Above: Gottheimer joins FEMA, U.S. SBA, and local elected officials to discuss Hurricane Ida relief resources.

NORTH JERSEY — U.S. Congressman Josh Gottheimer (NJ-5) hosted a coordination call with leaders from FEMA, the U.S. Small Business Association (SBA), and the New Jersey State Police — to help Fifth District mayors and Bergen County Executive Jim Tedesco coordinate Hurricane Ida federal relief resources. Gottheimer is working closely with North Jersey’s elected officials to ensure communities, families, and businesses have the resources they need to recover from the storm.

“I have seen firsthand the damage this storm has caused in communities across North Jersey —  the flooding, the fallen trees, the homes and businesses upended, the bridges that have nearly floated away, and, along with other elected officials, am committed to ensuring our communities, families, and businesses have access to the resources they need to recover,” said Congressman Josh Gottheimer (NJ-5). “The road to recovery from Hurricane Ida may be long, but we will get there. Here in New Jersey we stand together to support our own. I am here to help, and I urge anyone to reach out to our office if they need any assistance.”

FEMA Relief:

At the urging of the entire New Jersey delegation, Governor Phil Murphy and other New Jersey elected officials, President Biden issued a Major Disaster Declaration for Bergen and Passaic counties, and ordered emergency federal assistance to help families and state and local response efforts.

President Biden’s action makes Federal funding immediately available to those affected in Passaic and Bergen Counties. Assistance can include grants for housing and home repairs, low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses, and other programs to help individuals and businesses recover from the effects of the disaster. 

For more information or to apply for assistance, please go to: disasterassistance.gov. For additional resources please visit gottheimer.house.gov/stormrecovery or nj.gov/ida.

Residents and business owners who sustained losses in the designated counties can also apply by calling 1-800-621-FEMA(3362). The toll-free telephone numbers will operate from 7:00AM to 10:00PM seven days a week until further notice. For FEMA disaster assistance Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs), visit www.disasterassistance.gov/help/faqs.

U.S. Small Business Administration Relief:

The U.S. Small Business Administration is offering disaster assistance to affected New Jersey businesses.

Small businesses and most private nonprofit organizations in adjacent counties to the Major Disaster Declaration areas are eligible to apply for SBA Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL), and this includes Sussex and Warren Counties.

For small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, small businesses engaged in aquaculture and most private nonprofit organizations, the SBA offers Economic Injury Disaster Loans to help meet working capital needs caused by the disaster. EIDL assistance is available regardless of whether the business suffered any physical property damage.

Applicants may apply online using the Electronic Loan Application (ELA) via SBA’s secure website at https://disasterloanassistance.sba.gov/ela/s/, and should apply under SBA declaration # 17143, not for the COVID-19 incident.

Additionally, the SBA will open another Business Recovery Center (BRC) in Bergen County at the Bergen Community College Ciarco Learning Center, on Tuesday, Sept. 14, at 8 a.m., to assist businesses with one-on-one assistance in submitting disaster loan applications for damages due to the disaster on Sept. 1-3, 2021.

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