Alaskans who have applied for disaster assistance funds from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and received a denial may still appeal, according to an agency update.
"This may not be the final decision as FEMA may simply require more information or additional supporting documentation from the applicant. Read your FEMA letter carefully to determine what else may be needed,” the update said.
Alaskans seeking an appeal may provide additional documentation of damages, including receipts and bills for eligible repairs; repair receipts from contractors or repair services; proof of ownership; or other information to substantiate an appeal.
From there, the agency may approve additional funding. Residents are eligible for FEMA disaster assistance of up to $44,800 per household for replacement of personal property, and $44,800 for repairing homes.
“Assistance with disaster-related needs such as subsistence equipment, snowmachines, stove oil, all-terrain vehicles, initial rental expenses, continued temporary housing assistance, home repairs, vehicle damage, medical expenses, moving, and storage may still be available,” the update said.
Applicants have 60 days to appeal, but may receive an extension on a case-by-case basis, a spokesperson for FEMA said by email on Oct. 6.
In the last year, Alaskans endured widespread disaster impacts with the largest and most devastating being from the remnants of Typhoon Halong that hit Western Alaska in October 2025. The storm affected 49 communities and caused catastrophic damage to Kipnuk and Kwigillingok. Hundreds of homes and structures were damaged or destroyed, and over 1,600 people displaced. Both communities have voted to relocate.
Following Typhoon Halong, a FEMA spokesperson said 2,632 Alaskans registered for federal assistance with 2,511 applicants receiving some assistance — 121 people were issued a denial.
There were 2,329 residents that applied for state assistance as of September 2026, said Jeremy Zidek, public information officer with the Alaska Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management on Oct. 5.
As of September, FEMA has obligated more than $75 million in individual and household assistance and $8.6 million in public assistance grants to the Typhoon Halong recovery effort, Zidek said.
“It never feels good to be denied, but FEMA has been a tremendous partner for us,” Zidek said. “So while there’s denials that FEMA has given us, there has been other support that has been tremendous and has made a major impact on the recovery effort and taking care of the Alaskans that have been impacted by the storm.”
As the one-year anniversary of the Western Alaska storms approaches next week, Zidek said that recovery is an incredibly complex and multilayered process with local, Tribal, federal, state, and non-profit organizations involved. Officials conducted site visits and some repairs and rebuilding took place this summer, but many residents are still displaced and long term recovery work is ongoing.
The disaster recovery effort is funded by a 75%-25% split between the Trump administration and the State of Alaska, after the federal government denied the state’s request to cover 100% of the costs of the first 90 days after the disaster. The state appealed, requesting 90% federal support, but its appeal was denied in May.
Zidek said FEMA has provided rental assistance for residents displaced from the disaster, totaling 189 households as of September. A FEMA spokesperson said housing assistance has totaled $22.7 million to date. The assistance will be provided through April 2027, and the state is preparing to request an extension for another year to 18 months, he said.
FEMA also denied the state permanent housing construction funding — additional funding beyond $44,800 per household for rebuilding. The state is also planning to appeal in the coming weeks, Zidek said. “We understand that constructing a home in Alaska, or rebuilding it in rural Alaska especially, $44,000 is not sufficient if your home has been completely destroyed or had major damage,” he said. “We’re going to appeal it at the state level, and we feel that we have strong justification for it.”
Zidek said FEMA has also provided funding for crisis counseling to provide mental health support to storm survivors, as well as airfare for up to four trips to the communities of Kipnuk and Kwigillingok for residents to work on repairs, make site visits with FEMA officials, and conduct subsistence activities.
Appeals may be submitted:
Online to DisasterAssistance.gov.
By mail: FEMA Individuals & Households Program, National Processing Center P.O. Box 10055 Hyattsville, MD 20782-8055.
By fax: (800) 827-8112, Attention: FEMA – Individuals & Households Program.
If an applicant is unable to submit their appeal, someone else can do it for them. FEMA will need the applicant’s written permission to share information about the application. Applicants can do this by completing an Authorization for the Release of Information Under the Privacy Act form and sending it to FEMA with your appeal paperwork.
Applicants will be notified in writing of the response to your appeal, either by mail or by logging into your DisasterAssistance.gov account.
