Impacted by December storms? There’s still time to apply for recovery assistance

CHELAN COUNTY — Assistance is still available for business owners, nonprofit organizations, and residents who suffered damages from the severe December storms that brought straight-line winds, flooding, landslides and mudslides to Washington state.

Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Assistance

Chelan County residents have until June 10 to apply for FEMA assistance, which can help with disaster-related costs not covered by insurance. It can help pay for temporary housing, displacement, home repair costs, personal property loss and other disaster-caused expenses. In limited circumstances, FEMA can also support child care, medical, lodging, moving, and funeral expenses that are directly related to the disaster.

“Applying is free. When in doubt, register. FEMA assistance may help you with losses not covered by insurance and other disaster-related expenses you might not even think of,” said FEMA Region 10 spokesperson Anna Gonzalez.

Assistance is available to Chelan County residents who cannot meet their disaster-caused needs with insurance or other forms of disaster assistance, and whose identity as a U.S. citizen, non-citizen national, or qualified non-citizen can be verified by FEMA. It is not income based. 

FEMA assistance takes the form of grants, meaning residents do not have to repay FEMA. Applicants also do not have to pay for home inspections needed for assistance verification, said Gonzalez.

If someone has already applied with the state, they must also apply with FEMA to be considered for federal assistance. Insurance claims should also be filed before applying.

Residents can apply for assistance online at disasterassistance.gov or through the FEMA App. The FEMA Helpline is also available to apply for assistance or check application status: 800-621-3362.

“After registering with FEMA, you can expect to be contacted within 7-10 days by a FEMA inspector who will assess the damage to your home and property,” said Gonzalez.

According to Gonzalez, 50 valid registrations have been completed in Chelan County as of May 27. So far, 27 households in the county have received $262,841 in grants. Across the state, more than $7.5 million in grants have been approved for 836 households, added Gonzalez.

As of late May, most of FEMA funding for Chelan County — approximately $160,000 — has gone to home repairs. Almost $100,000 has gone to FEMA’s “other needs assistance,” which helps with costs related to repairing and replacing personal property, medical needs, childcare, vehicle repair and replacement, and moving and storing personal property. 

FEMA will continue to process pending applications and consider appeals following the June 10 deadline. Applicants can submit additional documentation or make changes to their application after the deadline. If an individual can demonstrate that circumstances prevented them from applying by the deadline, FEMA encourages them to submit an application for review.

U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) Low-Interest Loans

FEMA partners with other agencies that can help disaster survivors continue their recovery after a disaster, such as the SBA, which offers physical damage loans and Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL).

Businesses and nonprofits impacted by physical damages may borrow up to $2 million to repair or replace disaster-damaged or destroyed real estate, machinery and equipment, inventory, and other business assets with a physical disaster loan. 

Those who did not suffer from physical damage, but have capital needs due to the disaster, can apply for SBA’s EIDL program. This loan may be used to pay fixed debts, payroll, accounts payable, and other bills which could not be paid due to the disaster.

A business may qualify for both an EIDL and a physical disaster loan, in which case the maximum combined loan amount is $2 million.

However, SBA disaster assistance loans are not limited to business owners and nonprofits; physical damage loans are also available to both renters and homeowners. In fact, 70 percent of loans distributed in Washington State have been to homeowners, said SBA Office of Disaster Recovery and Resilience Public Affairs Specialist Todd Broadman.

“‘Business’ is our middle name, and so people do misunderstand or misconstrue that we only address business needs, and that's not the case,” said Broadman.

Both renters and homeowners are eligible to apply for home and personal property loans and may borrow up to $100,000 to replace or repair personal property, such as clothing, furniture, cars and appliances. Homeowners may apply for up to $500,000 to replace or repair their primary residence.

The program also allows a loan increase of up to 20 percent of verified physical damage for mitigation efforts, such as insulating pipes, walls and attics, weather stripping doors and windows, and installing storm windows to help protect property and occupants from future disasters.

For all loans, interest does not begin to accrue and payments are not due until 12 months from the date of the first loan disbursement, according to the SBA. There are no application or closing cost fees, Broadman added. Interest rates can be as low as 4 percent for businesses, 3.625 percent for private nonprofit organizations and 2.875 percent for homeowners and renters, with terms up to 30 years. 

“There's really no financial cost to apply. There is their time, that's all,” said Broadman. “I encourage them to apply, so at least there's a plan B that they have in their back pocket that they can use as a financial resource, should they need it.”

According to Broadman, applicants should receive a reply about two weeks after their submission. If they are approved, they will have 60-days to accept the offer and have the ability to negotiate the full amount down. If they decline, the system will save their information for six months, enabling them to reactivate their application should they change their mind.

According to Broadman, about 33 applications have come in from Chelan County thus far, with about $1.5 million in total value offered. The office has received about 440 applications statewide, with $13 million offered.

The deadline for businesses, nonprofits, homeowners and renters to apply for SBA’s physical damage loan assistance is June 6. For businesses and nonprofits interested in the EIDL program, the deadline is Jan. 7, 2027. While residents shouldn’t wait to apply, the deadline is often extended by 60 days, said Broadman.

Those eligible can apply online at sba.gov/disaster. Information and assistance is also available by calling SBA’s Customer Service Center at (800) 659-2955 or emailing disastercustomerservice@sba.gov. People who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability can dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunications relay services.

Taylor Caldwell: 509-433-7276 or taylor@ward.media