Homeowners affected by Hurricane Ian get more time to apply for federal aid

Homeowners and renters in Palm Beach County who were hit hard by Hurricane Ian will have until Jan. 12, 2023 to apply for federal aid, thanks to a newly extended deadline.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency this week pushed back its deadline to apply for the disaster assistance, which includes financial help to pay for temporary lodging and home repairs, as well as other disaster-related expenses.

Richard Martin, 77, was one of the Kings Point residents whose home was destroyed by the tornado in West Delray. Martin thought he had wind insurance, but when he called his insurance company, he was informed that he did not in fact have the right kind of insurance, and therefore would not receive any money to recoup what he had lost.

Martin said Wednesday that he has filed his paperwork with FEMA and that the agency was reviewing his claim. Martin said he has been in contact with multiple representatives and has been encouraged by the process.

“FEMA’s been pretty good on the follow-up,” Martin said. “They’ve been very accurate and organized. I’ve been speaking to a lot of different people in a lot of different places, as you can imagine, and FEMA is about the most organized, up-to-date and way ahead of everyone else.”

Following the storm, Martin temporarily stayed with the parents of a friend, but is now renting a place and is optimistic FEMA will come through with the relief funds.

If homeowners are covered by insurance, FEMA will not duplicate those benefits. However, if the policy does not cover all the disaster-related expenses, homeowners may be eligible for federal assistance.

While South Florida was largely spared the worst of Hurricane Ian, the storm’s destruction came in the form of seven tornadoes that tore through Palm Beach and Broward counties on Sept. 27.

One of those tornados, which ravaged the senior living community of Kings Point west of Delray Beach, was an EF-2, the National Weather Service confirmed, a strong tornado not commonly seen in South Florida, let alone one of seven. It lifted the roofs off houses and moved cars down the street.

The National Weather Service also designated six as EF-1 or EF-0, or weak tornadoes, including one that destroyed planes at North Perry Airport in Pembroke Pines and another that damaged mobile homes in Davie.

Palm Beach County is one of 26 counties in Florida, and the only one in the tri-county area, eligible for FEMA assistance from Hurricane Ian.

This article is written by Wells Dusenbury from Sun Sentinel and was legally licensed via the Tribune Content Agency through the Industry Dive Content Marketplace. Please direct all licensing questions to [email protected].