Individual & Households Program

(Recovery) Individual’s And Households Program (IHP)
 

When disasters take place, the individuals and Households Program (IHP) provides money and services to people in the disaster area when losses are not covered by insurance and property has been damaged and destroyed.

 

Limitations:

IHP will not cover all your losses from damage to your property (home, personal property, household goods) that resulted from the disaster. IHP is not intended to restore your damaged property to its condition before the disaster. In some cases, IHP may only provide enough money, up to the program limits, for you to return an item to service. IHP does not cover business related losses that resulted from the disaster. By law, IHP cannot provide money to you for losses that are covered by your insurance. While some money is available through IHP, most disaster aid from the Federal government is in the form of loans from the Small Business Administration (SBA) that must be repaid. Applicants to IHP may be required to seek help from SBA first, before being considered for certain types of IHP assistance.

 

Types of Assistance: The following list shows the types of assistance that are available through IHP and what each provides.
 

• Temporary Housing — (a place to live for a limited period of time): Money is available to rent a different place to live, or a government provided housing unit when rental properties are not available.
• Repair — Money is available to homeowners to repair damage from the disaster that is not covered by insurance. The goal is to make the damaged home safe, sanitary, and functional.
• Replacement — Money is available to homeowners to replace their home destroyed in the disaster that is not covered by insurance. The goal is to help the homeowner with the cost of replacing their destroyed home.
• Permanent Housing Construction — Direct assistance or money for the construction of a home. This type of help occurs only in insular areas or remote locations specified by FEMA, where no other type of housing assistance is possible.
• Other Needs — Money is available for necessary expenses and serious needs caused by the disaster. This includes medical, dental, funeral, personal property, transportation, moving and storage, and other expenses that are authorized by law.

 

Disaster Assistance Process: To be used by people in a Presidential declared disaster areas:
 

• Apply online by visiting www.fema.gov and clicking on the "Online Individual Assistance Center" or by phone by calling 1–800–621–FEMA (3362) (hearing/speech impaired ONLY — call 1-800-462-7585). In addition to having pen and paper, have the following information ready to give to the person who takes your call:When you apply over the phone, the information you provide is put into the computer and an application is generated. As this point you will be provided a FEMA application number. If you have questions AFTER you have applied for assistance or if the information you provided has changed, call the FEMA Helpline at 1-800-621-FEMA (3362) (hearing/speech impaired ONLY ? call 1-800-462-7585. When you call, have your application number ready. This number will be given to you when you apply and will be on all mail sent to you from IHP.
  • Your Social Security Number
  • A description of your losses that were caused by the disaster
  • Insurance Information
  • Directions to your damaged property
  • A telephone number where you can be contacted

• Within about 10 days after you have applied for help, if an inspection is required to process your application, an inspector will contact you to make an appointment to visit your property. The inspector will contact you within 10 days of your application. There is no fee for the inspection. You must be present for your scheduled appointment. You must have proof of ownership and occupancy to show the inspector.
  • Proof of ownership (your deed, tax records, mortgage payment book, or a copy of your dwellings insurance policy for the address, showing you as the owner.
  • Proof of occupancy (your driver’s license address, any first-class government mail sent to you within the last 3 months at that address, or recent utility bills in your name at that address.
    The inspector will ask you to sign a form authorizing FEMA to verify that the information you have given is correct. Inspectors file your report but do not determine your eligibility.

• Within about 10 days of the inspector’s visit, you will receive a letter from IHP informing you of the decision on your request for help.
  • If you are eligible for help, the letter will be followed by a U.S. Treasury/State check or there will be a transfer of cash to your bank account. The letter will explain what the money can be used for. You should use the money given to you as explained in the letter.
  • If you are not eligible for help, the letter will give you the reason for the decision. You will be informed of your appeal rights in the letter from FEMA.
  • If you were referred to the Small Business Administration (SBA) for help from the SBA Disaster Assistance Program, you will receive a SBA application.

