Check here for more information related to the June 2024 Floods:
KLEM and Powell Broadcasting will keep you up to date and informed with everything you need!
FEMA APPROVES DISASTER RECOVERY TEMPORARY HOUSING PROGRAM
Iowa Governor Reynolds Tuesday announced that the state’s Disaster Recovery Temporary Housing Program has received approval from FEMA and applications are now open.
The program provides temporary housing, which may include recreational vehicles and travel trailers, for up to six months at no cost for Iowans whose homes were majorly damaged, destroyed, or deemed not habitable in counties currently under a federal disaster declaration.
Residents in 14 Iowa counties are eligible. They include Plymouth, Buena Vista, Clay Emmet, Lyon, O’Brien and Sioux. Since damage assessments are still ongoing, additional counties may become eligible. Some 5-thousand homes were impacted by the floods, 2-thousand were destroyed.
Duplication of Benefits: What It Means
When determining the amount of federal disaster assistance an applicant may be eligible for, FEMA will verify there are no “duplication of benefits,” sometimes called double-dipping.
By law, FEMA cannot provide financial assistance when any other source, such as insurance, has provided assistance for the same disaster-caused need or when such assistance is available from another source. For example, FEMA cannot pay for home repairs if the homeowner already is receiving sufficient funds from their insurance company for the same repairs.
FEMA’s Individuals and Households Program provides financial assistance and direct services to eligible individuals and households that have uninsured or underinsured necessary expenses and serious needs.
The assistance is not a substitute for insurance and cannot compensate for all losses caused by May and June severe storms and flooding. Financial assistance from FEMA is intended to meet basic needs and supplement an applicant’s disaster recovery needs.
FEMA may not provide Individuals and Households Program assistance when any other source has already provided assistance or when assistance is available from another program, insurance, crowdsourcing or any other source.
If the campaign is for general disaster recovery and not for a specific assistance FEMA provided, then it is not considered a duplication.
The order in which FEMA and its partner agencies provide assistance to disaster survivors is established to help avoid payments for the same service from other sources, including:
o Emergency aid from voluntary agencies
o Insurance payouts on claims
o If the applicant is eligible, grants from FEMA’s Individuals and Households Program including Housing Assistance and/or FEMA’s Other Needs Assistance program
o Loans from the Small Business Administration
o Unmet needs from Voluntary Agencies
Insured applicants must provide documentation to FEMA that identifies their insurance settlements or benefits before FEMA will consider their eligibility for categories of assistance that may be covered by insurance.
While FEMA cannot provide assistance for disaster-caused needs covered by insurance benefits, FEMA may provide assistance to help meet an applicant’s immediate needs when their insurance benefits are delayed for 30 days or more through no fault of their own. If so, an applicant may be considered for initial rental assistance.
Other disaster-related funding providers such as the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development may look at the amount of assistance a survivor receives from FEMA and its intended uses. This is also to prevent duplicating benefits.
Those receiving assistance are urged to keep receipts of their disaster spending for three years to document the money was used to meet disaster-related needs. If a recipient receives an insurance settlement to cover the same expenses, he or she must reimburse FEMA. Applicants’ cases may be reviewed to confirm funds were spent properly.
To save time, apply online or by phone before visiting a Disaster Recovery Center by:
- Visiting DisasterAssistance.gov
- Calling FEMA directly at 800-621-FEMA (3362)
- Using the FEMA app
FEMA Civil Rights Office works to ensure assistance is distributed equitably, without regard to race, color, national origin, sex, age, disability, English proficiency, or economic status. Any disaster survivor and member of the public may contact the Civil Rights Office if they feel that they are the victim of discrimination. FEMA’s Civil Rights Office can be contact toll-free at 833-285-7448. Multilingual operators are available by pressing #2 for Spanish.
North West REC Announces Business Disaster Loan Program
Wednesday, July 3, 2024 – Orange City, IA – One of the Touchstone Energy core values is “Commitment to Community,” and as a Touchstone Energy electric cooperative, North West REC (NWREC) is pleased to partner with our area communities and counties to provide assistance to small businesses who have been impacted by the recent flooding event. “Our thoughts and prayers continue to go out to everyone who has been affected by the recent devasting flooding,” says Lyle Korver, CEO of NWREC.
