Detroit walks through application for federal relief after June floods

DETROIT (FOX 2) - The City of Detroit is hoping to get residents the assistance they need through help from the federal government and Mayor Mike Duggan explained some of the intricacies of the process on Wednesday.

The federal relief has been approved for Detroiters who suffered flood damage at the end of June but there are multiple things people should know.

The funds are available for people who had damaged or lost property during the floods on June 25 and 26. Duggan said residents shouldn't have to wait.

"The teams are in Detroit. You will know them, they will have badges, FEMA shirts, they'll identify themselves as FEMA," Duggan said. "You don't have to wait for folks to get to your house. FEMA has set up two disaster recovery centers."

One of those centers is at Golightly Career Technical Center on Jefferson on the east side. The other is at Kemeny Recreation Center in southwest Detroit. Both are open 7 days a week from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Officials say if you've already applied for FEMA funds and been denied, you shouldn't give up. Instead, you may just need to submit more information because of the complicated process. If you're confused, you can go to one of the two locations.

"Don't hesitate to go into one of these centers if you're confused and just sit down and say - let me tell you my situation - can you help me?" Duggan said.

FEMA assistance is available whether you are underinsured or uninsured and is emergency assistance to make your space liveable. In other words, not everything will be covered.

"Basically furnaces, hot water heaters, electrical damage, sewage and mold, those kinds of things will be eligible - for the most part - to make the house liveable," Duggan said.

Other items may be available for reimbursement if they are part of essential living space but what about cars or if you're a renter? First, your landlord should handle clean-up and repair. If that doesn't happen, SBA loans may be an option.

Those are Small Business Administration loans and there will be representatives at the recovery centers.

"There are circumstances in which you apply for an SBA loan, the SBA turns you down, and now because you don't have another source FEMA can give you a grant," said Duggan

That's why officials are urging people to get the application process done now.

"Along with our partners, FEMA is here to help southeast Michiganders but we can't provide that help if individuals don't register first," Scott Burgess from FEMA said.

The information will not be shared with any other agency and representatives urge people not to discount themselves by believing they don't qualify. If you have damage and live in the city, get to the centers and get your issues addressed.

These services are available in the hard-hit suburbs as well - there are five disaster recovery centers and three document drop-off centers in southeast Michigan. Check out disasterassistance.gov for details.