President Biden has declared that a major disaster exists in the State of Connecticut and ordered Federal assistance to supplement state, tribal, and local recovery efforts. The President’s action makes Federal funding available through the Individual Assistance Program (IA) to affected individuals in the counties of Fairfield, Litchfield, and New Haven.

Connecticut Department of Labor (CTDOL) Commissioner Danté Bartolomeo has announced that FEMA authorized CTDOL to launch federal Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA) for those residents who experienced job interruption or loss due to the August 2024 flooding. Disaster Unemployment Assistance is a federal program that supports workers whose employment was lost or interrupted by a major disaster and who are not eligible for regular state unemployment insurance benefits. DUA covers workers, some residents who are self-employed, and the surviving spouses of heads of household who died due to the storm.

To apply for Disaster Unemployment Assistance, visit www.FileCTUI.com.

NOTE:  Updated FEMA guidance requires Disaster Unemployment Assistance applications to be filed by November 19, 2024.

The Deadline to Apply for Individual Assistance is November 19th, 2024. 

Assistance can include grants for temporary housing and home repairs, low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses, and other programs to help individuals recover from the effects of the disaster.

Federal funding is also available on a cost-sharing basis for hazard mitigation measures statewide.

Disaster survivors may apply for IHP Assistance or check their application status online at www.disasterassistance.gov

For more information on Individual Assistance Programs, click HERE
For more information on FEMA’s Individual and Households Program (IHP), click HERE
To learn more about FEMA Assistance for Damaged Basements, click HERE
For a summary of FEMA Hazard Mitigation Assistance (HMA) programs, click HERE
For a guide to applying for FEMA Assistance, click HERE

For assistance regarding how to file a claim, please contact your local Emergency Management Director (EMD). CLICK HERE to find the EMD for your town.

Note: Members of my team are not permitted to assist in filing FEMA claims or applying for SBA Disaster Loans.  However, once your claim or loan has been submitted and pending for 30 days or more, my office can contact the appropriate agency regarding a status update.

To receive assistance from my team, you will need to complete and send a privacy release form. That form can be found HERE.

Individuals and businesses are eligible to apply for disaster loan assistance from the Small Business Administration (SBA). More information on SBA Disaster Loans can be found HERE.

[NEW:] Following increased demand from Hurricane Helene, the SBA is pausing new loan offers for its direct, low-interest, long-term loans to disaster survivors until Congress appropriates further funding for the program. However, SBA is encouraging individuals and small businesses to continue to apply for loans.

The SBA’s loan application portal remains open, SBA’s disaster centers and in-person staff remain available, and the agency will continue to accept new applications and ready borrowers to get their disaster loan offers as soon as possible once Congress appropriates funds. Disaster survivors in need of an SBA loan for personal belongings, residential property damage, and business damage and disruption should not wait to apply. Disaster survivors should start the application process immediately so that disaster teams can take them through the application process and position eligible applicants to receive offers and funds.

Application Filing Deadlines:
Physical Damage: November 19, 2024
Economic Injury: June 20, 2025

Disaster survivors should not wait to settle with their insurance company before applying for a disaster loan. If a survivor does not know how much of their loss will be covered by insurance or other sources, SBA can make a low-interest disaster loan for the total loss up to its loan limits, provided the borrower agrees to use insurance proceeds to reduce or repay the loan.

Applications for disaster loans may be submitted online using the MySBA Loan Portal at https://lending.sba.gov or other locally announced locations.

Please contact the SBA’s Customer Service Center by email at disastercustomerservice@sba.gov or by phone at 1-800-659-2955 for further assistance.

When natural disasters occur, it is common to find scammers who try to take advantage of survivors by posing as official disaster aid workers or as relatives trying to help survivors complete their applications.

For tips on how to best keep you and your family safe, find more information the following documents provided by FEMA.

My team and I have been in contact with Governor Ned Lamont, Connecticut’s Division of Emergency Management and Homeland Security (DEMHS), Department of Transportation, and Department of Energy and Environmental Protection as well as  state representatives, mayors, and first selectmen regarding the damage and next steps.

My team and I will continue working with our local, state, and federal partners to ensure our communities receive the resources needed to safely rebuild.

Please keep in mind that as recovery efforts continue, all are encouraged to exercise caution when traveling.

In order for the state and federal government to provide the assistance we need, it is important that all damage to property both public and individual is reported.

[NEW!] Connecticut DEMHS is requesting flood damage be reported using this online Residential & Business Damage Assessment Form. It is critical to document all damages with photos before making any repairs. Residents and business owners should also contact their local Emergency Management Director (EMD) and report damages to the local office. Please CLICK HERE to find the EMD for your town.