Assistance for Individuals

 

The Iowa IA Program provides up to $5,000 in reimbursements for damage incurred for families whose income is at or below twice the federal poverty level (or, a maximum annual income of $40,320 for a family of three*).

 

Grants are available for home or car repairs, replacement of clothing or food, and for the expense of temporary housing. Original receipts are required for those seeking reimbursement for actual expenses related to storm recovery. The program is administered by the Iowa Department of Human Services (IDHS). When the program is activated, information and application instructions are available on the IDHS website. Potential applicants have 45 days from the date of the disaster proclamation to submit a claim.

 

If a Presidential Disaster Declaration for Individual Assistance is issued for the same event, the state program is automatically canceled as the federal program then goes into effect.

 

At this time, Iowa Individual Assistance is not available.

 

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*2016 guidelines

 

 

Federal Individual Assistance is made available to homeowners, renters and businesses and can include grants to help pay for temporary housing, home repairs and other disaster-related expenses not covered by insurance or other aid programs. Individuals may also be eligible for other needs assistance including medical and dental expenses and replacement of essential personal property such as furniture, clothing and some appliances. Low-interest disaster loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) may also be available to cover residential and business losses not fully compensated by insurance. Grants do not have to be repaid, but loans from the SBA must be repaid.

 

Factors considered when the State makes an application for federal Individual Assistance

Under the Stafford Act, the following factors are considered when measuring the severity, magnitude and impact of a disaster and to evaluate the need for assistance to individuals:

1. Concentration of damage.
   
2. Trauma.
   
3. Special populations.
   
4. Voluntary agency assistance.
   
5. Insurance.
   
6. Average amount of individual assistance by State. There is no set threshold for recommending Individual Assistance, but the following averages may prove useful to States and voluntary agencies as they develop plans and programs to meet the needs of disaster victims.
   

Average Amount of Individual Assistance per Disaster for Medium States (Population of 2-10 million) from July 1994 to 1999*
Average Population (1990 census data)	4,713,548
Number of Disaster Housing Applications Approved	2,747
Number of Homes Estimated with Major Damage or Destroyed	582
Dollar Amount of Housing Assistance	$4.6 million
Number of Individual and Family Grant Applications Approved	1,377
Dollar Amount of Individual and Family Grant Assistance	$2.9 million
Disaster Housing/IFG Combined Assistance	$7.5 million

 

Click here for a PDF of this portion of the Code of Federal Regulations.

 

At this time, there are no counties where the federal Individual Assistance program is currently available.

 

 

*From the Code of Federal Regulations, Title 44, Chapter 1, Subchapter D, Part 206 (206.48), 10-1-10 edition. The three high and three low disasters, based on Disaster Housing Applications, are not considered in the averages. Number of Damaged/Destroyed Homes is estimated based on the number of owner-occupants who qualify for Eligible Emergency Rental Resources. Data source is FEMA's National Processing Service Centers. Data are only available from July 1994 to the present. Medium Size States (2-10 million population, listed in order of 1990 population): Arkansas, Kansas, Mississippi, Iowa, Oregon, Oklahoma, Connecticut, Colorado, South Carolina, Arizona, Kentucky, Alabama, Louisiana, Minnesota, Maryland, Washington, Tennessee, Wisconsin, Missouri, Indiana, Massachusetts, Virginia, Georgia, North Carolina, New Jersey, Michigan. Puerto Rico.

 

 

Project Recovery Iowa helps Iowans impacted by natural disasters. Services are provided by mental health professionals in your area. Visit the Project Recovery Iowa website for more information.

 

Iowa Disaster Behavioral Response Team (DBHRT) are trained volunteers who can mobilize resources to provide post-disaster mental health services statewide. The goal of Iowa DBHRT is to provide an organized response to individual victims, family members, volunteers, responders, survivors, or the community affected by critical incidents or disasters. Local authorities may request Iowa DBHRT assistance to meet the behavioral health needs of communities in crisis by contacting the HSEMD duty officer at any time by phone at (515) 725-3231 or email.

 

Visit the DBHRT website.

 

 

 

Disaster Unemployment Assistance extends income compensation to self-employed civilians, farm workers, individuals who have worked for only a few weeks, and others who have lost earned income or whose income has been interrupted as a result of a major disaster declared by the President of the United States. The benefits cover those usually not entitled to unemployment insurance. Claims are handled by Iowa Workforce Development.

 

In addition to assistance filing a DUA claim, Iowa Workforce Development Centers offer reemployment services, including testing, counseling and placement. Job search and career information also is available IWD's website.

 

At this time, there is no Disaster Unemployment Assistance available for Iowans.