Attachment 7 IHP Inspection Guidelines.docx

IHP Inspection Guidelines

Attachment 7

Federal Emergency Management Agency Virginia National Processing Services Center Winchester, VA 22603

IHP INSPECTION GUIDELINES

DR - -

Inspection Contractor – Government Task Monitors – Inspection Services Coordinator – Incident Type – Incident Period – Presidential Declared Date – Governors Declaration of State of Emergency-

STANDARD OF CONDUCT / CONFLICT OF INTEREST

Inspectors, employed by or under contract to FEMA to perform Individual Assistance inspections, shall not be part of any trade or financial transactions involving the purchase or sale of any real or personal property belonging to an applicant or household member who is assigned for inspection or being inspected by the designated inspector. Inspectors shall not conduct an inspection on a family member, friends, or business associates dwelling where a conflict of interest may arise. When there is a conflict of interest with the applicant do not perform the inspection; select the “Conflict” button located on the Schedule Inspections screen to return the inspection to the host for reassignment.

REGISTRATION INFORMATION SCREEN

NAME, ADDRESS, PHONE NUMBERS, AND E-MAIL ADDRESS

· Verify and make any needed changes to the applicant’s name, damaged dwelling address, county, current mailing address, and phone numbers.

· Comment when a complete name or address change is made.

· Changes to the applicant’s name may be performed when a household member 18 years of age or older is present and the request is directed through the original applicant’s discretion. Customarily this is only performed when the original applicant is unable to verify occupancy and/or ownership and a household member can provide verification in their name. It is necessary to accurately record social security numbers when making a name change.

· If the damaged dwelling address is not the applicant’s primary address, correct the address and perform the inspection on the applicant’s primary residence.

· A post office box for the damaged dwelling address is not acceptable and must be changed to the physical address of the dwelling (911 Address).

VERIFY EXISTING INSURANCE COVERAGE

· Ask every applicant if they have insurance, and add all additional insurance types indicated by the applicant, including coverage for Transportation, Medical, Dental and Funeral; when an unmet need is claimed by the applicant.

· When you view a cancellation letter dated prior to the disaster, delete the cancelled insurance type. There is a required comment with the date the insurance was cancelled. This is the only situation where insurance should be deleted.

· When recording damages caused by flood, sewer backup or earthquake, confirm whether or not the applicant has a rider and/or a separate policy for flood, sewer backup or earthquake damages; if confirmed, add or edit the insurance type.

· When the dwelling is a mobile home, Homeowner’s Insurance is listed, and the applicant clearly has a mobile home policy, change the Homeowner’s Insurance to Mobile Home Insurance.

· If an applicant claims fire only as an insurance policy use the Homeowner’s Insurance type.

OCCUPANCY TYPE

Not Primary Residence

· Ask the applicant if they had any disaster related damage at their primary residence; if “Yes”, correct the address and perform the inspection on the applicant’s primary residence.

· For all “Not Primary Residence” determinations obtain signatures when possible and comment on the reason and return as “Done/Complete.”

· Select “Not Primary Residence” if the applicant states that the damaged dwelling is not their primary residence but does have disaster related unmet needs (medical, dental, funeral, transportation). Record the size of residence as 10 square feet, bedrooms occupied as 1, household composition as 1, and number requiring clothing as 0. Address foundation and dwelling type, record habitability repairs required as “No” and address all Unmet Needs fields. Save the inspection as a Done/Complete.

OWNERSHIP VERIFIED

Displays a list of valid methods for verifying ownership, if you select one of these methods, you are saying that you viewed the document.

If the applicant does not hold formal title to the dwelling but meets the following conditions, change the applicant from renter to owner and perform the inspection as an owner:

1) The applicant pays no rent, and:

2) The applicant has lifetime occupancy rights with formal title vested in another (you must view a notarized document), or the applicant is responsible for all dwelling maintenance and/or taxes (you must view receipts for repairs or taxes.)

· Change the applicant from owner to renter only if the applicant states they are a renter or you have viewed rent receipts.

· Ownership can be verbally verified by calling the tax office or through official tax office websites. There is a required comment with the name and phone number of the person you spoke to at the tax office or the website used for verification.

· If the applicant claims they are the owner and all means to verify ownership have been exhausted, select “not verified” for ownership and complete the inspection as an owner. A comment is required.

· When a mortgage payment book is used to verify ownership record the name of the mortgage company, the loan number, and phone number in the Mortgage Information box and verify all types of insurance.

· When insurance is used to verify ownership record the policy number, insurance company, insurance type, and agent’s name and phone number in the Insurance Information box.

· Perform a second site visit if the applicant is not able to verify ownership at the time of the inspection and the applicant states that they will be able to provide acceptable documentation within a reasonable amount of time. An unsuccessful attempt to verify ownership with the tax office does not take the place of this requirement.

OCCUPANCY VERIFIED

Displays a list of valid methods for verifying occupancy, if you select one of these methods, you are stating that you viewed the document.

