​If your primary residence is in Broward County and your home and/or personal property
was damaged by the severe storms, tornadoes, and flooding, FEMA may be able to help
with disaster-related assistance or other essential disaster-related needs not covered by
insurance.

Floridians in Broward County experienced record-breaking flooding beginning April 12, 2023, and lasting through April 14, 2023, resulting in home, business, property, and infrastructure damage. To aid the county in response and recovery, Gov. Ron DeSantis requested that President Joe Biden issue a major disaster declaration for Broward to deploy federal assistance to affected households. Biden approved this request on April 27, 2023.

What federal assistance may be available?
Some of the federal programs that could become available to affected people in Broward County include, but are not limited to, FEMA housing-related assistance (called Individual Assistance), Disaster Unemployment Assistance, and Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits.

FEMA Assistance
FEMA is providing Individual Assistance to people in Broward County to help with temporary lodging and home repairs, as well as other disaster-related expenses. 

Broward residents can apply for FEMA assistance for the 2023 flooding online at DisasterAssistance.gov, through the FEMA mobile app, or by calling the FEMA helpline at 800-621-3362.  The helpline is available from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. EST. In addition, FEMA outreach team — called Disaster Survivor Assistance crews — are canvassing door-to-door to assist survivors with their FEMA applications and other needs.

Disaster Unemployment Assistance
Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA) provides unemployment assistance to people whose employment or self-employment has been impacted by the April 2023 flooding if they are not eligible for regular Unemployment Insurance.

Eligible workers include, but are not limited to, people who are self-employed, gig and part-time workers, and workers who have already exhausted or are ineligible for regular Reemployment Assistance. Generally, citizens and immigrants who have work authorization can collect DUA. More detailed eligibility criteria can be found here.

Applicants must file for state Reemployment Assistance benefits first, before filing for DUA.
Applicants should note whether their work has been impacted by the disaster. If applicants are determined ineligible for Reemployment Assistance, the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity will automatically prompt them to file a DUA application if they say that their job was impacted by the disaster. DUA is available for weeks of unemployment beginning April 16, 2023, until October 28. 2023­­­­­­­­­­­.

The link to apply for DUA can be found here, or applicants can call 1-800-385-3920 to speak with a representative at Florida’s Disaster Unemployment Assistance Customer Service Center from 7:30 a.m. to 6: 30 p.m. EST.  DUA applications must be submitted by May 31, 2023.

Disaster Distress Helpline
A Disaster Distress Helpline is available to provide Floridians with crisis counseling and emotional support related to the flooding. The number is 800-985-5990.

Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program
The Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (D-SNAP) provides food assistance to households with significant disaster-related expenses who are not eligible for regular SNAP. D-SNAP does not look at citizenship status, impose a work requirement, or preclude college students from participating. The Department of Children and Families has not yet announced whether it will roll out D-SNAP for Floridians affected by the Broward flooding.

Clean Up
The following resources may be able to assist with clean up related to the flood:

• Florida Conference Disaster Recovery Hotline: May be able to assist with clean up, as well as provide tarps and help with removal of debris. The number is 855-CAT-FUMC.
• Florida Baptist Disaster Relief: Request help online through this link.
• Samaritan’s Purse: May be able to assist with clean up and sanitizing to help remediate mold. The number is 561-873-1718.
• Mosquito Spraying: Request help through this link or call 311.

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Price Gouging
Florida’s Attorney General has activated Florida’s Price Gouging Hotline for residents to report businesses that are charging unfair or unreasonable prices due to high demand related to the flooding. The number is 866-966-7266.

Misc.
Broward County’s Family Success Administration Division (FSAD) provides assistance to prevent homelessness, foreclosure, eviction, and loss of utilities, as well as assistance with transportation, child care, employment, and tuition. The address and phone number of Family Success Centers is linked here.

What Kind of Assistance Can FEMA Provide to Broward County Flood Survivors? 
Floridians who were impacted by the April 12 – 14 severe storms, tornadoes and flooding in Broward County may be eligible for FEMA assistance for temporary lodging, basic home repairs, personal property losses and other eligible expenses.
Lodging Expense Reimbursement
Under FEMA’s Individuals and Households program, lodging expenses may be eligible for reimbursement if an applicant:

• Verifies occupancy in a primary residence within Broward County.
• Verifies that the primary residence is uninhabitable or inaccessible due to the storm.

