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In
order to make this HandBook easy to use, we have organized it
so that general information about broad topics of interest, such
as how to obtain replacement housing or replacement clothing,
how to rebuild damaged property, and unemployment, is addressed
first, with specific information about processes and procedures
for seeking federal, state, county, or local governmental assistance,
as well as seeking coverage under your insurance policy, addressed
second. By doing so, we have attempted to minimize the duplication
of information in the HandBook while still giving you an expansive
overview of the services available to help you in the recovery
process.
In
addition, we have provided guidance on narrower topics that may
not affect all victims of the wildfires, such as dealing with
existing loan or credit obligations, tax implications of the wildfires,
the impact of the wildfires on immigration status, and document
and record replacement. These topics are addressed towards the
back of the HandBook.
Finally,
the last few chapters simply are intended to list all of the different
resources available to victims of the wildfires, so that you may
more easily contact those agencies or entities that might serve
you best.
One
thing to keep in mind while reading the HandBook and throughout
your efforts to obtain assistance: Federal regulations mandate
that agencies providing disaster relief service not provide duplicate
services. Therefore, the federal government has established the
following hierarchy of aid to persons affected by a disaster:
- Volunteer
agencies’ emergency assistance;
- Private
insurance;
- Federal
Emergency Management Agency (“FEMA”) housing assistance
loans/grants for individuals through its Disaster Housing Assistance
programs;
- Small
Business Administration (“SBA”) and Farmers Service
Agency disaster loans;
- FEMA
other needs assistance;
- Volunteer
agencies’ “additional assistance” programs;
and
- The
Cora Brown Fund.
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