· Record occupancy as verified only if the applicant lived in the damaged dwelling at the time of the disaster. You are not expected to prove “Intent to Occupy”. For instance, if the dwelling was under construction or remodeling at the time of the disaster, and the applicant lived elsewhere, complete the inspection as normal, and record occupancy as “Not Verified” with a brief comment as to the situation.

· Verbal verification of occupancy is acceptable only when the applicant doesn’t have supporting documents. In these cases you must attempt to obtain verbal verification of occupancy by either the landlord or the utility company. Record in comments the Landlord’s /Utility Company’s name and phone number when occupancy is verified verbally.

· When the applicant claims that the dwelling is their primary residence but all means to verify occupancy have been exhausted, record occupancy as “Not Verified” and perform a complete inspection. There is a required comment when recording occupancy as “Not Verified”.

APPLICANT’S SIGNATURE AND DECLARATION

The applicant or another adult member of the pre-disaster household must sign the Delaration and Release form after that person shows their photo identification. Verify the applicant’s name and address and make corrections if necessary. Provide a blank Delaration and Release form to the applicant so they can read it and choose one of the three declaration statuses at the top. Based on the applicant’s choice, select the appropriate declaration. Select the create form button, which will display an electronic copy of the Declaration and Release form pre-populated with information from the Registration Screen. Present the electronic form to the applicant for their review and signature and save the form.

· Obtain signatures for all initial inspections, with the exception of No Contact, Withdrawn, and Inaccessible inspections when you are unable to meet with the applicant or obtain via fax.

· If the applicant’s declaration is “Qualified Alien” there are two options:

1. If the applicant is the qualified alien, select their name and create the form.

2. If the applicant is not lawfully present and is the parent of a minor child who is lawfully present, add or select the child who is lawfully present and create the form. No further comment or investigation is required.

· If the applicant will not choose any of three declaration options, select “No”, create the form, and present it to the applicant to sign. A comment is required.

· If the applicant refuses to sign the form, select “Not Obtained” and perform the inspection. A comment is required.

· Obtain signatures only from members of the pre-disaster household 18 years of age or older. (Exception: if the head of the household is younger than 18 years of age, obtain their signature and perform the inspection. A comment is required.)

· If no photo ID is available, perform the inspection and comment “no photo ID.”

· If the third-party option is used obtain the applicant’s signature via fax, select the applicant’s declaration, and write “faxed” in the Delaration and Release Form signature block. A comment is required.

· Obtain signatures for all subsequent inspections that are performed with a different household member than that of the original inspection. This requires creating new form.

HOUSEHOLD COMPOSITION

Record the number of household members who resided in the dwelling at the time of the event. Do not include boarders, renters or live-in landlords who have a commercial relationship with the applicant.

NUMBER OF BEDROOMS OCCUPIED

Record the number of bedrooms occupied at the time of the event for the applicant and the members of the household. Do not count renter or boarder occupied bedrooms. This number will not necessarily agree with the number of bedrooms indicated on your room inspection, but will not exceed household composition.

NUMBER OF PEOPLE REQUIRING CLOTHING

Address the disaster-related clothing need of the applicant and household members. Do not record damages to stored clothing. Record both quantity and cause of damage in the fields provided. If clothing is recorded, choose the appropriate means by which the clothing need was verified: either “Viewed During Inspection” or “Verbal Damage Supports Claim”. Do NOT record Clothing if unable to verify loss. Do not select “Not Verified, Losses Not Supported by Damages”. Clothing is not to be recorded unless the clothing is destroyed, physically gone (e.g. blown away), or contaminated by chemicals, sewer backup, etc. It is expected that clothing that is soaked by wind driven rain, seepage, or flood waters will be cleaned by the applicant. Limit of 1 per household member that has a clothing need.

COMMENTS SCREEN

Use this screen for any required comments and clarification comments. The Host Action flag is found on this screen. Inspections that warrant FEMA manual review must have this flag set to “Yes”. A comment is always required when you select the Flag for Host Review button.

DWELLING INFORMATION SCREEN

OCCUPANTS

The occupants section should include all occupants 18 years of age or older who lived in the dwelling at the time of the event along with their age and relationship status if available, to include boarders, renters, and live-in landlords.

HIGH WATER FLOOR

Record the high water mark, and on which floor it was located.

FOUNDATION/DWELLING

Record whether there is a basement, crawl space, slab, etc. as well as the number of stories in the dwelling. If “Other” is selected a comment is required.

TYPE OF RESIDENCE

If the type of residence is "Other", comment on what "Other" means (i.e. Other = Tent).

SIZE OF RESIDENCE

Enter the total square footage of the dwelling, including the basement, as the size of residence. Exclude the following areas: garages, porches, unoccupied outbuildings, crawlspaces and enclosed areas separated from the main living area by a locking exterior door (enclosed porches, Florida rooms, etc).

If a renter occupies any portion of the owner’s dwelling, the size of residence in the owner’s inspection will include the renter’s occupied area. If the renter’s occupied area is separate and totally self-contained, such as a basement apartment or attic apartment with separate entrance/exit, such areas will be considered apartments and not part of the owner’s dwelling.

