

  National Processing Service

  Center

   P.O. Box 10055

   Hyattsville, MD 20782-7055

You can also fax letters to 800-827-8112 with a cover sheet addressed to: Attention – FEMA Appeals Officer.