San Luis Obispo County residents impacted by the recent floods can now meet in-person with federal, state, and local officials about getting recovery assistance.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) opened a disaster recovery center on Jan. 24 at the SLO Veterans Hall—a move triggered by President Joe Biden's declaration of a major disaster in SLO County.

• File Photo By Jayson Mellom
• GET RELIEF SLO County residents impacted by the Jan. 9 floods can apply for FEMA assistance in-person at a newly opened disaster recovery center.

Open seven days a week, from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., the disaster recovery center has a plethora of government agencies and nonprofits on-site, whose staff can walk flood victims through the process of applying for relief.

"It gives you a place to go to meet face-to-face with someone," said Renee Bafalis, a FEMA media relations specialist. "Our centers are set up as a kind of a one-stop shop where survivors can get information. FEMA's role really is to jumpstart people's recovery process."

Bafalis explained that FEMA and its partner agencies can help flood victims in many ways. By going in-person to the disaster center, locals can navigate the system much more efficiently than by phone or the web. She recommended residents bring in their receipts, insurance letters, and other important documents related to storm impacts.

"Our individual assistance programs offer quite a few different options," she said. "We can help with personal property losses, minor repairs, child care expenses. ... Some of it has to do with rental assistance. ... There are quite a few different options you may have."

As of Jan. 25, a total of 790 residents in SLO County registered for FEMA assistance, with $311,000 in relief already approved.

The maximum amount of individual assistance that FEMA can provide is about $40,000 per person—but that's in rare circumstances, Bafalis said.

"It's usually a few thousand dollars here and there. Every situation is different," she said. "It's hard to say you're going to get 'x' amount. That's going to be determined on an individual basis."

Bafalis added that FEMA and the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) work hand in hand during disaster recoveries, and it's common for flood victims to be required to fill out forms for both agencies. She said doing so is often mandatory in order to receive assistance.

"They have to go through the process. If they don't, it stops their application right there," she said.

If the floods caused property damage, FEMA will reach out to schedule a time to send an inspector to look at the property. That inspection is a critical step for securing assistance.

"Once you go through the process of registering, we'll have an inspector reach out to you to come to your location to document all the damages," she said. "They become your advocate. They know your situation."

The local disaster center will remain open as long as the need is there, Bafalis said.

"We don't have an end date," she said. "We'll be here until the needs of the community are met."