Rental Assistance for Temporary Housing
FEMA may be able to provide rent, including a security deposit, if the storm made your primary residence uninhabitable. The assistance may include essential utilities such as electricity and water.
Major Repairs and Out-of-Pocket Expenses
FEMA’s Individuals and Household Program assistance is intended to meet the basic needs of your household, not to restore your home and all your personal property items to a pre-storm condition.

• “Housing Assistance” covers repairs to structural parts of your home. This includes windows, doors, floors, walls, ceilings, cabinets, heating, ventilation and air-conditioning system, utilities (electrical, plumbing and gas systems), and entrance ways. FEMA may also reimburse for repair or replacement of your furnace, well and septic system.
• “Other Needs Assistance” may provide reimbursement to homeowners and renters for such uninsured or underinsured, storm-related expenses as:
  • Medical and dental expenses; funeral and burial costs; repair, cleaning, or replacement of clothing; household furniture and appliances; specialized tools used in your occupation; educational materials and moving, storage and other necessary expenses related to the storm and flooding.
  • Your personally owned, disaster-damaged cars and trucks may also be eligible for repair or replacement by FEMA.
  • FEMA may be able to reimburse applicants who rented or purchased generators for their primary residence during a power disruption caused by the severe storms and flooding.

Apply to FEMA

• To be eligible for FEMA’s Individual and Households Program, you must apply to FEMA. There are three ways to apply: 1)DisasterAssistance.gov, 2) download the FEMA App for mobile devices, 3) call the FEMA Helpline toll-free 800-621-3362. The helpline is available from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. ET. Help is available in most languages. If you use a relay service, such as video relay (VRS), captioned telephone or other service, give FEMA your number for that service.

For the latest information on Florida’s recovery from the severe storms, tornadoes and flooding, visit floridadisaster.org/info and fema.gov/disaster/4709. Follow FEMA on Twitter at FEMA Region 4 (@femaregion4) / Twitter and at facebook.com/fema.

Broward County Residents Can Apply for FEMA Assistance
President Biden issued a major disaster declaration for the State of Florida. Disaster assistance may include financial help with temporary lodging and home repairs, as well as other disaster-related expenses.
Homeowners and renters in Broward County can apply online at DisasterAssistance.gov, use the FEMA mobile app or call 800-621-3362. The helpline is available from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. ET. Help is available in most languages. If you use a relay service, such as video relay (VRS), captioned telephone or other service, give FEMA the number for that service.
When applying, you will need to provide:

• Your current phone number where you can be contacted.
• Your current address and your address at the time of the disaster.
• Your Social Security number.
• A general description of damage and losses caused by the disaster.
• Banking information, if you are eligible for disaster assistance and you’d like to receive funds directly deposited into your bank account.
• If insured, the types of insurance you have, and when available the policy number or the agent and/or the company name.

What to do if you have insurance
If you have homeowners, renters or flood insurance, you should file a claim as soon as possible. While FEMA cannot duplicate benefits for losses covered by insurance, if your policy does not cover all your disaster expenses, you may be eligible for federal assistance.
Document damage and begin cleanup and repairs to prevent further damage. Remember to keep receipts from all purchases related to the cleanup and repair.

FEMA Crews Are in Broward County Neighborhoods
FEMA outreach crews are canvassing communities affected by the April 12-14 severe storms,
tornadoes and flooding in Broward County to help residents apply for FEMA assistance and to answer questions about federal assistance.
The teams, known as Disaster Survivor Assistance crews, are visiting door-to-door to quickly identify survivors’ needs and to assist with registration. The teams can help with:

• Submitting applications for federal assistance.
• Checking application status or making minor changes to the application.
• Providing civil rights and disability integration information to ensure that all survivors have equal access to FEMA assistance.

You may have several disaster assistance representatives visiting your property, such as insurance agents, damage inspectors, FEMA and the U.S. Small Business Administration staff.
FEMA outreach staff wear FEMA attire, always have FEMA photo identification, and never charge for assistance.

How to Apply for Assistance - click here