FEMA

[Aimee]

I just want let you all know....if you think you may qualify for FEMA,
even if you think you don't, you should apply online as soon as
possible. I applied right away, and I just received direct deposit
from them. So, you will actually get money if you qualify. Calling
your congressman about it might help too.

[ljfo...@juno.com]

Perhaps you can shed some light on this....I, too, thought students who
were evacuated should be eligible for FEMA funds. I tried to do it
online, but it wouldn't accept '0' for gross income. I tried calling,
but of course I couldn't get through. If a student doesn't have any
income, then what do you think one should put under gross income ?
Any help would be appreciated....thanks

[Amanda Burnette]

FEMA put 2000$ in my bank account, too.

[Aimee]

I counted my loan money as income...since it pays for my expenses
during the year.

[Michele]

How long ago did you guys apply to FEMA? I applied a while ago a was
pretty much denied any help. I'm wondering what you did differently.

[Katherine Pettit]

I put $1 in for gross income and got completely rejected for any
assistance.

[Amanda Burnette]

I applied to FEMA around 3 AM Tuesday morning, right after I found out
my house flooded!

I don't even remember filling in anything for gross income, since I
don't have one.. I definetely marked that I had flood damage to my
personal belongings.

I know this isn't much help, but I'm trying to remember exactly what I
filled out.. The FEMA grants seem to be completely random.

[Aimee]

Well, i did live in lakeview....and my house was pretty much destroyed.
But I don't know if that makes a difference, since it doesnt really
matter whether our stuff is ok, you need money anyway. I just got a
copy back of my application, if you have questions, i can tell you what
i put down.

[Beth Tgood]

Your personal belongings don't have to have been destroyed to get FEMA
benefits. It's enough that you were "displaced." I marked UNKNOWN for
destruction of property and still got the Rental Assistance benefit.

[vgulley]

How much money did you put down if you included your loan money?

[vgulley]

Also for those who included loan money for their gross income, did you
select no for employer?

[Aimee]

I put 15000 as my gross income (the amount we received, after tuition),
and I put down Tulane Law Student as my Employer/Source of Income. I
also put that i claimed 1 dependent, myself.

[Mary]

Hi. I was told I could not receive aid. I said that my income was not
available (which put a $0 in income), that I did not need immediate
food, clothing or shelter (the definition of that was that you needed
it immediately, right now, today - and I'm staying with family with
clothes on my back, so I didn't feel like that applied), and that the
damage to my house and belongings was unknown - because it is. It said
I could make changes to my application. What did those of you who
recieved the money put differently?

Thanks!

[romenke]

I did it online. I put decline to state for income when it wouldn't
take zero. I put need clothing, I think, not anything else. and I put
unknown for property damage and no access. I got a check in the mail
pretty fast.

[Katherine Pettit]

FEMA changed their mind and sent me a $2,000 check. Sweet.

[Lauren Dana]

For those of you who got money, is Louisiana your permanent residence?
I still have VA residency, and last night when I was finally able to
get onto fema.gov, it wouldn't work. Kept telling me it couldn't
identify me. I'm just wondering if that might be 'cause my apartment
in N.O. isn't my permanent legal address.

[JLC]

I was having the same problem online so I just called them and did it
over the phone. I don't know what the problem was.

[Lauren Dana]

Nevermind - must have been a computer glitch. Managed to get back on
Thursday, and got money posted to my account yesterday.

[Michele]

Question....Is this money (I finally got a check) ours to keep or do we
need to keep receipts, records, etc. The FEMA manual made me think we
needed to keep records, but I've heard the opposite from others.

[Back to Gainesville]

The FEMA website said I was denied,for reasons I couldn't quite figure
out, but a check came anyway. Seems that the website is a little
behind on the policy of $2k to everyone, but once you apply you should
get the money quickly anyway. What is the story with rental
assistance? Thanks!

[Joe]

Yeah, the FEMA website said I was denied too. Who knows why. Anyway,
I got a $2,000 check in the mail. So if anyone hasn't applied at
fema.gov, just go ahead and do it.

[Claire Adams]

I applied for FEMA through the website, and got my money. Then I got a
letter in the mail telling me I had been denied assistance (well after
the money had been direct deposited). I then recieved another letter
today telling me that I had been approved. The system seems to be a
little screwy, but you will probably get your money.