FEMA Deadline Looms – Centers Close

Three disaster recovery centers will close Saturday, April 20, and transition into Small Business Administration Disaster Loan Outreach Centers on Monday, April 22.

The disaster recovery centers transitioning are the center at the Henry Hudson Trail Activity Center in Leonardo, the center at the Little Egg Harbor Senior Center in Little Egg Harbor Township and the center at the Ocean County Southern Resource Center in Manahawkin.

State and federal officials have been paying close attention to how many applicants are visiting disaster recovery centers throughout the state. Over the past weeks, the number of individuals seeking help at the Leonardo, Little Egg Harbor and Manahawkin centers has dropped, indicating the information needs of survivors in the area have mostly been met.

SBA representatives at the Disaster Loan Outreach Center will provide homeowners, renters, business owners and nonprofit organizations with face-to-face service in answering questions about SBA's low-interest disaster loan programs, completing loan applications, checking the status of applications and closing on SBA loans.

The SBA outreach centers will be open 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Friday, and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Saturday.

The remaining disaster recovery centers in Ocean County are:

Brick Township Civic Center

270 Chambers Bridge Road

Brick, NJ 08723

Bell Crest Plaza Store Front 4C

953 Fischer Blvd.

Toms River, NJ 08753

Other disaster recovery centers are located throughout New Jersey and can be found online by going to FEMA.gov/DRC. Registration for FEMA assistance ends May 1, 2013.

FEMA staff is available at all the centers to provide clarification to FEMA letters, assist survivors with finding a temporary home if their primary residence was damaged or destroyed, check on the status of their application for assistance or refer survivors to other agencies that may provide additional help.

Also, survivors can consult with Small Business Administration customer service representatives about low-interest disaster loans to repair or rebuild their home and FEMA mitigation specialists about cost-effective rebuilding and repair techniques to reduce property damage in future disasters.

Individuals can register for assistance and follow up on their applications online at DisasterAssistance.gov, or by using a smartphone or tablet at m.FEMA.gov.

By phone or 711/VRS, call 800-621-FEMA (3362) or TTY 800-462-7585.

For more information about the SBA, call the SBA Customer Service Center from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. (EDT) Monday through Friday, at 1-800-659-2955. Survivors may apply online at http://disasterloan.sba.gov/ela/. Applicants also may visit the SBA Web site at www.sba.gov/services/disasterassistance or email disastercustomerservice@sba.gov.