2023-2024 ReCoverCA SFRR Frequently Asked Questions

ReCoverCA is available to eligible homes in Monterey, San Benito, Santa Cruz, Tulare, Tuolumne and San Diego counties, and the Hoopa Valley Indian Reservation (ZIP code 95546).

Homeowners and landlords may be eligible if they meet the program's requirements.

Homeowners must currently own and occupy the damaged single-family home and must have owned and occupied it when the disaster occurred. Owner-occupant households may qualify if their household income is at or below 120% of the area median income (AMI).

Landlords who own an eligible single-family rental home may qualify. Landlords must have owned the home when the disaster occurred and must agree to rent it to a household with income at or below 80% AMI for the required affordability period.

Owner-occupant households may qualify if their household income is at or below 120% of the area median income (AMI).

Landlords are not subject to income eligibility criteria but are required to rent to tenants with household income at or below 80% AMI for the applicable affordability period. Landlord applicants with existing tenants whose household income is above 80% AMI are not eligible for Program assistance. HUD’s income limits are published on their website.

Single-family homes on a permanent foundation.

Mobile homes or manufactured housing units (MHUs) affixed to a permanent pad (leased or owned pad) with full working water and sewer/septic systems at the time of the disaster.

The following are not eligible:

• Duplexes, triplexes, fourplexes, apartment buildings and other multi-unit properties
• Condominiums
• Detached accessory structures, such as sheds and similar structures
• Container homes
• Recreational vehicles
• Houseboats
• Camper trailers
• Properties without utility connections

Yes. Landlords who own an eligible single-family rental home may qualify.

Landlords must have owned the home when the disaster occurred and must currently rent or agree to rent the home to a household with income at or below 80% AMI for the required affordability period. Landlord applicants with existing tenants must show that they are currently renting the home to a low- to moderate-income (LMI) tenant and that the maximum rent charged is at or below the 80% AMI Multifamily Tax Subsidy Projects (MTSP) Regular Income Rent Limit (PDF). Landlord applicants with existing tenants whose household income is above 80% AMI are not eligible for Program assistance.

Landlords are not eligible for reimbursement assistance.

No. Your home must have sustained damage from the disaster.

Yes. Applicants must currently own the damaged home and must have owned it when the disaster occurred.

No. Applicants must be the current owner of the home to receive program funds.

No. Liens or judgements do not need to be clear from title in order to be eligible for the program.

Properties held in a trust are reviewed on a case-by-case basis. Applicants will need to provide a copy of the complete trust agreement and all amendments to show the trust’s name, identification number (TIN, EIN, or SSN), the date the trust was created and amended, and the names of all trustors/grantors and trustees.

ReCoverCA establishes ownership by matching the owner’s name on the application with property tax records at the time of the disaster and currently.

It is possible that one property may have multiple deeded structures for which separate taxes are issued for each structure. Contact your Case Manager for a case-by-case review of your situation.

ReCoverCA does not provide assistance for more than one single-family residential unit on the same property. Properties zoned for multi-family use are not eligible.

ReCoverCA will review your application and inspect your property. The inspection will help the program determine the eligible damage, work that is needed, and estimated cost. ReCoverCA will use this information to determine what assistance may be available to you.

The maximum reconstruction award amount, including elevation when required, is $600,000.

The maximum rehabilitation and/or reimbursement award amount is $385,000.

There is no maximum award amount for flood insurance premium payments. However, flood insurance assistance is available for up to two years for eligible low- and moderate-income applicants.

Program assistance is provided as a grant.

Yes. Your property must have at least $8,000 in eligible disaster-related damage. Other program eligibility requirements also apply.

ReCoverCA will review your application and inspect your property. The program will use the inspection findings and other information to determine the eligible work and estimate the cost. For manufactured or mobile homes, ReCoverCA will determine whether repair or replacement is appropriate based on the home's condition and program requirements.

All conditional grant award, final grant award, zero award and ineligibility letters will include the process to appeal those program determinations. This process is also detailed in the program’s Policies and Procedures.

Yes. A previous denial from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) or the Small Business Administration (SBA) does not necessarily mean you are ineligible for ReCoverCA. Each program has different eligibility requirements. If you meet ReCoverCA’s eligibility criteria, you are encouraged to apply so your circumstances can be evaluated under the ReCoverCA program.

Being involved in active litigation does not mean you should automatically rule yourself out of ReCoverCA. Any settlement proceeds may be considered a Duplication of Benefits if they are for the same purpose as ReCoverCA assistance. This may reduce the amount of ReCoverCA assistance you receive.

Homeowners with properties in certain flood zones may still be eligible to apply. However, the type of assistance available depends on the property’s location and the extent of the damage.

• Reconstruction: Homes eligible for reconstruction will be elevated if they are located in a Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA), also known as the 100-year floodplain, or in the 500-year floodplain.
• Rehabilitation: Homes eligible for rehabilitation will not be elevated if they are in an SFHA and the cost of rehabilitation is less than 50% of the home’s pre-disaster assessed value.
• Reimbursement: Homeowners whose home is located in a SFHA and meet FEMA’s definition of “substantially damaged,” but who did not elevate when they repaired or reconstructed the home, are not eligible for reimbursement assistance.
• Floodways: Homes located in a floodway are not eligible for rehabilitation, reconstruction, or reimbursement assistance.

