Hurricane Ida

Disaster Case Management Program

Montgomery County residents still experiencing unmet needs related to Tropical Storm Ida can contact the Disaster Case Management Program at 1 (833) 461-8IDA (8432). This is a free service that partners an individual or household with a trained Disaster Case Manager (DCM), who will perform a comprehensive assessment of your needs and help you to access eligible resources. A DCM will advocate on your behalf with FEMA, insurance companies, the Small Business Administration (SBA), and other disaster-related services. Spanish-speaking Disaster Case Managers are available.

Program Flyer: English | Spanish

Note: As part of the initial intake, residents will be asked to provide information on any Ida-related assistance they may have previously received from Montgomery County or non-profit, social service, or disaster assistance agencies. Failure to provide this information could result in a duplication of benefits and may affect eligibility for any future assistance.

Tax Relief for Catastrophic Property Loss

The Montgomery County Board of Assessment Appeals offers relief for anyone who has experienced a catastrophic loss to their property. The reduction to the assessment is based on the amount of damage sustained.

Relief is offered for damage from Hurricane Ida, as well as for ANY other catastrophic loss (e.g., fire, flood, tornado, hurricane, etc.). If you believe that your property has suffered significant damage, please contact the Board of Assessment Appeals at (610) 278-3761 and ask to speak to the assessor for your area. The assessor will visit your property and make a determination if it warrants a reduction in tax burden due to catastrophic loss.

Free Legal Assistance

A toll-free legal aid helpline, operated by Legal Aid of Southeastern PA, is now available for survivors of Hurricane Ida in Pennsylvania. Low-income survivors facing legal issues may call 877-429-5994. The helpline will be staffed Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., but messages can be left 24/7.

Callers should identify that they are seeking storm-related legal assistance, name the county in which they are located, and describe their legal problems. Survivors who qualify for assistance will be matched with Pennsylvania lawyers who have volunteered to provide free legal help.

Examples of legal assistance available may include:

Assistance with securing FEMA and other benefits available to disaster survivors
Help with home repair contracts and contractors
Replacement of wills and other important legal documents destroyed in the disaster
Assisting in consumer protection matters, remedies and procedures
Counseling on mortgage-foreclosure problems
Counseling on landlord/tenant problems
Assistance with life, medical, and property insurance claims

Insurance Questions and Issues with Insurance Companies

Do you have questions related to your insurance policy? Have you had an issue while filing a claim with your insurance company? If so, you may contact the Pennsylvania Insurance Department's Consumer Service Bureau for assistance. They can be contacted online or via phone at 1-877-881-6388.

Renters Insurance

A standard renters insurance policy covers your personal belongings from theft, wind, or fire damage, but it typically doesn't cover flood damage. To learn more, view the NFIP Flood Insurance for Renters Brochure.

Mental Health Support

Montgomery County Mobile Crisis provides support 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at 1-855-634-HOPE (4673). This service is available to anyone in Montgomery County, including children, teens, adults, and families. Montgomery County also has a Teen Talk Line that can be reached by calling 866-825-5856 or texting 215-703-8411. It is available Monday through Friday from 3:00 pm to 9:00 pm.

Donations

Financial/Monetary

The Montgomery County Commissioners are pleased to announce the creation of the Montco Emergency Disaster Relief Fund, hosted by the Montgomery County Foundation, Inc. All donations to this fund will support non-profit agencies serving Montgomery County individuals and families impacted by the remnants of Hurricane Ida. Funds can be used to support housing, food, gasoline, and household needs such as cleaning products, hygiene products, bedding, towels, and clothing.

Contributors can donate to the Montco Emergency Disaster Relief Fund through the following ways:

Donate online
Text GIVE or DONATE to (610) 600-1764
Donate by check, mail to: The Montgomery County Foundation, Inc., 4 Sentry Parkway East, Suite 302, Blue Bell, PA 19422

Donations are tax-deductible as allowable by law.

Physical/Non-Monetary

A number of organizations in and around Montgomery County are accepting physical (non-monetary) donations, which they in turn will provide to individuals in need. Contact each organization for more information. This list may not be all-inclusive.

Mitzvah Circle - clothing and toiletries
St. James Outreach House - food and furniture
Hope Worx - furniture and household goods
Love Works at Hope Community Church - clothing, food, and household goods

FEMA Individual Assistance

UPDATE: The application deadline for Individual Assistance was January 10, 2022, and the late registration period ended on March 10th. Individuals with questions are encouraged to contact FEMA at 1-800-621-3362 / TTY 1-800-462-7585 (7 a.m. to 1 a.m. ET, 7 days a week).

On Friday, September 10th, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced that federal disaster assistance has been made available to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to supplement commonwealth and local recovery efforts in the areas affected by Hurricane Ida from August 31 to September 5, 2021.

Financial assistance was made available for affected individuals and businesses in Montgomery County, as well as in Bedford, Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Northampton, Philadelphia, and York counties.

Federal assistance programs included but were not limited to rental assistance, repair or replacement of housing to a safe, sanitary, and functional standard (not pre-disaster condition), funds for other needs (e.g., vehicles, clothing, appliances, etc.), and low-interest loans. For more information about available programs and the application process, download FEMA's "Help After a Disaster" Brochure in English, Spanish, and 25 other languages.

