BATON ROUGE, La. — Hurricane Laura survivors who live in parishes designated for Direct Temporary Housing assistance and who have been denied temporary housing assistance can appeal that decision. Survivors have 60 days from the date of their determination letter to appeal that decision. However, the deadline to be referred for direct temporary housing assistance [...]

FEMA considers specific factors when determining if a survivor can return to a safe, sanitary and functional home after a storm such as Hurricane Laura. Hurricane Laura survivors who received determination letters from FEMA may have questions about how FEMA determines whether their home can be lived in. Some may question the “habitability” or “inhabitability” [...]

Louisianans are strongly urged to take advantage of the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) since even though the hurricane season is coming to an end, the potential for flooding in the state remains. There normally arise many questions about the program. Here is some clarification: MYTH: You can’t buy flood insurance if you live in [...]

Determination Letters Survivors who registered with FEMA for disaster assistance as a result of Hurricane Delta will receive a determination letter explaining the eligibility decision and the reason for that decision. For those who are eligible, the letter states the dollar amount of the grant and how the funds should be used. When ineligible, the [...]

Q: What is Direct Housing? A: FEMA Housing Assistance may be provided in the form of financial assistance (funds provided to an applicant) or direct assistance (housing provided to the applicant.) For Hurricane Laura, direct housing assistance is authorized in the form of transportable temporary housing units (TTHUs), such as recreational vehicles (RVs) (or “travel [...]

BATON ROUGE, La. — Disaster Legal Services (DLS) provides free legal assistance to low- income hurricane survivors who cannot afford to hire a lawyer after a disaster. Members of the American Bar Association, Young Lawyers Division advise and provide legal representation at no charge. There are certain limitations. Assistance is not available for cases that [...]

BATON ROUGE, La. – Louisiana homeowners who receive a notice of payment owed for the installation of federally installed blue roof after Hurricanes Laura and Delta should not pay. FEMA and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which manages the Blue Roof Program, have been alerted by some homeowners that they are receiving letters demanding payment [...]

SACRAMENTO, Calif. – The U.S. Small Business Administration and the SWLA Economic Development Alliance today announced the opening of an SBA Business Recovery Center in Lake Charles on Thursday, Oct. 15 to provide a wide range of services to businesses impacted by Hurricane Laura that occurred Aug. 22-27, 2020. “Due to the severe property damage and [...]

BATON ROUGE, La. – Hurricane Laura survivors with National Flood Insurance Policies (NFIP) who filed a Proof of Loss and whose claims were denied either partially or in full, can appeal. Survivors have 60 days from the date of the insurer’s denial letter to appeal the decision. Some common reasons for denials include: Damage was [...]