Mono County residents may apply for relief after winter storms

MONO COUNTY, California (KOLO) - Residents of Mono County are encouraged to apply for financial assistance after winter storms lashed the area.

FEMA amended a notice for a Major Disaster Declaration on May 2 to include Mono County and the town of Mammoth Lakes. Individuals, families, or business owners in Mono County impacted by the storms may now be eligible for financial assistance to support recovery and rebuilding.

“We encourage residents and business owners who have experienced damage from the recent storms to visit the Disaster Resource Centers and meet with FEMA and county representatives to determine whether or not they are eligible for assistance,” said Chris Mokracek, Director of the Office of Emergency Management.

FEMA provides financial assistance and direct services to eligible individuals affected by a disaster who are either uninsured or underinsured. They do say, however, that this disaster assistance is not a substitute for insurance and cannot compensate for all the losses caused by a disaster.

Federal disaster assistance may include:

• Temporary emergency housing or money for home repairs of primary residences.

• Help with medical, dental, personal property, transportation, and disaster-related moving-and-storage expenses.

• Long-term, low-interest disaster loans through the U.S. Small Business Administration.

These general conditions must be met for an applicant to be eligible to receive assistance:

• The applicant must be a U.S. citizen, non-citizen national, or qualified non-citizen.

• FEMA must be able to verify the applicant’s identity.

• The applicant’s insurance, or other forms of disaster assistance received, cannot meet their disaster-caused needs.

• The applicant’s necessary expenses and serious needs are directly caused by a declared disaster.

Disaster Resource Centers in Bridgeport and Mammoth Lakes have been established to help residents with the application process. The address for the Bridgeport location is the Bridgeport Memorial Hall at 73 North School Street. The address for the Mammoth Lakes location is the Mono County Civic Center located at 1290 Tavern Road.

You can also apply for assistance here: Home | disasterassistance.gov