FEMA Providing Rental Assistance for Helene Survivors

HICKORY, N.C. - Survivors of Tropical Storm Helene in North Carolina may be eligible for continued rental assistance for temporary housing through FEMA’s Individual and Households Program.

FEMA pays rent, including a security deposit, at a place other than your damaged home. Your rental can be a house, apartment, hotel, or recreational vehicle that can keep you near your job, home, school, and place of worship. The assistance may include essential utilities such as electricity and water.

The approved rental amount is based on fair market rates for your area as determined by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

Automated phone calls will notify those who may be eligible for continued rental assistance. Less than 10% of those who registered for disaster aid met the criteria for initial rental assistance.

Extensions on rental assistance may be granted for three-month periods up to a maximum of 18 months from Sept. 28, 2024, the date of the FEMA disaster declaration.

To continue to receive rental assistance, you must prove an ongoing need, which may be that suitable housing is not available or that your permanent housing plan has not been completed through no fault of your own. If you intend to seek continued rental assistance, you’ll need receipts to show you used the assistance for rent. Survivors should keep receipts for three years.

You may qualify for continued assistance if you:

• Demonstrate your disaster-related financial need; and
• Show you are developing a longer-term or permanent housing plan or demonstrate progress toward one. A contractor’s estimate of repairs can point to progress.

A permanent housing plan is one that would put you back into permanent safe, sanitary, and functional housing within a reasonable time frame. You must continue to work toward obtaining permanent housing to remain eligible for continued rental assistance.

If you have an ongoing need, you must ask for the help to continue receiving assistance.

• If you were initially approved for rental assistance, an application for continued rental assistance is normally mailed to the rental assistance recipient 15 days after the grant is approved. If you do not receive one, please contact FEMA by calling 800-621-3362 or visiting a disaster recovery center. You can find the hours and locations at FEMA.gov/drc.

Return the form to FEMA by either mailing the completed form to: FEMA, P.O. Box 10055, Hyattsville, MD 20782-8055, faxing it to 800-827-8112, or uploading it to your FEMA Disaster Assistance account, available online at DisasterAssistance.gov.

To be eligible for continued rental assistance, you must meet the following conditions:

• You were awarded initial rental assistance and used it as intended.
• You are unable to return to your home because it cannot be accessed or is not suitable to live in due to the disaster.
• You do not have money for housing without assistance.
• You are not receiving temporary housing help from any other source.
• You provide the status of your permanent housing plan.

The completed application will require these supporting documents:

• Household income.
• Copy of the signed lease or rental agreement, utility bill and renter’s insurance information.
• Rental receipts, cancelled checks or money orders showing the rental assistance was used to pay for housing expenses.

FEMA Offers Several Other Types of Housing Assistance

• Direct Temporary Housing Assistance is provided where there is a lack of available housing resources due to Tropical Storm Helene. This assistance is offered as an interim solution to survivors’ permanent housing needs, and is provided in three forms: Direct Lease, Multifamily Lease and Repair (MLR) and Transportable Temporary Housing Units (TTHUs).
• Displacement Assistance is money that can be used to stay in a hotel, stay with family and friends or for other options while you look for temporary housing. It is a one-time payment.

It is important to keep FEMA updated with your contact information and housing status. FEMA may need to contact you for additional information. If your contact information has changed, you should update your FEMA application immediately. You can do so online at your DisasterAssistance.gov account or by calling 800-621-3362.