REAL PROPERTY SCREENS

· OWNERS: record all real property damage to the entire dwelling as it existed immediately following the disaster.

· RENTERS: Do not record real property line items for renters except when verifying the following conditions: permanent/non-permanent foundations for travel trailers, incomplete inspections, and student dorms. If all habitability repairs have been completed, comment “repairs made” and record Habitability Repairs Required as “no”.

· Record a quantity and cause of damage for each line item.

· All rooms must be addressed with function as well as location (i.e. bedroom/second floor, bathroom/second floor, or kitchen/first floor).

· Line item guidance: Refer to the “item info” screens in the palm pad if you have a question about what is included in a repair item.

· See exceptions below to the guidance of recording all real property.

REAL PROPERTY EXCEPTIONS

Condominiums / Cooperatives - A condominium / Co-op is defined as a unit typically within a multiunit structure (apartment building or town house complex) that is owned by the applicant. For all condominiums, record damages from the drywall in. When a condo owner’s unit has damages affecting habitability that are not within the “drywall in” parameter, such as damages to common areas or essential mechanical components, record Habitability Repairs Required as “Yes” with Habitability Repairs Required reason “Forced To Relocate”. If the applicant was forced to relocate there is a required comment with the condo representative’s name, phone number, and expected duration of displacement.

If the condo is completely destroyed, record residence rebuild along with the required comment describing the damage. Most condominiums have a master insurance policy that covers common areas and structural components; do not record insurance to address the master policy. Address all insurance types that the applicant has for their individual unit. On an appeal inspection for a condo, specific instructions will be downloaded.

Garages and outbuildings – Use the debris remove line item to address damage to garages and outbuildings only if the damage to these structures creates a hazard and impacts habitability.

· Only record damages to attached garages that affects the integrity of the dwelling. For example, damaged drywall and insulation on the common wall should be addressed.

· Only record damages to unattached garages that contain necessary and functional appliances or mechanical units: water heater, furnace, washer, and dryer.

· Only record damages to unoccupied outbuildings or sheds that contain necessary and functional appliances or mechanical units. Record up to five lump sums to repair or replace the affected structures.

Basements - A basement is defined as an enclosed area of the dwelling where any portion of the exterior wall or concrete floor is below grade. Below ground level condominiums, garden apartments, and split level homes are excluded from the definition of a basement. When the cause of damage is flood, sewer backup, ground saturation/seepage, do not record interior doors, floor covering, drywall or paint in a basement, except in rooms that are required for the occupation of the dwelling, and no other room in the dwelling meets the need. For example, if an unoccupied bedroom on the 1st floor can be used in lieu of the basement bedroom, the basement bedroom would be considered non-essential. The foundation, furnace, water heater, main panel, electrical and other structural components will still be within the repair scope of work.

· For non-essential rooms located in the basement, use the debris remove line item (for damaged cabinets, interior doors, drywall and floor coverings etc.) to address damaged real property that is not to be recorded. Do not exceed five cubic yards unless conditions exist that require the removal of mud and debris deposits.

· Record the line item “Remove Fixture/Cap Drain” to address non-essential plumbing fixtures (one per fixture).

· If there is an essential bedroom in the basement, an associated bathroom in the basement will also be addressed as essential.

· Personal property appliances – Record the appropriate level of damage for appliances and furnishings that are located in the basement. Do not record any stored personal property.

· If the applicant’s only occupied floor is below-grade, address the room location as first floor and the foundation as slab; in this case all rooms are considered essential.

LUMP SUM

· Use lump sums to address disaster-related repairs which do not have a matching line item.

· Comment any time lump sums are recorded.

· Do not use lump sums to record things that are not directly related to repair of the home. For instance, don’t record hotel expenses using lump sums. Each lump sum is $100.

SERVICE CALL

Use if the extent of damage is unknown and a professional will be needed to prepare an estimate. A service call cannot be used in conjunction with real property specs in the same category. Service calls are not to be used on Appeal inspections.

CAUSE OF DAMAGE

· Record the cause of damage for all real and personal property line items.

· When recording the invalid incident type of fire, confirm the fire was disaster-related by viewing the fire report or speaking to the Fire Marshall /Official. There is a required comment with the fire department contact name, phone number, incident report and date of the fire. Inspections with invalid incident types must be flagged for FEMA manual review.

· Do not use “Other” as a cause of damage.

IMPORTANT NOTICE FOR CAUSE OF DAMAGE

Due to the National Flood Insurance Reform Act, recording “Flood" as the cause of damage may result in a life-long requirement that the applicant maintain flood insurance, for this reason, it is important that the inspector record "Flood" only when damage occurred as a result of true flooding. Definitions are as follows:

DEFINITIONS OF FLOOD:

Flood - A general and temporary condition of partial or complete inundation of normally dry land areas from overflow of inland or tidal waters or from the unusual and rapid accumulation or runoff of surface waters from any source. Record "Flood" when landslide, mudflow, sewer backup, or seepage is caused by flood.

