Support for LAist comes from
Local and national news, NPR, things to do, food recommendations and guides to Los Angeles, Orange County and the Inland Empire
Stay Connected
Listen

Share This

Climate and Environment

Deadlines to apply for federal wildfire assistance are approaching. Here's how to apply

Three people are sitting in foldable white and metal chairs with their backs to the camera. Two men, wearing black shirts or jackets, are facing them from the other side of a white folding table. A blue logo and lettering can be seen on the side of a white vehicle that reads "FEMA" and "U.S. Department of Homeland Security."
Residents meet with FEMA officials on Jan. 14 in Pasadena.
(
Frederic J. Brown
/
AFP via Getty Images
)

Congress has cut federal funding for public media — a $3.4 million loss for LAist. We count on readers like you to protect our nonprofit newsroom. Become a monthly member and sustain local journalism.

Topline:

Deadlines are approaching for those affected by January's L.A. wildfires to apply for federal disaster recovery help. Here's how you can file for assistance.

FEMA individual assistance: March 10 deadline to apply. You can apply online at FEMA's Disaster Assistance website, use the FEMA mobile app, call FEMA's helpline at (800) 621-3362 or apply in person at a Disaster Recovery Center near you. Use this locator to find the closest one.

If your home is insured, you may not be eligible for certain types of relief like housing assistance or personal property that your home insurance already covers. Or, you may still be eligible but need to submit additional documentation. You can do that using the "Correspondence" tab at the top of your account homepage.

Support for LAist comes from

Small Business Administration disaster loan: March 10 deadline to apply. The SBA says these loans may be available to homeowners, renters and businesses of all sizes in areas covered by a disaster declaration. Apply here.

You'll want to do some prep before you apply for this loan — it's going to ask you for a good bit of info. Here's what you'll want to have handy:

  • Total financial assets including cash, bank accounts and retirement accounts.
  • The pre-disaster value of your home and personal property like furniture, appliances and vehicles.
  • The value of any other real estate you own.
  • The remaining balance on your mortgage for your primary residence and any other mortgages you have.
  • Yearly homeownership costs like estate taxes, the cost of your homeowners insurance or any HOA or condo/townhome fees you pay.

Debris removal program right-of-entry form: March 31 deadline to fill out this form, which authorizes the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and other federal and state agencies to access your property so they can remove ash and fire debris. You can complete the form online, download the form to complete and return via drop-off, email or post (info on each of these return options is at the bottom of the form). Or you can pick up a form and fill it out in person at a Disaster Recovery Center. Here's that locator again.

Disaster unemployment assistance: If you were unable to work due to the fires, you can apply online for unemployment assistance.

FEMA public assistance: March 9 deadline. Local governments and private nonprofit organizations can submit a request for public assistance at the FEMA Grants Portal. You'll have to register your organization.

As Editor-in-Chief of our newsroom, I’m extremely proud of the work our top-notch journalists are doing here at LAist. We’re doing more hard-hitting watchdog journalism than ever before — powerful reporting on the economy, elections, climate and the homelessness crisis that is making a difference in your lives. At the same time, it’s never been more difficult to maintain a paywall-free, independent news source that informs, inspires, and engages everyone.

Simply put, we cannot do this essential work without your help. Federal funding for public media has been clawed back by Congress and that means LAist has lost $3.4 million in federal funding over the next two years. So we’re asking for your help. LAist has been there for you and we’re asking you to be here for us.

We rely on donations from readers like you to stay independent, which keeps our nonprofit newsroom strong and accountable to you.

No matter where you stand on the political spectrum, press freedom is at the core of keeping our nation free and fair. And as the landscape of free press changes, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust, but the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news from our community.

Please take action today to support your trusted source for local news with a donation that makes sense for your budget.

Thank you for your generous support and believing in independent news.

Chip in now to fund your local journalism
A row of graphics payment types: Visa, MasterCard, Apple Pay and PayPal, and  below a lock with Secure Payment text to the right
(
LAist
)

Trending on LAist