Storm Recovery Resources

Be safe. Your home may be contaminated with mold or sewage. Wear rubber boots and gloves and goggles during cleanup. Here are a few steps to take when you return to your home after a flood. -- FEMA 

• When entering your home, do not use matches, lighters, candles or any other flames. Gas may be trapped inside your home. Use a flashlight instead. 
• Do not touch electrical equipment if it is wet or if you are standing in water. Turn off the electricity to prevent electric shock if it is safe to do so.
• Be aware that snakes and other animals may be in your house.
• Prevent carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning. Use generators or other gasoline-powered machinery outdoors at least 20 feet from any doors, windows, or vents. If you use a pressure washer, be sure to keep the engine outdoors and 20 feet from windows, doors, or vents as well. 
• The initial damage caused by a flood is not the only risk. Standing floodwater can also spread infectious diseases, bring chemical hazards, and cause injuries.
• Take photos of flood damage for insurance purposes. 
• Contact your insurance agent as soon as possible to discuss your options. 

Remove and throw out drywall and insulation that was contaminated with floodwater or sewage. Throw out items that cannot be washed and cleaned with a bleach solution: mattresses, pillows, carpeting, carpet padding, and stuffed toys. Homeowners may want to temporarily store items outside of the home until insurance claims can be filed. Clean walls, hard-surfaced floors, and other household surfaces with soap and water and disinfect with a solution of one cup of bleach to five gallons of water. -- CDC 

If your car was flooded during the storm there are some actions you should take right away to assess damage. – Kelly Blue Book 

• Contact your insurance company and let them know what happened. Your auto insurance policy might cover the repair or replacement costs if you have comprehensive coverage. Take photos of visible damage. Be sure to focus on the waterline if the water has receded considerably by the time you have access to the vehicle. 

• When in doubt, don’t drive a flooded car until you know the extent of any damage. Foul water might seep into the engine, so starting the car could make a bad problem much worse (and more expensive). Even relatively shallow floodwater is still corrosive and can significantly affect the car’s brakes. 

• Like a ring around a dirty bathtub, you might notice a subtle line on the car’s exterior body panels, windows, and possibly inside the cabin itself. This likely indicates where the water crested, and it could give a good idea about the severity of the flooding.  

• Dry the car as quickly as you can. Open the doors and windows and remove any floormats. This is especially important if saltwater or a brackish mix of fresh and saltwater has flooded your vehicle. 

If your important documents were lost or damaged in the storms, here is a list of common documents and where to go to begin replacing them. -- CalOES 

• EBT Card: Call 877-328-9677 or contact your local county social services worker. 

• Birth and Death Certificates : Visit California Department of Public Health at www.cdph.ca.gov or call 916-445-2684.  

• Lost Green Card: Visit www.uscis.gov and complete Form I-90, Application to Replace a Permanent Resident Card, and file it online or by mail. Call 800-375-5283 to check application status. 

• California Driver License: Call the DMV at  800-777-0133 or create an account to replace a lost, damaged or stolen driver’s license online at www.dmv.ca.gov . 

• Bank Checks, ATM/Debit Cards 
  or Safe Deposit Boxes: Contact your financial institution. 

• Social Security Card: Call 800-772-1213 or www.ssa.gov 

• Medicare Cards: Call 800 633-4227 or www.ssa.gov 

• Passport: Call the U.S. Department of State, Passport Services, Consular Lost/Stolen Passport Section or 877-487-2778 or https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/visa-information-resources/lost-stolen-visas.html 

• Military Records: Call the National Archives and Records Administration at 866-272-6272 or www.archives.gov/contact/ 

If you have experienced a flood, you can file your flood insurance claim by following these three steps. -- FEMA.

Notify Your Insurer  

After experiencing a flood, contact your agent or insurance company to file a claim. Make sure you have the following information handy: 

• The name of your insurance company 

• Your policy number 

• A telephone and/or email address where you can be reached at all times 

An adjuster should contact you within a few days of filing your claim. If you do not hear from an adjuster, you can contact your insurance agent or company again. 

