FEMA Rental Assistance May Be an Option for Texas Survivors

AUSTIN, Texas – Homeowners and renters in four Texas counties affected by the storms and flooding April 17-24 may be eligible to receive rental assistance from FEMA. The funds are meant to help pay for a clean and safe place for them to stay while making repairs or rebuilding their storm-damaged home.

• First, file a claim with your homeowner’s insurance company. Talk to your homeowners’ or renters’ insurance agent about additional living expenses (ALE) coverage as part of your policy that may assist in relocating to a temporary residence.
• Register for FEMA assistance. If you are insured, you will need to submit your settlement documents for review before FEMA can determine your eligibility status. If your policy does not include ALE, or you exhaust this coverage and your home remains uninhabitable, you may be eligible for rental assistance from FEMA.
• An inspector may arrange a visit to your damaged home or apartment to determine disaster losses. If the inspector determines your home is uninhabitable, you may be offered an option of initial rental assistance to help you find another home to live in while you repair or rebuild.
• Find available rental property. The FEMA Housing Portal provides resources for individuals and families who are displaced by a disaster. The portal consolidates resources of available rental property throughout the United States. Rental resources are identified and provided by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, U.S. Department of Agriculture, U.S. Veterans Administration, private organizations and individuals.

Survivors in Fayette, Grimes, Harris and Parker counties can register for FEMA assistance online at DisasterAssistance.gov or by phone at 800-621-3362, TTY 800-462-7585. Applicants who use 711 or Video Relay Service may call 800-621-3362. The toll-free numbers are open from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., seven days a week.

Landlords with available rental properties can send an email to FEMA-Housing@fema.dhs.gov. The email should include your contact name, the state that the property is located in, and your phone number.

For more information on Texas recovery, visit the disaster webpage at fema.gov/disaster/4269 , Twitter at twitter.com/femaregion6 and the Texas Division of Emergency Management website, txdps.state.tx.us/dem.

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FEMA’s mission is to support our citizens and first responders to ensure that as a nation we work together to build, sustain, and improve our capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate all hazards.