DEFINITIONS THAT DO NOT MEET THE CRITERIA OF FLOOD:

Wind-driven rain, seepage and sewer backup (not caused by flood) do not fit the definition of “Flood." It must be "rising water from overflowing water sources."

Seepage - There is no accumulation of water such as runoff or surface water from any source surrounding the dwelling. Water entered the dwelling from below ground sources, and there was no general condition of flooding.

DESTROYED

If an applicant’s home is completely destroyed, based on the residence type you must record one of the following line items: “Residence Rebuild’; “Mobile Home Replace”; or “Travel Trailer Replace”. The unit of measure for these line items is one each. Additionally, you must indicate “Destroyed” in the Reasons for Habitability Repairs Required checkbox and provide a comment with a description of the structural damage. Examples: “Destroyed = dwelling blown away, only slab remains, Destroyed = mobile home off foundation/frame bent, etc.” A condemnation notice does not necessarily indicate the dwelling is destroyed per FEMA standards.

Items permissible to be recorded with a destroyed dwelling include: wells, septic field, power pole, debris remove, tree removal, road and bridge, retaining walls creating hazards, and travel trailer fixed foundation line items.

ACCESS/DEBRIS

Clean and Sanitize - Clean and sanitize is a square footage item. Record this line item as the area that needs to be cleaned. This may also be used to address other surfaces such as basement walls that need to be cleaned. Only use clean and sanitize when the home has been affected by sewer backup, mudflow, floodwaters containing contaminants, or when there is heavy disaster related soot, or ash.

BOAT ITEMS

Boat repairs are intended to restore the boat to habitability only. Do not record repairs necessary to restore the boat to seaworthiness. Use the “residence rebuild” line item to address destroyed boats. If the boat can be confirmed to be sunk and is not accessible, record a service call in the boat category and address the habitability call as “Yes”. Personal property will be addressed verbally based on the applicant’s statements. There is a required comment with the harbor master or local official’s name and phone number who confirmed that the boat sank due to the disaster

ELECTRICAL

Do not use the "Generator, Replace" real property line item in this category unless the generator was the sole source of power for the home prior to the disaster (i.e. an off the grid home) and was hard-wired. Do not record the real property line item “Generator, Replace” to address a portable generator. When a pre-existing portable (i.e. 5.5 KW) generator is the sole source of power, use the personal property line item.

Fresh water inundation leaving mud/silt deposits and/or flood debris alone is not justification for panel replacement. If a main panel or auxiliary panel has been physically damaged or inundated with any type of salt water, address the panel as “replace”.

FLOORS/WALLS/CEILINGS

Drywall Replace includes removal, replacement, and taping (finishing). Paint is not included and must be recorded separately. When the cause of damage is flood, sewer backup or seepage calculate the amount of damaged wall area by rounding up in two foot increments from the recorded high water mark. For example, if the high water mark is nine inches, drywall and insulation will be recorded using a height of two feet in the calculations. Paneling will be addressed in the same manner.

FOUNDATION/MASONRY

None of the foundation repairs include an allowance for utility connections. Use lump sums in the appropriate utility category to address these connections. Do not use the "Utilities, Reconnect" found in the "Mobile Home" category when repairing foundations.

GENERAL

Do not record “Roof Covering, Replace” simply because the dwelling has suffered interior damage from wind driven rain. It is not uncommon for new leaks to occur through older (deferred maintenance) roofs, to be blown up under shingles, through vents, etc. There are numerous ways that wind driven rain can enter the dwelling without any damage occurring to the roof.

HEATING

Use line items to record all damaged heat sources for the dwelling regardless of sole or primary source. If the sole source of heat for the dwelling is a space heater, utilize the “heater, portable, replace” line item in real property.

MOBILE HOMES

Utilities, Reconnect – This line item is an “EACH” item per utility. For instance, if water, sewer and electricity need to be reconnected, record 3 each for this line item. Use only on mobile homes.

ROADS and BRIDGES Single and Multi-family roads and bridges are recorded separately. When recording damage to a solely owned road use the Single Family Road and Bridge category. When recording damage to a private road with shared responsibility use the Multi-family Road and Bridge category. If an applicant has damage to both a multifamily road and a solely owned access drive record damages in their respective categories. Road and bridge damage will be recorded only to the extent needed to provide drivable access and not necessarily to the pre-disaster condition.

If you are able to record repair line items to restore access, do not record the dwelling as "Inaccessible", even if you can’t get to the dwelling to record damages to the home. In this situation, record visible road damages and select the incomplete inspection line item. If the private road is not drivable due to washouts, etc., and requires repairs the proper indication would be Habitability Repairs Required = “Yes”. Record only repairs needed to restore access to a maximum width of 10 feet for roads for a single family dwelling and to 15 feet for multifamily roads. Bridges will be repaired to a maximum width of 10 feet. If the road was not 10 (or 15) feet wide prior to the disaster, repair only to the pre-disaster width.

NOTE: Some bridge components may not be damaged and can be reused. In this case, use lump sums under the appropriate road and bridge category to reset bridge components.

