FEMA, Housing, Disaster Loans and other Long-Term Recovery Help
There are still opportunities for individuals and business to get assistance with the long-term recovery and rebuild effort through FEMA, the Emergency Home Repairs VI program and soon, through the St. Croix Long-Term Recovery Group.
FEMA
FEMA has extended for 60 days the period in which it will cover 100% of “eligible” costs for debris removal and emergency protective measures in the territory. The deadline to receive public assistance is now May 5 for Hurricane Irma and May 14 for Hurricane Maria.
“The extension comes after certain areas of the USVI sustained damage of sufficient magnitude that special cost-sharing arrangements are warranted,” FEMA stated.
FEMA also will be providing free repair and rebuild consultations, offering information on how to make homes stronger and safer.
- Croix @ Gallows Bay Hardware; March 19-24; Mon.-Fri. 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Sat. 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
- Thomas @ Home Depot; March 19-24; Mon.-Fri. 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Sat. 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
For more information, visit http://www.fema.gov/protect-your-property or call 800-621-3362
Emergency Home Repairs VI
There is another opportunity for free home repairs whether you qualify for FEMA assistance or not. To apply, you simply call or go to their website and then an inspector and contractor determine what repairs qualify and go over the work with you. Work could include roof repair, electrical restoration, plumbing, kitchen repairs, window and door repairs, mold remediation, and more.
For more information, or to apply, go to www.ehrvi.com, call 844-813-9191 or email info@ehrvi.com. Or, visit one of their locations in person: On St. Croix @ Rotary Club West 40 KA-KD Estate LaGrange, Frederiksted; St. Thomas @ Tutu Park Mall, Suite 233, Charlotte Amalie; St. John @ Legislature Annex 1D Estate Cruz Bay.
SBA
There may still be opportunities for individuals and homeowners to receive a SBA Disaster Loan. Even though their application deadline for people needing physical damage loans passed on January 8 – the SBA still will accept late applications. The only caveat there is the application must also have a statement explaining why it was late. Businesses claiming economic losses applying for a loan have until June 20 to submit to the SBA. Unlike the other options, the SBA loan also considers your credit history and must be paid back.
For more information, go to disasterloan.sba.gov or call 800-659-2955.
Long-Term Recovery Group
We also will keep you updated on efforts by the St. Croix Long-Term Recovery Group, which has an Unmet Needs Committee. We plan on working with this committee and committing funds to allocate to the community still in need of support following Hurricanes Irma and Maria. The group is a coalition of non-profit organizations and recovery groups, like Lutheran Social Services and St. Croix Foundation, working to ensure efforts are in sync and all needs are being addressed.
Cane Bay Cares is a service initiative of St. Croix-based Cane Bay Partners VI, LLLP. Cane Bay Cares was established after three strong hurricanes, including two Category 5 storms, Irma and Maria, caused much damage to St. Croix during September 2017. The initiative has a goal of providing relief to the citizens of St. Croix. To make this possible, we have partnered with St. Croix Foundation, which is a 501c3 nonprofit that was established in 1990. All donations to Cane Bay Cares are donations to St. Croix Foundation and are 100% tax deductible.
Cane Bay Partners VI, LLLP was formed in June 2009 and founded by internationally experienced business executives with many years of experience in the financial services industry. Focusing our efforts primarily in the financial services industry, our management consulting practice specializes in providing services to clients in need of sophisticated risk management models, debt collections organizations which require liquidation models and analytics, and portfolio management companies desiring a variety of services.
Since 1990, St. Croix Foundation for Community Development has been advancing holistic community development as a pathway to economic prosperity, self-sufficiency, and sustainability. Established in the wake of Hurricane Hugo, today the Foundation is one of the premier place-based philanthropic leaders in the Virgin Islands. Having served as the conduit of over $37 million private and public sector dollars invested into the U.S. Virgin Islands, the Foundation’s impact has netted national recognition in almost every priority area – from economic development and community revitalization to public health, education reform, and nonprofit development. Our mission is to encourage greater philanthropic activity, to marshal resources, and to act as a catalyst to benefit the people of the Virgin Islands.