Collier County held a Federal Emergency Management Agency Town Hall on Wednesday night, providing residents with important information on how to apply for aid if they received damage from Hurricane Ian. The deadline to apply for FEMA aid is Nov. 28, 60 days after the storm ripped through the Gulf Coast. Applying for FEMA is encouraged even if the resident is unsure their house sustained damage. There are no repercussions for applying and withdrawing if it’s decided the aid is unneeded. “I would encourage you to ask yourself, did you pay taxes last year,” Sam Harvey with FEMA Individual Assistance said. “If that answer is yes, then this is your money, this is what you pay into the system for. Accepting money here does not take away money from over there. So, if you think you have damages, please apply.” Applying can be done in multiple ways. Residents may call the FEMA helpline, visit disasterassistance.gov or visit Collier County’s disaster recovery center at Veterans Community Park. The applicant, once registered, can expect a call within a week from a FEMA inspector to meet at the property and assess damage. “These inspectors are trained so if you’ve already made progress toward your recovery, toward your cleanup, you’ve taken out the drywall, you’ve taken out your personal property that may have been damaged, they’re still trying to recognize, ‘There was a couch there, I can see where the water lines were,’” Harvey said. “So don’t put off the steps you need to take to get your own lives moving forward while you’re waiting for a FEMA inspector.” One of the most common reasons that an individual does not qualify for household aid is due to insurance. By law, FEMA cannot duplicate what is provided by the resident’s homeowners or flood insurance. “We expect that your first step is to go to your insurance provider, file a claim and determine for what you are eligible and for what you are not eligible,” Harvey said. Some applicants may be directed by FEMA toward the Small Business Administration, a disaster recovery partner that gives loans to businesses of all sizes, homeowners, rentals, and nonprofits. SBA offers two types of loans for homeowners, one for repair of the physical property and one to help replace contents. Businesses can apply for loans to help replace equipment and inventory. The SBA has 101 personnel on the ground serving Southwest Florida households and businesses. To date, it has approved 585 loans equaling to more than $30 million. There are two local sites residents can visit to learn more and apply, one at Veterans Community Park and one on Fifth Avenue at the Naples Players. “There are a lot of opportunities for challenges, for confusion, especially as we get into the next week or two,” Harvey said. “Folks might start to receive determination letters from FEMA, and they may say you’re eligible for X amount of assistance, and they also may say you have not been referred to [the Individuals and Household Program] or you’re not eligible for assistance. That can be extremely frustrating and extremely disheartening. But I want everyone to know that is not a hard stop on the process, all that means is something within your case is either missing or inconclusive at this point. There needs to be something else in order to move forward. So, understand what that letter says, read through the entire letter.” For more news on the Southwest Florida business community’s recovery from Hurricane Ian visit gulfshorebusiness.com