Document the Damage 

Separate damaged from undamaged property. Your adjuster will need evidence of the damage to your home and possessions to prepare your repair estimate. 

• Take photographs of all of the damaged property, including discarded objects, structural damage, and standing floodwater levels. 

• Make a list of damaged or lost items and include their date of purchase, value, and receipts, if possible. 

• Officials may require disposal of damaged items so, if possible, place flooded items outside of the home. 

Complete a Proof of Loss to Support Your Claim  

Your adjuster will assist you in preparing a Proof of Loss (which is your sworn statement of the amount you are claiming including necessary supporting documentation) for your official claim for damages. A Proof of Loss can be many things, but must contain the specific details set forth in the Standard Flood Insurance Policy. You'll need to file your Proof of Loss with your insurance company within 60 days of the flood. This document substantiates the insurance claim and is required before the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) or insurance company can make payment. 

You'll receive your claim payment after you and the insurer agree on the amount of damages and the insurer has your complete, accurate, and signed Proof of Loss. If major catastrophic flooding occurs, it may take longer to process claims and make payments because of the sheer number of claims submitted. 

To save time, take inventory of any damage or loss and confirm whether or not you have insurance before applying for FEMA assistance.

• Take photos of your damaged home and belongings

• Make a list of damaged or lost items

• If you have insurance, you must first file a claim with your insurance company

• If you do not have insurance you can apply to: Online at DisasterAssistance.gov or call (800) 621-3362 or TTY: (800) 242-7586 

When you apply for FEMA assistance you will need 1) Proof of identification; 2) Insurance determination letter; 3) Proof of occupancy or ownership.

Please email: inspections@santabarbaraca.gov, or call (805) 564-5492, to schedule a damage assessment inspection.  

Depending on the extent of your flood damage and the specific characteristics of the damaged materials you might need to use one or more of the following resources to get your items disposed of properly:

Self-haul Locations: Large items, appliances, furniture, electronics, construction equipment, mattresses, greenwaste, and other general construction debris can be dropped off at either the MarBorg C&D Facility or the South Coast Recycling and Transfer Station for a fee. Keep records like receipts and pictures of damaged items for insurance claims.

Schedule a Bulky Item Pickup: Please call MarBorg at (805) 963-1852 to schedule a pickup of multiple large items. Bulky items consist of furniture, appliances, computers, mattresses, rugs (rolled and tied), and other miscellaneous waste (must be bagged or boxed up).

Private Hauling: For more extensive flood damage, residents might need to contact a private hauler to remove affected debris from your home for a fee. A list of permitted haulers is posted here.

The Community Wellness Team is a collaboration of many local agencies working together to provide behavioral health response, and support during and following high stress events or disasters within the community.  

Community Wellness Team Call (805) 364-2750 or visit sbccwt.org 

If you or someone you know is experiencing a medical emergency, call 9-1-1. For a mental health emergency, call the 24/7 Access Line at 888-868-1649. 

If you or someone you know is in need of food, the Food Bank of Santa Barbara County distributes groceries and fresh produce weekly at locations throughout Santa Barbara. For times and locations visit: Groceries and Fresh Produce | FoodBank (foodbanksbc.org)

Californians impacted by winter storms are now eligible to claim a deduction for a disaster loss and will have more time to file their taxes. --Office of Gov. Gavin Newsom

Claiming Disaster Losses

Taxpayers affected by a presidentially declared disaster may claim a deduction for a disaster loss. Taxpayers may claim a disaster loss when filing either an original or amended tax year 2022 tax return.

When filing their return taxpayers should:

• write the name of the disaster in blue or black ink at the top of the tax return to alert FTB
• If filing electronically, taxpayers should follow the software instructions to enter disaster information
• If a taxpayer receives a late filing or payment penalty notice related to the postponement period, they should call the number on the notice to have the penalty abated.

Disaster victims can receive free copies of their state returns to replace those lost or damaged. To do so, they should use form FTB 3516 and write the name of the disaster in blue or black ink at the top of the request.

California storm victims now have until May 15, 2023, to file various federal individual and business tax returns and make tax payments.

