On the morning a federal disaster assistance center opened in Juneau for people affected by August’s record flooding from Suicide Basin, a spokesperson at the center said more than $300,000 in relief funds has been provided to about 30 households since President Joe Biden made the federal disaster declaration about two weeks ago.
A total of $604,673 of individual assistance has been approved and $308,833 actually dispersed as of mid-morning Wednesday, said Phil Wernish, an external affairs officer for the Federal Emergency Management Agency, at the newly-opened center inside the Mendenhall Valley Public Library.
“What that means when we say that’s dispersed (is) if folks have electronic funds transfer…they should see that within a couple days,” he said.
The 30 households represent only about one-tenth of the nearly 300 homes damaged by the flooding from the Mendenhall River that peaked Aug. 6. How many households are eligible for assistance — and how much — will depend to some extent on what aid is being received from the state or other entities, since federal aid cannot duplicate those resources.
Signs outside the Mendenhall Valley Library notify people about the Federal Emergency Management Agency disaster recovery center set up inside Wednesday for residents affected by August’s record flooding from Suicide Basin. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
A state disaster declaration issued by Gov. Mike Dunleavy immediately after the flood provides up to $22,000 for damage to residences and $22,000 for belongings inside homes. The federal disaster declaration for Juneau on Oct. 17 doubles the amounts to $44,000 each — but that doesn’t mean applicants will get that much even if they’re eligible for it, due to a shortage of federal disaster-related funds in the wake of other recent major U.S. disasters.
If available individual disaster assistance funds are limited, for instance, then eligible applicants may get less than the maximum authorized amount, according to FEMA. Also, the Small Business Administration has run out of funds to provide low-interest loans to homeowners and businesses to repair property damaged by disasters.
However, both FEMA and SBA officials have emphasized people affected by the Juneau flood — and other federal disasters · should apply for assistance to ensure receiving funds if they are available.
Congress is in recess until Nov. 12, at which point lawmakers are expected to take up the question of providing more funds.
About 15 officials with FEMA and SBA were at the library’s disaster assistance center Wednesday morning. Wernish said a staff member is also expected from the Central Council of the Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska, which was involved in a joint state-tribal request to Biden for federal aid.
Federal Emergency Management Agency officials advice a Juneau couple about flood-related assistance on Wednesday in a FEMA disaster recover center Wednesday at the Mendenhall Valley Public Library. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
The center is scheduled to be open 8:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. daily, but will be closed Nov. 4-6 due to the national election. Wernish said there isn’t a firm duration set for how long the center will remain in Juneau.
“I would assume we’ll be here a few weeks, but we’ll see what the traffic looks like,” he said.
People can also apply for assistance at http://DisasterAssistance.gov, or call (866) 342-1699 between 7 a.m.-4 p.m. weekdays and 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturdays. Specific FEMA details for the Juneau flood are available at https://www.fema.gov/disaster/4836.
• Contact Mark Sabbatini at mark.sabbatini@juneauempire.com or (907) 957-2306.