The Board of Directors of NWREC has approved a Business Disaster Loan program to provide working-capital assistance to small commercial and industrial businesses in Sioux, O’Brien, Plymouth, and Ida counties who have had their operations affected by the recent flooding event.
The loans will assist with working capital needs for up to 5 years at 0% interest with a one year principal deferral. Funding is available in amounts from $5,000 to $20,000 with the typical loan expected to be $10,000. Korver continued “The Board of Directors recognized the challenges that many small businesses are facing in light of the recent flooding and that our RLF could be utilized to provide some disaster assistance.” The cooperative will accept applications on an on-going basis for weekly review until program funds are exhausted.
The Cooperative has operated a revolving loan fund (RLF) since 1995 to assist new or expanding businesses. The RLF funding has grown over the years through grants from the USDA Rural Economic Development Loan & Grant program (REDLG) and matching funds from NWREC. Approval has been given to expand the RLF to provide this disaster assistance to our local small businesses who have suffered significant loss from the recent flooding.
Jeff Rehder, NWREC Board President, said, “We know that time is of the essence to provide assistance to the impacted businesses. We have created a streamlined application process and established a Loan Review Committee, so we should be able to approve and process loans in a short period of time.”
Businesses that are interested in learning more about this program or want to submit an application can contact the Orange City office at (712) 707-4935 or lkorver@nwrec.coop.
Feenstra Announces Natural Disaster Resource Center for Iowa’s 4th Congressional District
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, 7-1-24, U.S. Rep. Randy Feenstra (R-Hull) announced the creation of a Natural Disaster Resource Center for Iowa’s 4th Congressional District on his official website at Feenstra.House.Gov.
Those impacted by natural disasters and other severe weather events can use this site to find important information for disaster recovery, including phone numbers, email addresses, and websites for the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Small Business Administration.
“From tornadoes and derechos to flooding and high winds, Iowans are very familiar with severe weather. Over the last few months, our communities have been impacted by tornadoes and catastrophic flooding that have devastated homes, businesses, schools, hospitals, and farms,” said Rep. Feenstra. “That’s why I launched a Natural Disaster Resource Center on my website, which will serve as a one-stop shop for victims of severe storms to find important contact information, apply for federal relief, and report damage and losses. My office remains ready and able to serve our constituents and help with disaster recovery questions and concerns. Just like we’ve done before, we will recover and rebuild together.”
Feenstra’s Natural Disaster Resource Center for Iowa’s 4th Congressional District can be found HERE.
FEMA Assistance Teams Canvassing Plymouth County
For Immediate Release: June 27, 2024
Plymouth County, IA – In order to reach more residents of Plymouth County, FEMA Disaster Assistance Teams will no longer be located at the Annex of the Plymouth County Courthouse. Beginning Friday, June 28, at approximately 8:30 am teams will be going door to door in affected
areas. FEMA team members will have credentials for verification.
Plymouth County residents can apply for FEMA’s individual assistance program online at DisasterAssistance.gov or by calling the disaster assistance hotline at 1-800-621-3362
Businesses and nonprofit organizations whose property was damaged or destroyed by this disaster, may be able to apply for low-interest disaster loans from the SBA. In addition, small businesses, agricultural cooperatives, and private, nonprofit organizations impacted by the
severe weather may be eligible to apply for working capital loans.
For more information on Recovery Assistance, visit:
Facebook, Plymouth County Iowa Emergency Management
Iowa Disaster Recovery, https://www.iowa.gov/iowa-disaster-recovery
FEMA Assistance, DisasterAssistance.gov, Small Business Administration, www.sba.gov/funding-programs/disaster-assistance
Additional FEMA information is posted at the bottom of this resource page
Check out the many resources and ways to donate listed below.
The purpose of the Siouxland Recovery Fund is to provide financial resources to help meet short, intermediate and long term needs for recovery in the Siouxland area when a major disaster strikes.
Residents affected by the flooding can find the most up-to-date shelter locations by calling 1-800-RED-CROSS (1-800-733-2767) or by visiting 
