TL;DR: Homeowners and renters harmed by the March 10-24 Kona Low flooding in Hawaii have until June 14, 2026, to request FEMA Individual Assistance and SBA low-interest disaster loans.
Deadline confirmed in Honolulu
Federal officials in Honolulu announced on May 14, 2026, that one month remains to seek help after the Kona Low flooding event of March 10-24.
According to the FEMA press release titled One Month Left to Apply for Federal Assistance, Release Number NR-006, the cutoff for FEMA Individual Assistance is June 14, 2026.
The notice applies to homeowners and renters who incurred damage or losses during that March storm period. The program, the agency stated, provides financial aid and other assistance to eligible individuals and households to help meet basic needs and supplement flood recovery efforts.
That framing matters for household planning. The aid is described as a supplement for basic needs and recovery, not as a replacement for insurance. Residents who carry coverage are told to file claims for damage to homes, personal property and vehicles.
A second federal window closes on the same day. The U.S. Small Business Administration deadline for low-interest disaster loans is also June 14, 2026. Officials specifically advise applicants not to wait for a FEMA Determination Letter before seeking an SBA loan.
What FEMA may cover
The FEMA release lists categories that eligible applicants may be reimbursed for after the Kona Low floods.
Those categories include temporary housing, home repairs to a primary home, personal property losses, medical expenses related to the disaster, childcare, and other serious disaster-related needs not covered by insurance.
Reporting by Hawaii News Now added that for individuals and families with uninsured losses, funds can cover food, water, medicine, rental assistance, essential home repairs, and reimbursement for expenses such as childcare, transportation and medical costs.
For preppers and recovering households, the list is a practical checklist. Temporary housing and primary-home repairs point to shelter stability. Personal property losses point to clothing, furnishings and household goods. Medical, childcare and transportation costs point to the secondary expenses that often strain a family budget after flooding.
Two financial protections are spelled out in the federal notice. FEMA assistance is not taxed and will not affect Social Security, Medicaid or other federal benefits. FEMA grants do not have to be repaid.
Like FEMA, SBA cannot duplicate benefits for losses covered by insurance, according to the same federal announcement. SBA low-interest disaster loans are listed as available for homeowners, renters, businesses of any size and nonprofits.
The scale of housing impact underscores why officials are urging applications. Hawaii News Now reported that about 300 homes on Oahu alone were deemed unsafe to live in after the March Kona low storms, with residents waiting to complete repairs.
How to apply before June 14
The federal notice outlines five routes to request FEMA Individual Assistance.
The options are online at DisasterAssistance.gov, described as the fastest option, on the FEMA App, by calling the FEMA Helpline at 1-800-621-3362, through relay services, and in person at a Local Recovery Center.
For callers who use a relay service, such as video relay, captioned telephone or another service, the notice asks applicants to provide FEMA with the number for that service. Phone support is available in many languages, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
For in-person help, dates, times and locations for Local Recovery Centers can be found at ready.hawaii.gov.
An American Sign Language video on how to apply is also referenced in the release under the title FEMA Accessible: Three Ways to Register for FEMA Disaster Assistance.
Households should prepare to document damage, insurance status, housing needs and household expenses before starting. The application asks about losses tied to the March 10-24 event, so keeping storm dates on every page of notes helps avoid confusion with other weather episodes.
Business owners and residents seeking SBA help have a separate channel. According to the FEMA release, businesses and residents can apply online at sba.gov/disaster.
For questions and assistance completing an SBA application, or to have an application mailed, applicants can call 800-659-2955 or email [email protected]. For people who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, the notice says to dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunications relay services.
The Maui Recovers republication of the federal notice, titled News: One Month Left to Apply for Federal Assistance, carries the same dates, phone numbers and web addresses, giving island residents a local page to reference alongside the national release.
What happens after you file
Applying does not end the process. The FEMA notice describes inspection and decision steps that families should expect.
Residents who had damage and applied can expect a call, text or email from FEMA to schedule a home inspection to assess disaster damage.
The agency cautions that phone calls from FEMA may come from an unfamiliar number. Inspectors may call multiple times but eventually will stop calling if there is no response.
That detail has direct preparedness value. After a disaster, many households screen unknown calls. During this application period, answering unknown numbers, checking voicemail, and watching text messages and email for inspection scheduling can prevent a missed visit.
FEMA will send a decision on what benefits an applicant may receive in a Determination Letter by email or U.S. Postal Service, according to the release.
Applicants should keep that letter with insurance correspondence, repair estimates and receipts. If additional damage is found or costs change, having the determination, inspection notes and expense records in one folder makes follow-up faster.
Critically, the SBA track runs in parallel. The notice states directly: do not wait for a FEMA Determination Letter to apply for an SBA loan. Households considering both programs should treat June 14, 2026, as a hard stop for each and file separately.
Rebuild safely and avoid scams
With repairs underway, Hawaii rebuilding experts are warning flood survivors to build correctly and vet contractors.
Hawaii News Now reported on May 14, 2026, that the Building Industry Association is warning homeowners not to take shortcuts when rebuilding and to be wary of contractors who make big claims.
Roseann Freitas, CEO of the Building Industry Association of Hawaii, explained in that report that if a home has been completely destroyed or has over 50% damage, owners must build to code based on FEMA guidelines as well as state guidelines.
Freitas advised homeowners to verify any promise of expedited permits by calling the Department of Planning and Permitting, rather than relying on a contractor claim of faster service.
The report urges residents to do research and get different quotes before agreeing to repairs, especially if someone offers to do a project for free or at a deep discount. When one bid is significantly lower than others, the report advises comparing the scope in the different proposals to see what is missing.
Fraud experts cited in the same Hawaii News Now article stress vigilance. Attila Seress, CEO of cybersecurity firm Cypac, is quoted on the importance of paying an appropriate price for quality work so it does not need to be redone later.
The article lists practical vetting steps for selecting a reputable contractor: check the state Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs website for a valid professional vocational license in Hawaii, contact BIA Hawaii for a list of reputable contractors, verify the contractor's permanent business address in the Hawaii Business Express portal at hbe.ehawaii.gov/documents/search.html, get everything in writing in a complete, clearly written contract before work begins, ask for references and follow up on past work, and avoid paying cash up front.
A large cash deposit followed by disappearance is described as the simplest contractor scam. While legitimate contractors will ask for a deposit for materials and labor, the report notes, asking for every dollar upfront is presented as a major red flag that should prompt a second opinion.
For families using federal aid for repairs, that discipline protects both the home and the grant or loan. Written scopes, licensed status, verifiable addresses, references and staged payments create a paper trail that matches the documentation habits needed for FEMA and SBA files.
Learn more about the disaster declaration at fema.gov/disaster/4909, as referenced in the county republication. For preparedness information, the federal release points to the Ready Campaign and FEMA Region 9 updates on X at FEMARegion9.