MULTIFAMILY ACCESS CONCERNS

Record all damages affecting the applicant's access in line items as specified above. Record other affected applicant(s) names and registration numbers as available, in comments, as well as if the applicant is a member of a Homeowner's Association.

SPEED ESTIMATING

When there is a consistent water level throughout the dwelling speed estimating can be used for drywall, insulation, paint, floor covering, subfloor, clean and sanitize, and outlets and switches. Accurately measuring the square footage of the dwelling is critical when using speed estimating. Speed estimating cannot be used when the water level is in the basement. Factors for individual line items are located in the item info screens.

UTILITIES

Only wells that have collapsed or dried up as result of the disaster will be replaced. If replacing a well, record the pre-disaster depth of the well. The “Well, Replace” line item only includes the cost to drill and case the well. Well pump should be addressed separately if needed.

Hand-dug wells that are rendered inoperable as result of the disaster will be addressed with the “Utility Service Call” line item with a comment describing the well damage.

WINDOWS/DOORS

Record the windows and doors that have been damaged as a result of the disaster, with the exception of interior doors in non-essential basement rooms when the cause of damage is flood, seepage, or sewer backup. Please refer to the Basement section for further information.

PERSONAL PROPERTY SCREENS

For owners and renters, personal property damages will be recorded as they existed immediately following the event.

VISUAL VERIFICATIONS

· When personal property room furnishings and appliances are observed during the inspection and are not damaged, record the item as “Not Affected” and select “Viewed During Inspection” from the Loss Verification dropdown.

· When personal property room furnishings and appliances are observed during the inspection and are damaged, record the item as “Repair” or “Replace” and select “Viewed During Inspection” from the Loss Verification dropdown.

VERBAL VERIFICATIONS

· This applies to all rooms and personal property appliance line items.

· When you are unable to see the item but the evidence supports the claim that the disaster caused the loss: record the appropriate level of damage on the personal property screen and select “Verbal Damage Supports Claim” from the Loss Verification dropdown.

· When you are unable to see the item and the lack of evidence does not support the claim, the applicant stated they removed undamaged personal property, or the applicant denies access to certain rooms in the dwelling record the item as not affected and select “Not Verified. Losses Not Supported by Damages” from the Loss Verification dropdown.

General information

· For appliances, only one additional “like kind” appliance need be recorded if “Not Affected”. Example: Applicant owns 4 televisions, 1 is destroyed and 3 are undamaged, record 1 television as “Replace” and 1 television as “Not Affected”. Do not record the additional undamaged televisions.

· Record living rooms, bedrooms, bathrooms and kitchens as they are furnished and damaged – for instance, if an unoccupied bedroom is furnished as a bedroom and all furnishings need to be replaced, record it as a Bedroom Replace. The standard bedroom consists of a twin bed, dressers, nightstand, lamp and bedding.

· Any room furnished with standard living room furnishings (i.e. couch, chair, coffee table, lamps.) will be recorded as a living room with the appropriate cause of damage and level of damage. This is regardless of whether the applicant refers to it as a “family room” etc. It is entirely acceptable to have multiple living rooms in the dwelling if there are multiple rooms furnished as living rooms.

· The bathroom furnishings include personal hygiene items, linens, shower curtain and rod.

· The kitchen furnishings include pots and pans, dishes, silverware, and small appliances.

NOTE:

Renters are the same as for owners with one exception:

· Record landlord supplied appliances and furnishings as “Landlord Owned”. If the applicant owns the same appliance supplied by the landlord and has access to the landlord supplied appliance, do not record the applicant’s appliance.

Testing Appliances – Before recording repair or replace for any appliance, you must first test it to see if it functions, regardless of the cause of damage. See exceptions below.

· If the appliance is functioning at the time of the inspection record it as “Not Affected”.

· If there is physical evidence that the appliance has been damaged, such as inundation or major physical damage, you do not need to test it and should record the appropriate level of damage.

· If you are unable to test appliances, record them as “Not Affected” and comment – “Washer, unable to test, no power to DD”.

· If you cannot test an appliance, but there is evidence that indicates the appliance may be damaged as a result of the disaster, the Appliance Service Call line item will be used with a level of damage of “Repair”. Limit of 1 per inspection.

ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) line items – The ADA line items are used to address personal property that is specific to applicants with disabilities. These line items are only to be recorded when they were present pre-disaster. Current list of ADA items include ADA accessible raised toilet seat, ADA accessible refrigerator, ADA accessible washer, ADA accessible bed and ADA computer.

Travel Trailers/Motor Homes/Boats - This guidance applies to all travel trailer/ motor home / boat inspections (including standard tow behind, 5th wheel type, slide-ins, and pop ups), the maximum level of damage for bedroom and living room furnishings is “Repair X”. If the unit is destroyed, record the range and refrigerator as not affected since they are built in appliances.

Continue to separate landlord owned and applicant owned personal property for renters. For all travel trailer inspections, determine if the unit is on a permanent foundation (free of wheels and affixed to a foundation) and select the corresponding line item in the mobile home category.

