The state had paid out more than $167,000 in disaster relief aid to 11 Wrangell households as of last month, with more than two dozen applications waiting on review for federal assistance.
State and federal disaster declarations opened the door for individuals and businesses to apply for financial aid to cover property damages and other expenses caused by the deadly Nov. 20 landslide that struck at 11.2-Mile Zimovia Highway.
As of April, the state had paid $167,023 to 11 households, representing 15 claims for expenses such as property damage, temporary housing, repairing or replacing personal items, medical costs and other expenses directly related to the slide.
The state Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management had denied 16 claims, said Jeremy Zidek, division spokesman.
Most of the state aid — $105,437 — paid nine claims from homeowners for repairs not covered by insurance or by other governmental financial assistance. “Our program is for critical needs not met by other forms of assistance,” Zidek explained.
State payments can go to buying materials and contractors’ services but cannot reimburse property owners for their own time and labor, he said.
Temporary housing assistance totaled $37,430, Zidek said, helping residents who needed to pay rent until they could move back home after power was restored and the highway reopened after the slide.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency is reviewing 27 applications for federal assistance, said Natalie Shaver, spokesperson for the agency’s Pacific Northwest region.
FEMA set up a desk at City Hall last month to accept applications and assist people with the claims process. Of the 60 residents who met with FEMA staff, 20 applied for aid, with an additional seven applying online or over the phone, Shaver said.
As of last week, those 27 applications were under review.
The deadline to apply for state aid is closed but the application period for federal assistance is open through May 14. People can call the FEMA Alaska Helpline at 866-342-1699 between 9:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. weekdays to apply or go to the website at disasterassistance.gov.
The maximum payment per claim under the state program was $21,250; the federal maximum is double that amount.
More than half of the people who talked with FEMA staff at City Hall last month were interested in learning how they could protect their home from future landslides, Shaver said. The agency has information on “how to build a defensible space,” she said, including help with calculating the costs versus the benefits.
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