FARMERSVILLE, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) – Tulare County’s Disaster Recovery Center is now open to those whose lives and livelihoods were turned upside-down by this year’s floods.

It’s being operated by FEMA and the Small Business Administration, which aim to get people back on their feet. The site of the center is located at the Farmersville Civic Center and is a one-stop shop for all things recovery.

Representatives from FEMA, the Small Business Administration, and non-profits like the Red Cross are prepped and ready to go for anyone who has felt the impacts.

“When they come identify them, make them feel welcome, comfortable,” a FEMA rep told workers.

“Residents can apply for what is individual assistance. For example, they could have temporary housing, they could have funds to repair their homes, they could also have funds to clean up,” said Arlene Diaz, FEMA’s public information officer.

Diaz said levels of aid vary on a case-by-case basis, but added that you won’t know what you qualify for until you start the application process.

To do that you’ll need the following:

– A valid ID

– Social Security number

– Annual household income

– Contact information

– Insurance Information

– Bank account information

You can apply in person, online at disasterassistance.gov, or if you call 800-621-3362.

“If they do the application, they will need to expect that FEMA will be in contact with them. We have our inspectors in (the) field, they will be calling, and arranging maybe a meeting to visit their homes,” said Diaz.

Short-term help is available to impacted people and businesses from FEMA.

The Small Business Administration has taken charge of long-term recovery through 0% interest loans for 12 months, which could help affected homeowners, renters, businesses of any size, and private non-profits.

“For the first 12 months, your payments are deferred at this time. This is not a normal thing. And it’s 0% interest. So if you pay it off early, you basically have a 0% loan,” said Mary Bradfield, the public information officer for the U.S. Small Business Office of Disaster Recovery and Resilience.

The Disaster Recovery Center is open from 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Monday through Saturday and will stay open indefinitely, as more floods could come from record snowpack in the Sierra Nevada mountains.