If you are unsure which flood zone your property is in or how these requirements apply to your situation, you should still consider applying to determine whether you qualify.

The program will rely on FEMA’s flood maps to determine if a home is located in a flood zone or floodway.

Eligible low- and moderate-income households may receive assistance with flood insurance premiums for up to two years. If your property is in a Special Flood Hazard Area, you may also be required to obtain and maintain flood insurance for as long as required by federal law.

Yes. If you partially repaired your home before applying, ReCoverCA may be able to consider both the work you have already completed and the repairs that are still needed. The program will inspect your home to determine what work is eligible. Completed work must be verified through an inspection or other acceptable documentation.

No. Do not begin or continue proposed repair or rebuilding work after applying until ReCoverCA completes the required environmental review and gives you approval to proceed. Starting or continuing work before approval may make those costs ineligible for assistance.

ReCoverCA may reimburse certain eligible expenses for homes that were damaged by the disaster and repaired, reconstructed or replaced before applying for assistance.

Reimbursement is not based on the actual amount you paid. ReCoverCA uses industry-standard cost estimates for eligible materials and labor to determine the amount of eligible reimbursement.

Your home will be inspected to verify completed construction activities and disaster-related damage. If an inspector cannot verify the damage or completed work, you may be required to provide receipts or other documentation.

When required, applicants must provide proof of a Certificate of Occupancy before receiving reimbursement.

If you are applying for reimbursement only and your home is in a Special Flood Hazard Area, you must provide proof of flood insurance coverage when you apply.

No. Reimbursement is based on ReCoverCA's cost estimates for eligible work, not the actual amount you paid. You may receive less than you paid.

Eligible applicants with incomes at or below 80% AMI may receive relocation assistance if ReCoverCA-funded construction requires them to temporarily leave their home. Relocation assistance is intended for displacement caused by program construction.

A duplication of benefit (DOB) occurs when someone receives disaster assistance from multiple sources for the same recovery purpose, and the total assistance received for that purpose is more than the total need.

ReCoverCA reviews other disaster assistance you received to determine whether it duplicates assistance for the same recovery need. Any amount determined to be a duplication of benefits may be deducted from your eligible need and may need to be remitted to the program-managed escrow account.

It may. ReCoverCA reviews assistance you received from FEMA, insurance, SBA loans and other sources to determine whether it duplicates assistance for the same recovery need. Any amount determined to be a duplication of benefits may be deducted from your eligible need.

If you received disaster assistance from other sources for structural repair, it may be excluded from a DOB if that assistance was used for its intended purpose. Common sources of disaster assistance include:

• Repair/replacement funding from FEMA
• SBA loans
• Homeowners or flood insurance payouts
• Settlement proceeds
• Assistance from non-profit organizations
• Other local or state disaster recovery programs.

ReCoverCA will review the documents and information available to determine whether an individual source of assistance counts as a duplication of benefits.

Yes. It is recommended that you save your receipts to demonstrate that disaster assistance funds were used to replace or repair certain items damaged or destroyed by the disaster. ReCoverCA will review available documents and information when calculating a duplication of benefits.

Yes. You can still apply. Each application will be reviewed to determine whether previous assistance was used as intended and whether funds were received for the same purpose.

If a duplication of benefits creates a gap in funding because FEMA funds were not used for their intended purpose, you may still proceed if the gap can be filled through other means, such as providing your own funding or reducing the scope of work.

If you applied for and received an SBA loan after the disaster, only the amount received or still available will count as DOB. Any amount that was declined or cancelled will not be counted as DOB.

Proceeds taken by a mortgage company as a forced mortgage payoff do not count as a duplication of benefits. Applicants must provide documentation to the program showing that the mortgage payoff was not voluntary.

No. However, ReCoverCA offers a selection of approved home designs and manufactured housing options that you can choose from. Available options depend on factors such as the size of your damaged home, the number of people in your household and applicable occupancy requirements.

The program also adheres to Minimum Architectural and Design Standards.

Only reconstructed homes can be elevated.

Applicants eligible for reconstruction will be elevated if they are located in a Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA), also known as the 100-year floodplain, or in the 500-year floodplain.

Rehabilitation homes in an SFHA will not be elevated when the cost of rehabilitation is less than 50% of the home's pre-disaster assessed value. If rehabilitation costs are more than 50% of the pre-disaster assessed value, ReCoverCA will consider reconstruction and elevation.

Yes. Depending on the condition of your home and program requirements, ReCoverCA may be able to repair or replace an eligible manufactured or mobile home. ReCoverCA will inspect the home and determine whether repair or replacement is appropriate.

Replacement assistance may include:

• Removing the damaged home
• Preparing the site
• Rebuilding the foundation
• Elevating the home when required

ReCoverCA may only cover repairs to the original manufactured home and permitted additions and porches that are required for entry and exit. Carports and other attached structures may not be eligible for assistance. ReCoverCA will determine what is eligible during the inspection.

Usually, no. The replacement home generally must be placed where the damaged home was located.

An exception may apply if the damaged home was in a mobile home park that permanently closed because of the disaster. The new location must be approved by ReCoverCA, and you must own the new land or lease a new space in a mobile home park.

ReCoverCA does not purchase new land.