The tax relief postpones various tax filing and payment deadlines that occurred starting on January 8, 2023. As a result, affected individuals and businesses will have until May 15, 2023, to file returns and pay any taxes that were originally due during this period.

This includes 2022 individual income tax returns due on April 18, as well as various 2022 business returns normally due on March 15 and April 18. Among other things, this means that eligible taxpayers will have until May 15 to make 2022 contributions to their IRAs and health savings accounts. -- IRS

GETTING DISASTER HELP FROM SBA 

INITIAL STEPS: 
Review the Disaster Loans Fact Sheet in English and Español.
Register with FEMA and Visit a Disaster Recovery Center 

• Step 1: Register with FEMA at www.disasterassistance.gov  -or-  www.disasterassistance.gov/es (Spanish). This is the fastest way to register for help. 
• Step 2: Visit a Disaster Recovery Center
• Note: Homeowners and renters should submit their SBA disaster loan application, even if they are not sure if they will need or want a loan. If SBA cannot approve your application, in most cases we refer the applicant to FEMA’s Other Needs Assistance (ONA) program for possible additional assist.
• SBA Customer Service #: 1.800.659.2955
• FEMA Customer Service # 1.800.621.3362

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW 

• SBA offers federal low-interest disaster loans to businesses of all sizes, most private nonprofit organizations, homeowners, and renters. 
• Businesses of any size may borrow up to $2 million to repair/replace disaster property damage. 
• Small businesses, small businesses engaged in aquaculture, and most private nonprofit organizations may also borrow to help meet disaster caused working capital needs. The $2 million maximum applies to the combination of property damage and working capital loans. 
• If over 50% of revenue is carried from agricultural, farming, and ranching business-contact your local United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and Farm Service Agency (FSA) for available programs.
• If you are a homeowner or renter, FEMA may refer you to SBA. 
• Homeowners may borrow up to $200,000 to repair or replace their primary residence. 
• Homeowners and renters may borrow up to $40,000 to replace personal property, including vehicles.

CONTACT
Direct Relief Santa Barbara
6100 Wallace Becknell Road
Santa Barbara, CA 93117

Opened Saturday, January 28 @ Noon
Mondays – Sundays
10:00am – 7:00 pm PST

FACT SHEETS (Referenced above):
U.S. SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION FACT SHEET - DISASTER LOANS (English)
U.S. SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION FACT SHEET - DISASTER LOANS (Spanish)

The Federal Emergency Management Agency can provide information about federal assistance programs. By completing an anonymous questionnaire online, you will be given a list of potential resources based on your particular situation and needs.

These include:

• Disaster Legal Services (available through Department of Homeland Security for low-income disaster survivors) for assistance with:
  • Insurance claims for medical bills, loss of property, loss of life
  • New wills, powers of attorney, and other legal papers lost during the disaster
  • Home-repair contracts and contractors
  • Problems with landlords
• Low-Interest Loans offered through the Small Business Administration for those with no or insufficient private insurance:
  • Up to $200,000 to repair or replace damaged structures
  • Up to $40,000 to replace basic possessions

The SBA provides low-interest disaster loans to help small businesses and homeowners recover from declared disasters. For information, go to Disaster Assistance.

The Governor's Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz) was created by Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. to serve as California's single point of contact for economic development and job creation efforts. GO-Biz offers a range of services to business owners including attraction, retention and expansion services, site selection, permit assistance, regulatory guidance, small business assistance, international trade development, assistance with state government, and much more. For information and resources, go to California's Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz).

The Santa Barbara County Small Business Development Center (SBDC) is part of the Ventura County EDC-SBDC, the Los Angeles Regional Network, and the national Small Business Administration. The SBDC can provide individualized consulting and training to new and growing businesses. For information or to schedule a free and confidential consultation, go to call 805-892-3643.

If you are a small business owner who suffered property damage during the recent storms, you can receive up to three hours of free business advice on navigating any resulting business issues from WEV. WEV’s small business consulting is available in English and Spanish. Small business loans under $10,000 may also be available to qualified individuals, as well as guidance with applying for federal disaster business assistance. Visit the WEV website for more information.