How to get help

whose homes are unsafe, and thousands of dollars in grants to repair or replace damaged property, Mills said. FEMA payouts on grants — which don’t need to be repaid — are capped at $33,000.

The federal government typically doesn’t pay for generators unless they are damaged in a storm or are needed to power medical equipment. People whose chainsaws were broken during cleanup could be eligible for assistance.

Both homeowners and

Online: Go to disasterassistance.gov to file a claim with FEMA electronically. By phone: Call the FEMA helpline 800-621-3362. In person: Go to the disaster recovery center at Carolyn Sims Center, 225 NW 12th Ave., Boynton Beach. Hours are 9 a.m.-6 p.m. seven days a week. The center is open to residents in all South Florida counties. You are encouraged to pre-register by phone or online, but it is not required.

business owners not able to receive grants could be eligible for low-interest disaster loans offered by the Small Business Administration.

Chris Stamatakis, 56, said he rode out the storm on his 60-foot-long boat he lives on in Jupiter, and the hull cracked during Irma.

He said he’s hoping FEMA will provide a few thousand dollars so he can repair the damage. So far, though, he said he hasn’t found any assistance.

“I’ve called every agency you can possibly contact,” he said. “I am not asking for a million dollars.”