For additional information on the disaster declaration, visit https://www.fema.gov/disaster/4618.

Supplemental Resources

Montgomery County FEMA Individual Assistance (IA) Statistics
Valid Registrations	6,778
Individuals and Households Program (IHP) Funds Disbursed	$13,600,783

FEMA Appeals and Continued Rental Assistance

Appeals

Determined ineligible for FEMA disaster assistance? You can appeal the decision within 60 days. Click here to learn more.

In addition, homeowners whose furnaces, septic systems, bridges, and/or wells were damaged may be eligible for financial assistance under FEMA’s Individuals and Households Program. People who are determined ineligible, or received an initial amount for cleaning or testing, have the right to appeal for additional assistance in some cases up to the actual cost of repair or replacement of furnaces, septic systems, bridges, and wells. Click here for more information.

Continued Rental Assistance

Survivors of Hurricane Ida who live in Montgomery County or other designated counties in Pennsylvania and received initial rental assistance from FEMA may be eligible for continued rental assistance. To be eligible to apply, survivors must meet the following conditions:

They were awarded initial rental assistance and used it as intended. The initial award covered two months.
They are unable to return to their pre-disaster residence because it is uninhabitable, cannot be accessed, or is not available due to Hurricane Ida.
They cannot pay for housing without assistance.
They are not receiving temporary housing help from any other source.
They are developing a longer-term or permanent housing plan or can demonstrate progress toward one.

Survivors applying for continued assistance must complete an Application for Continued Temporary Housing Assistance. To request this form, call the FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362.

Applicants should submit the following documents with the completed application: Pre- and post-disaster income for household members 18 and older.
Proof of pre-disaster housing costs (copy of lease and utility bills, renter’s insurance, mortgage statements, real estate taxes, home insurance, etc.)
Proof of post-disaster housing costs (copy of current lease or rental agreement signed by the applicant and the landlord).

The application form and supporting documents should be returned to FEMA in one of the following ways:

Upload them to your disaster account at www.disasterassistance.gov.
Mail them to FEMA, PO Box 10055, Hyattsville, MD 20782-8055.
Fax them to 800-827-8112.

FEMA will evaluate the request to determine if the applicant is eligible. It is important for applicants to keep FEMA updated with their contact information and housing status.

FEMA Public Assistance

**Note that the term "Public" here refers to public agencies (i.e., governments), not members of the public. Individuals and households are eligible to apply for aid through the Individual Assistance program (see details above).**

On Friday, October 8th, FEMA announced that Public Assistance (PA) funding has been made available to Montgomery, Bucks, and Chester counties to augment state and local recovery efforts in the areas struck by Hurricane Ida. The declaration has, to date, been expanded to include the counties of Bedford, Dauphin, Delaware, Fulton, Huntingdon, Luzerne, Philadelphia, Schuylkill, and York. All seven categories of PA (A-G) are now available to the Commonwealth government, eligible local governments, and certain private nonprofit organizations on a 75 percent cost-sharing basis for eligible expenditures. Categories include:

Category A: Debris Removal
Category B: Emergency Protective Measures
Category C: Roads and Bridges
Category D: Water Control Facilities
Category E: Buildings and Equipment
Category F: Utilities
Category G: Parks, Recreational Facilities, and Other Items

Eligible entities include*:

County governments
Municipalities, boroughs, and townships
Local public authorities
School districts
Regional government entities
Agencies or instrumentalities of local governments
Special districts established under State law
Community Development Districts (must own and be legally responsible for maintenance, and operation of an eligible facility that is open to and serves the general public)
Private nonprofit organizations (subject to a number of restrictions, see pages 43-48)

*This list may not be all-inclusive. FEMA makes final determinations on organization eligibility.

The Public Assistance application period has ended, effective December 7, 2021. Agencies with questions may contact PEMA Specialist Jonathan Skripka at jskripka@pa.gov.

For more information on the Public Assistance program, visit https://www.fema.gov/assistance/public/program-overview.

Property Damage

Effective Friday, October 8th, Montgomery County has closed the damage self-reporting form. If you experienced damage due to Hurricane Ida, be sure to first file a claim with your homeowners, renters, flood, or commercial insurance company. If you don't have insurance or experienced loss that isn't covered under your policy, view the sections above on applying for federal disaster assistance from FEMA and/or the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA).

Reports Received as of 10 AM on Friday, October 8, 2021 (final report): 3,728

Key

Green icons: Wind/severe weather/tornado damage
Blue icons: Flood damage

Update on Tree Removal in the Mather Mill Area (Intersection of Bethlehem Pike and 73)

As part of the cleanup from the remnants of Hurricane Ida, trees and debris are being removed from the Mather Mill area on County-owned property at the intersection of Bethlehem Pike and 73. Arborists are working to remove uprooted and damaged trees that are not likely to survive given the levels of damage they have sustained. This work is being done is in the interest of public safety for users of the park, as well as to prevent damage to bridges and other structures that cross nearby waterways.

We realize the removal of the trees has caused some concerns for the future of this site. The County and its contractor are working with Whitemarsh Township and other environmental groups to plan for timely future site work which will include new tree plantings and considerations for stormwater runoff. It is important to note this site will remain as open space and there are no plans for development or construction on any of these parcels.