 

Eligibility — To receive money or help for Housing Needs that are the result of a disaster, all of the following must be true:
 

• You have losses in an area that has been declared a disaster area by the President.
• You have filed for insurance benefits and the damaged to your property is not covered by your insurance. You may be eligible for help from IHP to repair damage to your property.
• You or someone who lives with you is a citizen of the United States, a non-citizen national, or a qualified alien.
• Your home is in an area that has been declared a disaster by the President.
• The home in the disaster area is where you usually live and where yiou were living at the time of the disaster.
• You are not able to live in your home now, you cannot get to your hone due to the disaster, or your home requires repairs because of damage from the disaster.

 

To receive money for Other than Housing Needs that are the result of a disaster, all of the following must be true:
 

• You have losses in an area that has been declared a disaster area by the President.
• You have filed for insurance benefits and the damage to your property is not covered by your insurance. You may be eligible for help from IHP to repair damage to your property.
• You or someone who lives with you is a citizen of the United States, a non-citizen national, or a qualified alien.
• You have necessary expenses or serious needs because of the disaster.
• You have accepted assistance from all other sources for which you are eligible, such as insurance proceeds or SBA loans.

 

You may not be eligible for money or help from IHP if:
 

• You have other, adequate rent-free housing that you can use (for example, rental property that is not occupied).
• Your home that was damaged is your secondary or vacation residence.
• Your expenses resulted only from leaving your home as a precaution and you were able to return to your home immediately after the incident.
• You have refused assistance from your insurance provider.
• Your only losses is business losses (including farm business other than the farmhouse and self-employment) or items not covered by this program.
• The damaged home where you live is located in a designated flood hazard area and your community is not participating in the National Flood Insurance Program. In this case, the flood damage to your home would not be covered, but you may qualify for rental assistance or items not covered by flood insurance, such as water wells, septic systems, medical, dental, or funeral expenses.

 

Types of Eligible Losses:
 

IHP only covers repair or replacement of items that are damaged as a direct result of the disaster that are not covered by insurance. Repairs or rebuilding may not improve your home above its pre-disaster condition unless such improvements are required by building codes. Housing needs: Money to repair your home is limited to making your home safe and sanitary so you can live there. IHP will not pay to return your home to its condition before the disaster. You may use your money provided for housing needs to repair:

• Structural parts of your home (foundation, outside walls, roof).
• Windows, doors, floors, walls, ceilings, cabinetry.
• Septic or sewage system.
• Well or other water system.
• Heating, ventilating, and air conditioning system
• Utilities (electrical, plumbing, and gas systems).
• Entrance and exit ways from your home, including privately owned access roads.
• Blocking, leveling, and anchoring of a mobile home and reconnecting or resetting its sewer, water, electrical and fuel lines, and tanks

 

Other than Housing Needs:
 

Money to repair damaged personal property, or to pay for disaster-related necessary expenses and serious needs is limited to items or services that help prevent or overcome a disaster-related hardship, injury, or adverse condition. IHP will not pay to return or replace your personal property to its condition before the disaster. You may use your money provided for other than housing needs to repair or pay for:

• Disaster related medical and dental costs.
• Disaster related funeral and burial costs.
• Clothing; household items (room furnishings, appliances); tools (specialized or protective clothing and equipment) required for your job; necessary educational materials (computers, school books, supplies).
• Fuels for primary heat source (heating oil, gas, firewood).
• Clean-up items (wet/dry vacuum, air purifier, dehumidifier).
• Disaster damaged vehicle.
• Moving and storage expenses related to the disaster (moving and storing property to avoid additional disaster damage while disaster-related repairs are being made to the home).
• Other necessary expenses or serious needs as determined by FEMA.

Money received from IHP for Housing and Other than Housing Needs must be used for eligible expenses only, as identified by FEMA.
 

• If you do not use the money as explained by FEMA, you may not be eligible for any additional help and may have to give the money back.
• Is usually limited to up to 18 months from the date the President declares the disaster.
• Does not have to be repaid.
• Is tax-free.

IF YOU SUSPECT SOMEONE IS FILING FALSE DAMAGE CLAIMS,
CALL THE FEMA FRAUD HOTLINE AT: 1-800-323-8603
IT IS A VIOLATION OF FEDERAL LAW TO FILE A FALSE CLAIM.

For more information on this program please contact:

Arlene Finona
Public Assistance Officer
arlene.finona@ghs.guam.gov