Power Surge – Prior to recording any personal property appliance as damaged by power surge, you must first test the appliance. If the appliance functions, record the item as “Not Affected” with a cause of damage “Power Surge”. If you are unable to test the appliance because power is out at the time of the inspection, record the item as “Not Affected” with cause of damage Power Surge, and comment “Unable to test range, refrigerator, etc – power out”. If recording an appliance as damaged from power surge, there is a required comment on the evidence that supported the claim.

Furnishings – Do not record a “Repair X” level of damage simply because furnishings have been affected by the disaster. If the furnishings only require additional housework on the part of the applicant, record them as Not Affected. “Repair X” for furnishings is restricted to when the furnishings would require professional cleaning techniques. This would typically occur when they have been flooded with contaminants or sewer backup, or have been affected with substantial soot and smoke damages.

Dining Table/Chairs - Do not use the Room Furnishings level of damage in the dining room to address the everyday table and chairs. There is a line item in the personal property screens to address them, regardless of their actual location in the home.

Bedrooms and Twin Beds – The bedroom line item includes an allowance for a single twin bed for a single occupant. If there were two or more occupants of a damaged bedroom, add an additional twin bed line item for each additional occupant with the appropriate level of damage. Example: If there are two children in a bedroom and all furnishings were destroyed, record bedroom Replace and one twin bed Replace. The same guidance would apply to a couple occupying a double bed.

Applicants residing in the same Dwelling – Applicants who have a commercial relationship with an owner or Head of Household are Renters or Boarders. Applicants without a commercial relationship with an owner or Head of Household are household members.

· Owner’s Inspection: Record rooms solely occupied by a boarder as “Boarder Occupied”. Do not record personal property or transportation owned by the boarder.

· Boarder’s Inspection: Record all rooms occupied by the boarder as they are furnished and the personal property that they own. Record rooms solely occupied by the owner and the owner’s personal property as “Landlord Owned”.

· Renter’s Inspection: When two or more renters share the same dwelling, list all rooms claimed by the applicant. Record rooms occupied by the other renter as “Landlord Owned”.

· Household Member’s Inspection: For applicants that do not have a commercial relationship with the Head of Household and apply separately, address their damages the same way as a Boarder. Household composition will include all members who resided in the dwelling at the time of the event.

Infant Personal Property - Do not record infant personal property when there is not an essential need in the household. For example, if a crib and a stroller are damaged and there are no infants in the household, do not record these items.

Stored Personal Property – Do not record any stored personal property as part of the initial inspection. For instance, if the applicant claims damage to furniture in a storage unit, do not record this as personal property line items.

Duplicate Items – If an applicant owns a generator or chainsaw that is damaged by the disaster, address the item in the personal property appliance section. If an applicant did not own a generator or chainsaw prior to the disaster but purchased one in response to the disaster, follow the guidance in the Unmet Needs / Miscellaneous Purchases section.

UNMET NEEDS SCREEN

Ask every applicant about disaster-related unmet needs. If the applicant reports a disaster-related need in these areas, mark “Yes” for need.

Moving and Storage - Use the moving and storage button to record expenses to move/store personal property following damages to the dwelling. Do not indicate an unmet need if the applicant incurred expenses to move/store personal property to prevent disaster damage.

Medical/Medical PP - Use the medical unmet needs button to represent either a new medical condition caused by the disaster, or the loss of prescriptions, or medical equipment (wheelchairs, artificial limbs, prescription eyeglasses, etc.) damaged, destroyed, or lost as a result of the disaster.

Dental - Use the dental unmet needs button to represent a new dental condition or injury caused by the disaster. Dentures will be recorded under the Dental unmet needs.

Transportation – When an applicant claims transportation damages record all vehicles, present or not for the household - except those claimed through a separate application. Confirm vehicle registration and insurance at the time of incident. Do not delete downloaded vehicle information unless the vehicle is not owned by the applicant or household member(s). When recording Destroyed or Repairable transportation you must select a damage description.

You must view the actual, active insurance policy for all vehicles that are recorded as “repair” or “destroyed”; wallet cards or verbal statements are not sufficient justification of insurance and registration. If the insurance policy is not available, address the vehicle as follows:

· Liability and comprehensive insurance = no

· Level of damage = Not Available

· Comment on the level of damage (i.e. Ford Taurus = destroyed, insurance not available)

Definitions for vehicle levels of damage:

· Not Affected - The vehicle was not affected at all, even cosmetically.

· Cosmetic - The vehicle sustained damages that do not affect operation in any way. Examples: minor dents, scratches, and similar low levels of damage.

· Repairable - The vehicle sustained damage that affects operation. Examples: broken windshield or window glass, mirror, or headlight assembly, minor mechanical repairs to brakes.

· Destroyed - The vehicle has been totaled. Examples: flooded over the engine, crushed by a falling tree, completely burned.

· Not Available - The vehicle is not at the damaged dwelling address, was swept down the river and is no longer present, or is otherwise not available for assessment of the damages. There is a required comment on why the vehicle is unavailable and what level of damage the applicant is claiming.

