Remnants of Hurricane Ida impacted residents of New Jersey from September 1 to 3, 2021. Damage included widespread flooding, tornadoes, fires, and deaths. All survivors of Hurricane Ida who need help should apply for Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) assistance immediately. FEMA will still review late applications even though the application deadline ended on January 5, 2022.

Below are some of the resources and important deadlines, with a highlight on FEMA assistance. Most of the information in this article comes from FEMA’s website, www.FEMA.gov.

How to apply for FEMA assistance

On September 5, 2021, a presidential disaster declaration was issued for New Jersey as “Remnants of Hurricane Ida” (disaster number 4614-DR-NJ). Individuals and households in the disaster-designated counties are eligible to apply for FEMA assistance: Bergen, Essex, Gloucester, Hudson, Hunterdon, Mercer, Middlesex, Morris, Passaic, Somerset, Union, and Warren.

Survivors of Hurricane Ida who need help should apply for FEMA assistance. FEMA will still review late applications even though the application deadline ended on January 5, 2022.  If you submit a late FEMA application, you should explain a why you did not apply earlier. FEMA may accept the late application if your reason makes sense. FEMA may deny the late application if the reason is not valid.

• Apply online: www.DisasterAssistance.gov.
• Apply by phone: Call the FEMA Helpline at 1-800-621-FEMA (1-800-621-3362) (TTY 1-800-462-7585).
• Apply through the FEMA mobile app: Download from the iPhone App Store, or Google Play Store.
• Apply in person at a Disaster Recovery Center (DRC). To locate your local DRC, call the FEMA Helpline at 1-800-621-FEMA. It is much faster to apply by phone or online than going to the DRC in-person.

Affected households should submit one application per household. Multiple applications from the same disaster-impacted household can create delays in receiving assistance.

Undocumented individuals may apply for assistance. If there is a documented household member, even a child, the household may qualify for FEMA money assistance. FEMA may report applicant documentation status to other federal agencies if a specific request is made for that information.

How FEMA can help

FEMA helps people before, during, and after disasters. Disaster assistance may include grants to help pay for temporary housing, emergency home repairs for the primary residence, uninsured and underinsured personal property losses, and medical, dental and funeral expenses caused by the disaster, along with other serious disaster-related expenses. FEMA may also refer applicants to the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), which offers low-interest disaster loans to businesses of all sizes, homeowners, and renters. SBA disaster loans cover uninsured and uncompensated losses and do not duplicate benefits of other agencies or organizations.

FEMA assistance does not make you whole again, but it can give you a helping hand to recover. FEMA disaster assistance covers basic needs only and will not normally compensate you for your entire loss. FEMA also provides assistance to business owners who were impacted by disaster.

Other Resources

For immediate needs involving housing, food, clothes, or other assistance, call 2-1-1 or visit the 2-1-1 website for resources. Municipal and county services may be available with local relief resources. Call or visit your local government offices for more information.​

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This information last reviewed: Jan 7, 2022