Sept. 7, 2016

DR-4277-LA

FAQ-012

NEWS DESK: 225-382-1607

SBA: 916-764-9918

 

FAQs

Understanding Your FEMA Determination Letter

Q: My FEMA determination letter says that my application for disaster assistance is “ineligible” or “incomplete.” What can I do?

A: All disaster assistance applicants have the right to appeal, and sometimes a quick fix is all that is needed to change a “no” to a “yes.” Read your letter all the way through to clarify why your application was labeled “ineligible” or “incomplete.” Always be sure to follow up—do not just give up—with the determination letter.

Q: I want to appeal my determination letter. How can I go about doing that?

A: All appeals must be in writing. When writing your appeal, explain why you think the decision about the amount or type of assistance you received is not correct. You, or someone who represents you or your household, must sign the letter. If the person writing the letter is not a member of your household, there must be a signed statement from you saying that that person may act for you and your household.

Q: What do I do with my written appeal and my other appeal documents?

A: Bring your determination letter, your written appeal and the supporting documents requested in your determination letter to any disaster recovery center. You can locate a disaster recovery center near you by visiting fema.gov/disaster-recovery-centers, calling the FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362, or downloading the FEMA mobile app.

Q: I cannot make it to a disaster recovery center. Can I still appeal my determination letter?

A: Yes. You can mail your written appeal and all supporting documents to:

                                                            FEMA – Individuals and Households Program

                                                            National Processing Service Center

                                                            P.O. Box 10055

                                                            Hyattsville, MD 20782-7055

You can also fax your appeal packet to 800-827-8112, to the attention of the Individuals and Households Program. When mailing or faxing your appeal packet, be sure to include your personal FEMA registration number and the disaster number, DR-4277-LA, on all of your documents.

Q: Can I email my appeal packet to FEMA?

A: No. FEMA cannot process your appeal via email, but you can submit it on our website. If you would like to go through the appeal process electronically, you can open a Disaster Assistance Center (DAC) account at www.disasterassistance.gov. Once you have created your account, you can update your current contact information, upload your appeal documents, and review letters from FEMA. When you upload the required documents to your DAC account, an appeal packet is automatically created which can then be submitted for review.

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Monitor DOTD’s www.511la.org website for updated road closure information. You can find the latest information on the state’s response at www.emergency.la.gov. GOHSEP also provides information on Facebook and Twitter. You can receive emergency alerts on most smartphones and tablets by downloading the new Alert FM App. It is free for basic service. You can also download the Louisiana Emergency Preparedness Guide and find other information at www.getagameplan.org.

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 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.  Follow us on Twitter at https://twitter.com/femaregion6 and the FEMA Blog at http://blog.fema.gov.

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is the federal government’s primary source of money for the long-term rebuilding of disaster-damaged private property. SBA helps businesses of all sizes, private non-profit organizations, homeowners and renters fund repairs or rebuilding efforts and cover the cost of replacing lost or disaster-damaged personal property. These disaster loans cover losses not fully compensated by insurance or other recoveries and do not duplicate benefits of other agencies or organizations. For more information, applicants may contact SBA’s Disaster Assistance Customer Service Center by calling 800-659-2955, emailing disastercustomerservice@sba.gov, or visiting SBA’s website at SBA.gov/disaster Deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals may call 800- 877-8339.

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