Transportation Only Inspections - If you receive a transportation only inspection, the damaged dwelling address should be the location where the damage occurred, not the applicant’s primary residence. If it is not, change the damaged dwelling address to reflect the location where the damage occurred. You must obtain signatures on the Delaration and Release Form, as well as ask the questions regarding all other unmet needs. Return inspection as “Done Complete”.

Essential Tools Category –Essential Tools consist of school equipment, computers, uniforms, specialized/protective clothing, required for employment but not supplied by the employer. Please ask specifically if the claimed Essential Tools lost are tools used by a self-employed individual; do not record tools used for self-employment in this category. Essential Tools that the applicant is financially responsible for, or tools previously purchased by the applicant, are only to be recorded if they are lost or inoperable as a result of the disaster and are required to maintain employment or stay enrolled in school. Only books or uniforms that were damaged by the disaster and are the responsibility of the applicant should be recorded. The line items for “School books/supplies” and “Uniforms” refer to a full set. Do not record more than one per individual who lost these items.

Use the Essential Tools unmet needs button to indicate a loss of any item listed in the Essential Tools list. If you mark “Yes” for this radio button, you must record one or more of the items listed in the Essential Tools list along with a cause of damage for each item as well as addressing the field for Loss Verification. If essential Tools are recorded, select the appropriate means by which the Essential Tool loss was verified from the dropdown menu: either “Viewed During Inspection” or “Verbal Damage Supports Claim”. Do NOT Record Essential Tools if unable to verify loss. Do not select “Not Verified, Losses Not Supported By Damages” Do not record Computers when the cause of damage is Power Surge.

Miscellaneous Purchases - Use the Miscellaneous Purchase unmet needs button to reflect items purchased in response to the disaster. Miscellaneous Items must have been purchased or rented within 30 days after the incident period start date. See page 1 for incident start date. You must view receipts to verify the date of purchase for all miscellaneous purchases. There is a required comment on the receipt for all miscellaneous purchases. For example, “Chainsaw = viewed receipt dated x/x/xx”. Record your inspector number on the applicant’s receipt (i.e. XXXXX = verified).

Chainsaw - Must have been purchased, rented or leased after the start of the incident period. The chainsaw was purchased to gain access and or remove hazards to the dwelling. When recording a chainsaw for miscellaneous purchases do not record debris removal and or tree removal in real property specs. Note: If the applicant owned a chainsaw prior to the first day of the incident period and the chainsaw was damaged by the disaster event address the chainsaw under personal property.

Generators - The eligible dates for miscellaneous purchases for generators are from the Governors Declaration of a State of Emergency up to the end of the incident period or the date power was restored to the applicants dwelling, whichever occurs first. See the cover page for Governor’s Declaration of State of Emergency. Record miscellaneous purchased generators only if the applicant states they purchased the generator to power medically-required equipment. The generator should only be recorded if the power was lost and the item was purchased before the power was restored. Comment on the receipt date and the type of medical device needed.

POST INSPECTION SCREEN

AREAS OF DEFERRED MAINTENANCE

For the purpose of disaster housing inspections the term “Deferred Maintenance” will be applied to any real property item that has been neglected and was not damaged by the disaster. Use the deferred maintenance buttons on the post inspection screen to address pre-existing conditions that were not significantly worsened by the disaster. Examples of deferred maintenance are rotting boards, roofs with missing and/or crumbling shingles, and foundations with pre-disaster cracks. Record the areas of deferred maintenance on the Post Inspection Screen for both owners and renters.

HOME STATUS BUTTONS

Inaccessible - Record the dwelling as Inaccessible if it is inaccessible due to disaster-related damages to a public road, or high water over the road, etc. A “Yes” answer requires a brief comment explaining why the dwelling is inaccessible. This button is used to show the situation at the time of inspection. If the dwelling is now accessible, the correct choice is “No”. Do not use this for private road damage; this should be recorded with the appropriate line items and Habitability Repairs Required answer of “Yes”. If the applicant is able to access the damaged dwelling (for instance by taking a boat), FEMA expects you to do the same.

· Select the Exterior room as Not Affected with the appropriate cause of damage.

· A photograph of the barrier preventing access is required.

· Verify Occupancy/Ownership and Number of Bedrooms occupied.

· Obtain Signatures

· Address the Will Relocate button.

· Address Foundation and Dwelling Type.

· Do not record any real property or personal property line items.

· Address all Unmet Needs buttons.

· Return with the job status done / complete.

If you are unable to meet with the applicant and the dwelling is inaccessible, provide a comment (i.e. App stranded in dwelling). Obtain the signed Delaration and Release Form by fax if possible, if not, record the Delaration and Release Form as “Not Obtained”.

Utilities Out - The Utilities Out button is used to identify homes that do not have essential public utility service due to disaster-related damages. The utilities included are electricity, gas, water, and sewer. This button is used to show the situation at the time of inspection. If essential utilities were out, but are now back on, the correct choice is “No”. This button is not to be used to indicate damage to utility systems that are the applicant’s responsibility, such as well or septic. Record damages to utilities owned by the applicant in real property. Do not record Habitability Repairs Required as “Yes” if the only concern is the utility outage.

