Among the hundreds of people affected by the Los Angeles wildfires who are turning to GoFundMe for disaster relief, some may no longer qualify for specific forms of FEMA assistance.
In an Instagram post, state Sen. Sasha Renee Perez addressed concerns from individuals affected by the Eaton Fire, and whether their fundraising page may prevent them from getting federal aid. This is because, by law, FEMA cannot duplicate benefits received from another source for the same disaster-related expense, such as replacing a car. Doing so would require individuals to pay back the aid received from the agency.
“First, yes you may have both,” Perez said in a statement. “You want to ensure your GoFundMe is focused on raising for general relief. Example: Joe was impacted by this crisis and needs support covering unexpected cost.”
While the agency is not currently checking individual fundraisers to determine whether they have received duplicate benefits, recipients of GoFundMe fundraisers can avoid future payback risks by utilizing their funds for items separate from their FEMA aid. Each household can qualify for a maximum grant award of $43,600 from two different “pots” of federal relief. One focuses on housing assistance, including home repair or replacement, while the second addresses other needs such as recovering loss of personal property and medical care.
“In this disaster, the amount of money people would be eligible for from FEMA to jump start their recovery is not going to make them whole,” said Brandi Richard Thompson, a Public Affairs Officer for FEMA. “So we encourage individuals to use every resource to get on their feet and do what’s best for them.”
Thompson said it’s unlikely the assistance received from other sources will result in a duplicate benefit from FEMA, unless it’s very specific.