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FEMA denying help to many hurricane victims with major damage

FEMA says to appeal with a written letter
Posted at 6:08 PM, Oct 13, 2017
and last updated 2017-10-13 18:08:19-04

Some people applying for FEMA assistance are getting denied for all kinds of reasons. 

We talked to Brenda Wilber a couple weeks ago while she was living in a tent and waiting for FEMA to come look at her home. 

Today Brenda is still living in a tent and says she was denied help to replace her uninsured home.

Wilber said, "FEMA is not going to pay me for my home because I didn’t have the title in my name and I was making payments on it."

FEMA did give Brenda some money for the damage inside of her home, but she says its not enough to start over. 

She said, "How will I recover? I don’t know. It’s taking time in a tent."

A month ago, Terrie Altman showed us how a tree fell on the bed she was sleeping in during the storm. 

Terrie’s insurance paid for a new trailer but she did not have internal coverage, and lost nearly everything from rain damage. So she applied for FEMA assistance.

Altman said,"I got a denial letter saying I would have to appeal but I would have to have proof of this that, this that, and I don’t have all that!" 

FEMA says if you are denied assistance and believe that you should’ve received help, you need to appeal the decision.  To appeal you need a written letter of appeal and evidence including receipts your insurance policy, and pictures if you have any. 

Brenda Wilber says she’s not chancing it again. "A pull along trailer is what I’m looking for, for a home. That way I can pull it on out of here if a storm comes along and I don’t have to lose everything again."