Habitability Repairs Required - The purpose of the Habitability Repairs Required button is to assist FEMA in deciding if an applicant has a disaster-related housing need based on real property damages. FEMA has determined that it is reasonable to expect applicants or their landlords to make some repairs of a minor nature without federal assistance. If the inspector determines that the disaster-related damages are minimal enough for it to be reasonable to expect the applicant or the landlord to make repairs, the correct answer to this question will be “No”.

The habitability call for owners (including inspections where the applicant claims ownership but ownership cannot be verified) are based on real property damage as it existed immediately following the event. A “Yes” answer indicates that the dwelling was not safe, secure and functional immediately following the event.

The habitability call for renters is based on the damages that have not been repaired at the time of the inspection. A “YES” answer indicates the dwelling was not safe, secure and functional at the time of the inspection. If a renter’s home was uninhabitable at the time of the event, but repairs have been made, record “No” to Habitability Repairs Required, and comment “Repairs Made”.

Photos supporting the habitability call will assist in FEMA’s decision for disaster related needs.

Forced to Relocate (renters) - When a renter has been displaced from their home as a result of disaster-related damages or so that the rental unit can meet the landlord’s disaster housing need, Habitability Repairs Required and Will Relocate will be recorded as “Yes”. You must verify with the landlord that the applicant was forced to relocate due to the disaster. There is a required comment with the landlord’s name, phone number, and expected duration of displacement. If all habitability repairs have been made, but the applicant claims they have been forced to relocate, record Habitability Repairs Required as “no” and comment on the situation along with the landlord’s name and phone number.

Will Relocate – “Have you moved, or are you going to move while repairs are being made?”

Ask the applicant this question if you indicate a “Yes” answer in any of the first three questions (Inaccessible, Utilities Out or Habitability Repairs Required). Mandatory/Voluntary evacuations are not to be considered for relocate.

Reason for Habitability Repairs Required - If you record a “Yes” to Habitability Repairs Required, you must support the “Yes” by recording the categories of damage to the home in this field. This is required for both owners and renters. Record all categories of damage that have affected habitability. A comment is required if “Imminent Danger” is selected. For “Access Blocked”, there must be a line item recorded to address the blocked access, Debris Remove on exterior, Washout Fill, Tree Removal etc.

TAGGED DWELLINGS

For dwellings that have been tagged by the local building department as unsafe to occupy due to the disaster (typically Red or Yellow but may vary between localities), the following will apply:

· A detailed comment is required.

· Do not record inaccessible for tagged dwellings.

· Select the Habitability Repairs Required Reason “Tagged Structure”.

Limited Access –Means Not Habitable but a complete inspection can be performed; comment “Tag = Limited Access”.

Unsafe to Enter – Record only visible or confirmed damage in line items (do not guess); comment “Tag = Unsafe to Enter

Imminent Danger This is an impending event, not a possible event that will occur over time. An example of imminent danger is mud that is flowing directly toward the dwelling and within a brief period of time will undoubtedly be resting against the structure.

If the type of imminent danger present is not reflected in line items – such as a landslide on neighboring property – perform a complete inspection and comment (i.e. Imminent Danger Not Reflected in Line Items = Landslide on Neighboring Property). The Habitability Repairs Required button will be recorded as “Yes” and relocation will be addressed based on the applicant’s statement.

Incomplete Inspections When disaster-related conditions (unsafe to enter, blockage to common access routes (condos), dwelling re-rented and the new occupant refuses entry, or standing water in the basement) prevents a complete inspection, meet with the applicant at the dwelling to verify all critical data fields. All real and personal property items that can be verified will be recorded in line items, including the “Incomplete Inspection” line item. Note: Do not use the “Incomplete Inspection” line item for situations where an applicant denies access to a room or portion of a dwelling.

GENERAL NOTES

Exterior-Only Inspections – When disaster-related conditions do not allow you to access the interior of a dwelling, the exterior damages will be recorded in real property line items, as well as the high water mark, if applicable. If the cause of damage is flooding, sewer backup or seepage utilize the high water mark on the exterior of the structure to address interior real property damage using the speed estimating factors. Real and personal property damages that can be visually verified through windows and doors or confirmed to be damaged will also be recorded. Personal property that is not affected or that cannot be verified will be addressed as “not affected”. Record the “Incomplete Inspection” line item for all exterior only inspections.

No Contact - Record a minimum of three attempts to contact the applicant in comments with date and time. The attempts must be made on different days at different times. There must be an exterior inspection that describes the dwelling (i.e. Foundation & Dwelling check boxes), and visible damages recorded in real property. The Habitability call is based on damages recorded and relocate will be “no”. No contact inspections are returned as Return/No Contact Pending.

Done / Withdrawn - Explain the IHP programs to the applicant. Comment with the applicant's reason for withdrawing. Return the inspection as Done / Withdrawn.

Missed 2 Appointments - When an applicant has missed two scheduled appointments, record the dates and times of the missed appointments in comments and return the inspection as done / Missed 2 appointments.

Out of Incident Period - When an applicant claims damages that occurred outside of the incident period, question the…