Disaster Assistance for Individuals and Households

Disaster Assistance for Individuals and

Households

IMMEDIATE EMERGENCY HELP

The American Red Cross (ARC), Salvation Army, and other voluntary organizations active in disaster can and

will provide immediate aid in the way of clothing, emergency food, medical assistance, emergency shelter,

clean-up help, transportation help, and furniture. This assistance is available upon the request of the individual

or government agencies during any significant emergency.

http://www.redcross.org/

http://www.salvationarmy.org/

Nevada Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster

https://voadnevada.wordpress.com/

United Way of Northern Nevada

http://uwnns.org/

United Way of Southern Nevada

https://www.uwsn.org/

INSURANCE

Insurance policies such as homeowner, earthquake, flood, and other hazard policies are always the first step in

protecting your financial investment in times of disaster. When the president declares a major disaster a variety

of federal and state assistance programs may be available to meet survivors’ essential and necessary

needs. However, it is important to understand that all the various aid programs combined will not return

you to your pre-disaster condition. Having insurance is your best alternative. To learn more about flood

insurance see: https://www.floodsmart.gov/floodsmart/

NEVADA HOUSING AUTHORITY- WEATHERIZATION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM SERVICE

PROVIDERS

Las Vegas and Southern Rural Clark County:

HELP of Southern Nevada

1640 East Flamingo Road, Suite 100

Las Vegas, Nevada 89119

Tel: (702) 369-4357

http://www.helpsonv.org/programs-weatherization.php

City of Henderson

Neighborhood Services

PO Box 95050

240 Water Street, MSC 132

Henderson, Nevada 89009-5050

Tel. (702) 267-2000

http://www.cityofhenderson.com/neighborhood_services/weatherization.php

North Las Vegas and Northern Rural Clark County:

Las Vegas - Clark County Urban League

3575 W. Cheyenne Ave, Suite #101

Las Vegas, Nevada 89032

Tel. (702) 636-3949

http://www.lvccul.org/

Churchill, Elko, Esmeralda, Eureka, Humboldt, Lander, Lincoln, Mineral, Nye, Pershing, and White Pine

Counties:

Rural Nevada Development Corporation (RNDC)

1320 East Aultman Street

Ely, Nevada 89301

Tel: (775) 289-8519

Toll Free: (866) 404-5204

http://www.rndcnv.org/

Washoe County:

Community Services Agency (CSA)

1090 E. 8th Street

Reno, Nevada 89512

Tel. (775) 786-6023

http://www.csareno.org

Carson, Douglas, Lyon and Storey Counties:

Nevada Rural Housing Authority (NRHA)

3695 Desatoya Drive

Carson City, Nevada 89701

Tel. (775) 887-1795, ext. 124

http://www.nvrural.org/

USDA RURAL DEVELOPMENT

Single Family Housing Repair Loans & Grants

Also known as the Section 504 Home Repair program, this provides loans to very-low-income homeowners to

repair, improve or modernize their homes or grants to elderly very-low-income homeowners to remove health

and safety hazards.

Fallon Field Office

111 Sheckler Road

Fallon, NV 89406

Phone: (775) 423-5124 ext. 100 Fax: (855) 612-1209

Betty Percifield, Area Specialist

betty.percif[email protected].gov

https://www.rd.usda.gov/programs-services/programs-services-individuals

FEMA INDIVIDUAL DISASTER ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS & INFORMATION

https://www.fema.gov/individual-disaster-assistance

Homeowners, renters, and business owners who had disaster losses should register online for disaster

assistance at www.disasterassistance.gov or call the FEMA registration line at: 1.800.621.FEMA (3362) (TTY

1.800.462.7585).

Joint Field Office/ Disaster Recovery Centers

When the president declares an emergency or major disaster, the Nevada Division of Emergency Management

Division (NDEM), and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) jointly administer programs in a

Joint Field Office (JFO) to help individuals who suffer disaster damage or losses. To assist the public in

obtaining information, Disaster Recovery Centers (DRC) are normally established in or near the affected area.

Registration

When the president declares a disaster, that includes the Individuals and Households Program, FEMA sets up

a toll-free telephone number (800.621.3362) so individuals and households may begin to apply for assistance

immediately. Alternatively, individuals may also register online at www.disasterassistance.gov. If you do not

and provide temporary housing if needed. If you do have insurance coverage you will be referred to your

insurance agent for further assistance. However, if you do not have coverage, you may be eligible for one or all

of the programs that follow. For the most part, the programs that follow are listed in the order that they would

be available following a major disaster declaration.

