A denial is not the last word, according to FEMA. “People see that first paragraph, throw it away and think that’s the end,” says FEMA spokeswoman Renee Bafalis.
SARASOTA, Fla. – Applicants who receive a denial letter after applying for Hurricane Ian relief from the Federal Emergency Management Agency should not take that as the government’s final answer. Instead, officials say, that’s a signal to start an appeal process.
“People see that first paragraph in that letter, and they just throw it away and think that’s the end of the road,” FEMA spokeswoman Renee Bafalis said Wednesday. “But we want you to know that’s the first step in the process and we want you to appeal until you’re satisfied.”
There are a variety of reasons a first application for aid may be denied, though chief among them is that an adjuster with a property owner’s insurance company hasn’t finished providing an assessment on what the policy will cover.
“If indeed we are able to assist you, you should know that we can’t duplicate what your insurance would cover,” Bafalis added.
After that, the application may not be complete, have incorrect address information or a transposed digit in something key like a Social Security number.
Bafalis did note that while thousands of people had received initial $700 payments through the Critical Needs Assistance Program – either via check or direct-deposit – about 400 individuals had received notice that they would get paid without receiving funds, or had money initially deposited and then withdrawn.
In those cases, the holdup is missing or incorrect information, Bafalis said.
“FEMA is reaching back out to those folks to try to resolve the issue,” she added.
While FEMA urges people to call 1-800-621-3362 or take advantage of the agency’s app or the disasterassistance.gov website to register for assistance and appeal decisions, one of the best ways to find out why your application has been denied and what’s needed to make it complete is to stop by a nearby Disaster Recovery Center.
FEMA Disaster Recovery Centers are located in Southwest Florida at: