Flood Damage Resources

​Residences/Businesses​

For those living in areas that have experienced flooding, check with your insurance company about damages to your property or business.

Additionally, property owners who suffer damage to their property as a result of a calamity or disaster may be eligible for certain limited forms of property tax relief. Learn more on the Assessor's Calamity Property Tax Relief webpage

More information is available at the California Department of Insurance Assistance and Services for Disaster Recovery. Hotline: 1-800-927-4357. Read t​heir brochure​.

Returning Home After A Flood

There may be health and safety issues to be aware of when returning home after a flood. Visit the Returning Home After A Flood webpage, which provides information for common health and safety hazards, utilities, floodwater-contaminated septic systems, water wells and small water systems and more.​​

​FEMA & Cal OES

When individual, households or businesses are affected by an emergency or disaster; assistance may come from a variety of ways, including government and/or faith-based organizations.  Although disaster assistance programs are not designed to return you to pre-disaster condition, they may help you begin the Recovery Process.  For contact information on voluntary agencies please call the information and referral line by dialing 2-1-1 or 3-1-1.

Individual Disaster Assistance:   While some housing assistance funds are available through the Individuals and Households Program, most disaster assistance from the Federal government is in the form of loans administered by the Small Business Administration.  For more information on individual disaster assistance through FEMA, please visit https://www.fema.gov/individual-disaster-assistance or disasterassistance.gov

US Small Business Administration (SBA) may offer low-interest disaster loans to eligible homeowners, renters and small businesses.  SBA is the primary form of federal assistance potentially available.

Individuals and Household Programs may be available through FEMA to assist with home repairs, temporary housing, and other needs.  Depending on the disaster, recovery assistance may also include programs such as crisis counseling, disaster unemployment assistance and legal services.  When IHP is implemented, the State Supplemental Grant Program is made available to assist with unmet needs. For more information visit http://www.caloes.ca.gov/cal-oes-divisions/recovery/individual-assistance 

Agriculture Community

An agricultural disaster designation may be made in a county declared as a disaster area by the President or designated by the Secretary of U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) as a disaster area. A designation provides Emergency Loans to help producers recover from production and physical losses due to drought, flooding, and other natural disasters. The Emergency Loan program may also be implemented for certain quarantines. Producers affected may apply for low-interest emergency loans in counties named as primary or contiguous under a disaster designation. A request should be completed by the county agricultural commissioner and include a completed California Agricultural Commissioner Disaster Report form (see links below).

In response to a determination of a natural disaster by the Secretary of USDA, SBA makes an economic injury disaster declaration making low interest loans available to eligible businesses. These include small, non-farm businesses, small agricultural cooperatives and most private, nonprofit organization of any size.

Agricultural Community Resources:

Important Information about Flood Insurance​

Flood insurance is required if your property is in a designated high-risk flood zone and receive a mortgage loan from a federally regulated or insured lender. If you do not have a mortgage, it is still recommended that a property owner buy flood insurance. Over the life of a 30-year loan, there is about a 3 times greater chance of having a flood in your home than having a fire. Most homeowner's insurance policies do not provide coverage for damage due to flooding.

There is a 30 day waiting period on new flood insurance policies.

Zone X properties can purchase flood insurance.  Most homeowners in a moderate- to low-risk area might be eligible for coverage at a preferred rate. Preferred Risk Policy premiums are the lowest premiums available through the NFIP, offering building and contents coverage for one low price. If you don't qualify for a Preferred Risk Policy, a standard rated policy is still available. Even though flood insurance isn't federally required, anyone can be financially vulnerable to floods.

FEMA Letters: Flood Risk and Policy Options.  Important information to help National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) policyholders, insurance agents and others understand letters all NFIP policyholders will be receiving each year, starting in January 2017 is available at https://www.fema.gov/cost-of-flood.​

Policyholders will receive the letters as notification that a review of their property's flood risk has been done. There will be an explanation of what was found and how the flood risk will impact what they pay for flood insurance. For some, having an Elevation Certificate (EC) may lead to lower flood insurance costs immediately or in the future.

Contact your insurance company or agent to discuss your policy options.​​