WHER Chat: National Preparedness Month 2019

SBA_Assistance

This September marks National Preparedness Month, dedicated to reminding Americans about the importance of being prepared in case of a natural disaster, while providing the tools so that they can protect their homes, businesses and communities throughout the year.  The U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) are joining efforts for National Preparedness Month with a focus on the theme “Prepared, Not Scared.”

Continue reading

Deadliest Fires in California 2018: Resources for Financial Recovery

Deadliest Fires

After dealing with numerous deadly fires earlier this year, California is currently dealing with three major wildfires, including the Camp Fire in Butte County, the Woosley Fire in Los Angeles County and the Hill Fire in Ventura County. California Governor-elect Gavin Newsom recently issued emergency proclamations in response to the wildfires and requested statewide FEMA Emergency Declaration. While Cal Fire firefighters still work hard to contain these fires and affected homeowners plan their next steps, it is important to know about the available resources for financial and physical damage recovery.

While we still await updates, these California fires are being named the deadliest in the state’s history. At time of writing, the number of deaths from the Camp Fire in Northern California has risen to 63 while over 600 people remain missing. According to recent updates by Cal Fire, the Camp Fire has burned approximately 142,000 acres, causing over 40,000 residents to abandon their homes and find safety. The Woosley Fire has burned more than 98,000 acres and numerous homes, and the Hill Fire in Ventura County has burned over 4,000 acres, including RVs and outbuildings. While the Hill Fire is fully contained, the Camp Fire is 45 percent contained and the Woolsey Fire is 69 percent contained.
Continue reading

Hurricane Florence: Prepare for Today and Tomorrow with Access to Capital and Resources

Resources for local, county, state and federal programs, including loans for up to $2 million with no application or processing fees and no payment for the first year, to help rebuild your personal and professional life.

North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia have declared states of emergency as they prepare for Hurricane Florence, a Category 4 Hurricane that is set to strike this week. According to CoreLogic, the effects of this natural disaster could damage over 700,000 homes, which could cost around $170.2 billion for reconstruction.

Continue reading

September 2018: National Preparedness Month

DisasterHappensUSE

This September marks National Preparedness Month, dedicated to reminding Americans about the importance of being prepared in case of a natural disaster, while providing the tools so that they can protect their homes, businesses and communities throughout the year.  The U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) are joining efforts for National Preparedness Month with a focus on the theme “Disasters Happen. Prepare Now. Learn How.

Continue reading

Resources for Northeast Flash Flood Victims

FloodBlog

While the West Coast deals with deadly wildfires, the East Coast has been experiencing life-threatening floods over the past few weeks. From upstate New York to the Mid-Atlantic, the North East has endured heavy rainfall and flash flooding. USA Today reports that around 30 million people have been affected by continual flood watches.

Continue reading

2018 California Fires: Resources for Safety Preparedness and Financial Recovery

Linkedin Blog Size_FireCali

California has dealt with an onslaught of fires in the past few weeks. The Mendocino Complex Fire, Carr Fire, Ferguson Fire and Holy Fire are some of the largest that have been ravaging the state from North to South. While Cal Fire firefighters still work hard to contain these fires and affected homeowners plan their next steps, it is important to know about the available resources for financial and physical damage recovery.

Continue reading

2018 NAWRB Conference Live Updates: Building Infrastructure, Maintaining Agriculture & Disaster Recovery

10_conference2018

The second to last panel to grace our stage was the Building Infrastructure, Maintaining Agriculture & Disaster Recovery Panel, featuring Michelle Corridon, Deputy Director, USDA Rural Development; Noemi Lujan-Perez, VP of Government and Media Relations, EcoDiversity; James K. Joseph, Regional Administrator, FEMA Region V; Sharron P.A.  Levine, Director of the Office of Minority and Women Inclusion, Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA); and Desiree Patno, CEO & President, NAWRB. These professionals shared how their agencies respond to natural disasters and provide financial assistance to affected homeowners and business owners, while also letting attendees know about contracting opportunities and how they can be involved in developing trends in infrastructure.

Continue reading

SBA Disaster Loans for Hawaii Residents & Small Businesses—Deadline Fast Approaching

Kauai

The state of Hawaii and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) are operating a U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) Disaster Recovery Center, opened on June 29th, to offer assistance to Kauai and Oahu residents that were affected by the flooding, mudslides and landslides that took place this April. FEMA has approved approximately $281,000 in individual assistance grant funding. Deadline to apply for individual physical damage assistance is August 27th, 2018, while impacted small businesses can apply until March 27, 2019.

Continue reading

Renters and Homeowners Eligible for SBA Disaster Loans

From the hurricanes that hit Texas, Florida and Puerto Rico, to the wildfires and mudslides that devastated parts of California, the past year has been fraught with catastrophic natural disasters which have uprooted countless Americans from their stable lives. All victims of declared natural disasters—businesses, private nonprofits, homeowners and renters—are able to apply for low-interest disaster loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) to help them recover. Renters and homeowners do not have to own a business to apply.

Continue reading