Individuals and Households Program

The Individuals and Households Program (IHP) consists of Housing Assistance (HA) and Other Needs

Assistance (ONA). Housing Assistance assists disaster victims with housing needs and is administered and

fully funded by FEMA. Other Needs Assistance provides disaster assistance awards for eligible medical,

dental, and funeral expenses, as well as personal property, transportation, and other necessary expenses or

serious needs. Other Needs Assistance is funded 75 percent by FEMA and 25 percent by the state. Nevada

has entered into an agreement with FEMA in which FEMA operates the program on Nevada’s behalf.

The IHP grant limit of $33,100 (in 2017) is adjusted annually to reflect changes in the Consumer Price Index

(CPI) for All Urban Consumers published by the Department of Labor.

NOTE: The average award from IHP Housing or Other Needs Assistance is very small in comparison to the

maximum available. Eligibility for assistance in based upon essential needs as determined by a FEMA

inspection. The program, by design of Congress, only provides limited assistance to help an individual or

household on the road to recovery. Private insurance is one’s best bet to hedge the financial loss created by

disaster.

Other Needs Assistance (ONA)

ONA awards are available to qualified individuals and families to meet serious, disaster-related needs and

necessary expenses for which assistance from other federal, state, or voluntary agency disaster assistance

programs is unavailable or inadequate. Typically, these needs fall into the categories of medical, dental, and

funeral expenses, as well as personal property, transportation, and other necessary expenses or serious

needs resulting from a major disaster. This program is only available when the president declares a disaster.

Housing Assistance

After insurance considerations, FEMA may provide housing assistance in a number of ways. Eligible

individuals/households may receive financial assistance to rent alternate housing, pay for short-term transient

accommodations, repair owner occupied private residences, and to replace owner-occupied private

residences. FEMA also may provide direct housing assistance in the form of temporary housing units that

FEMA purchases or leases for disaster victims.

Cora Brown Fund

The late Cora C. Brown of Kansas City, Missouri, left part of her estate to the federal government intending

that the funds be used to aid disaster victims. The Cora Brown fund is used for disaster-related needs of

individual or families who are unable to obtain adequate assistance from other federal, state, and local

government programs or from voluntary agencies. The fund is not intended to replace or supersede those

programs; therefore, if assistance is available from another source, the Cora Brown Fund may not be

used. Awards from this fund may be granted only at the discretion of the FEMA Headquarters.

Disaster Unemployment Assistance

This program generally covers self-employed persons; farm workers, farm and ranch owners, and others not

normally covered under regular unemployment insurance programs if they are out of work due to disaster. This

program is administered by the state Department of Employment Security, through the U.S. Department of

Labor and FEMA. It is available only with a presidential disaster declaration.

Taxes

The Internal Revenue Service

allows underinsured or uninsured disaster losses on home, personal property,

and household goods to be deducted on income tax returns and may offer tax counseling and tax rebates

(requires a presidential declaration). Deductions of certain uninsured casualty losses on a homeowner’s

federal income tax return may be allowed (does not require a presidential disaster declaration).

Special tax law provisions may help taxpayers and businesses recover financially from the impact of a disaster.

Also, depending on the circumstances, the IRS may grant additional time to file returns and pay taxes. Both

individuals and businesses in a presidentially declared disaster area can get a faster refund by claiming losses

related to the disaster on the tax return for the previous year, usually by filing an amended return. You may

also be eligible for a reduction in property valuation due to disaster-caused damages, resulting in a reduction of

local property taxes (available upon request from the County Assessor’s Office; does not require a presidential

disaster declaration).

Check Express

Expedited address change and benefit check delivery from the Social Security Administration and expedited

assistance in applying for and receiving a variety of benefits from the Veterans Administration are only

available following a presidential disaster declaration.

Crisis Counseling

Crisis counseling may be available by special request through the governor and approved by FEMA after a

presidential disaster declaration and is administered by the state Department of Social and Health Services.

Legal Services

When the President declares a disaster, FEMA, through an agreement with the Young Lawyers Division of the

American Bar Association, provides free legal assistance to disaster victims. Legal advice is limited to cases that

will not produce a fee (e.g., these attorneys work without payment). Cases that may generate a fee are turned

over to the local lawyer referral service.