Federal Assistance Exceeds $22 Million for Fires and Flooding Recovery
In the 90 days since President Biden declared a major disaster for New Mexico following the South Fork and Salt Fires and subsequent flooding between June 17 and August 20, 2024, over $22 million in federal assistance has been approved to support affected families.
Federal agencies, including FEMA, the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), and the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), have worked together to provide grants, loans, and insurance settlements to help homeowners, renters, and businesses in Lincoln, Otero, Rio Arriba, and San Juan counties, as well as the Mescalero Apache Reservation. This assistance is vital in addressing eligible losses, disaster-related repairs, personal property replacements, temporary housing, and other urgent needs.
“We are working closely with our federal, state, and local stakeholders to help those who need assistance to recover from fires and flooding,” said Federal Coordinating Officer James McPherson.
FEMA Individual Assistance
As of September 19, FEMA’s Individual Assistance program has disbursed over $6.68 million in grants to eligible homeowners and renters, including:
$3.99 million for housing-related expenses such as home repair, replacement, and temporary rental assistance.
$2.69 million to cover personal property replacement and other critical needs, including transportation, childcare, medical, and dental expenses.
FEMA has also launched its Direct Housing program, with seven households now living in temporary travel trailers and 14 more in the process of being placed. The deadline to apply for federal disaster assistance is October 19, 2024.
Public Assistance
FEMA's Public Assistance (PA) program reimburses eligible disaster-related debris removal and emergency measures costs. This program is available to the state, counties, local governments, tribal nations, and certain non-profits, including houses of worship. So far, contractors have cleared 146,000 cubic yards of debris from impacted areas, equivalent to 14,000 dump trucks stretching 38 miles—the distance between Ruidoso and Tularosa.
The National Flood Insurance Program has settled over $1.74 million in claims for homeowners and businesses.
SBA Assistance
The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) has approved over $13.62 million in long-term, low-interest loans for disaster recovery. Of this, $11.5 million is allocated to homeowners and renters, while the remainder is designated for businesses and nonprofit organizations.
Business owners can apply online at lending.sba.gov or visit the SBA Business Recovery Center at the Ruidoso Public Library. The deadline for property damage applications is October 19, 2024, and for economic injury, March 20, 2025.
How to Apply for FEMA Assistance
Individuals and households impacted by the disaster can apply for federal assistance through several channels:
Visit disasterassistance.gov.
Download the FEMA mobile app.
Call the FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362 between 5 a.m. and 9 p.m. MT.
Visit the Disaster Recovery Center at the Horton Complex, 237 Service Road, Ruidoso, NM. The center is open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturdays from noon to 5 p.m.
For more information on FEMA's Individual Assistance program, visit fema.gov/assistance/individual.
For ongoing updates on New Mexico’s recovery efforts, visit fema.gov/disaster/4795 or follow FEMA Region 6 on social media platforms. The deadline to apply for FEMA assistance is October 19, 2024.