Financial Assistance for Storm-Damaged Homes in Butte County Announced by FEMA
MAGALIA, California — The Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) mobile assistance center is making rounds in Butte County, California, aiming to facilitate homeowners impacted by this year’s winter storms in applying for financial aid.
A queue of homeowners ready to file their applications formed immediately as the FEMA trailer stationed in the county opened its doors. Joshua Jimerfield, Deputy Administrative Officer at the Butte County Office of Emergency Management, informed that FEMA has set aside a specified financial aid amount for each eligible homeowner.
“Usually, the financial assistance amounts to roughly $35,000 to $45,000 per individual household. This year, it is anticipated to hover around $41,000, though we are still awaiting confirmation of this figure from FEMA,” Jimerfield elaborated.
According to Jimerfield, financial aid isn’t solely aimed at property damages. It can also help cover expenses not typically insured, such as temporary lodging in a hotel due to home displacement or loss of income due to the storm. Nonetheless, most residents of Magalia, where the FEMA trailer is currently stationed, revealed to Action News Now that they were primarily applying due to property damages.
Edward Gonzales, a local resident, expressed gratitude for the initiative. “It’s generous of FEMA to assist us in covering costs like fencing, which can be expensive. I’ve already had to replace three fences,” Gonzales shared. He and his family had been snowbound in their house for a fortnight, with the snow causing significant damage to their property.
Another resident, Karen Williams, recounted, “We have a metal garage that incurred damages. We managed to prevent it from collapsing, but since we saved it, our insurance doesn’t cover the damages.” Williams’ house and garage were both affected by the storms, with her insurance covering only the damages to her house.
Jimerfield explained that after an application is submitted, the case processing will take some time. If a homeowner’s request for assistance is denied, there is an option to appeal the decision. Despite this, residents told Action News Now they were appreciative of the assistance being provided.
The mobile assistance center will be available again in Magalia on June 5th, from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Following this, the center will be stationed at the Lakeside Market in Oroville from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. on the subsequent day, before heading to the Forest Ranch Community Charter School over the weekend, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. both Saturday and Sunday.
Homeowners who cannot visit these locations can still access information and apply for the program online through FEMA’s website.
