FEMA Grant Recipients Must Keep Their Receipts

AURORA, Ill. – If you received money from FEMA to help recover from the April 16 to May 5 flooding, you must keep the receipts or bills for which the money was used for three years.

FEMA assistance must be used for eligible disaster expenses only, as identified in the approval letter from the agency. You must save documentation that demonstrates how the funds were used in meeting your disaster-related needs. Examples of proof of use include:

  • Receipts for items purchased for home repair.
  • Contractor invoices.
  • Proof of hotel room charges if you received housing assistance.
  • Rent payment receipts if you received housing assistance.
  • Receipts for moving and storage expenses.
  • Receipts for repairing or replacing personal property.

More information on FEMA programs for individuals and households can be found in the “Help After a Disaster” guide. The guide was mailed to each applicant, but also is available online at fema.gov/help-after-disaster.

Individuals can get status updates online at www.disasterassistance.gov or via web-enabled phone at m.fema.gov. Applicants may also call 800-621-3362 or (TTY) 800-462-7585. People who use 711-Relay or Video Relay Services (VRS) can call 800-621-3362. For more information visit the Illinois Disaster website www.fema.gov/disaster/4116.

Multilingual phone operators are available on the FEMA helpline. Choose Option 2 for Spanish and Option 3 for other languages.

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.

Follow FEMA online at twitter.com/femaregion5, www.facebook.com/fema, and www.youtube.com/fema.  Also, follow Administrator Craig Fugate’s activities at twitter.com/craigatfema. The social media links provided are for reference only. FEMA does not endorse any non-government websites, companies or applications.

Media Contact: 571-408-1835

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FEMA Grant Recipients Must Keep Their Receipts

FEMA Transitional Sheltering Assistance Available for Hurricane Sandy Evacuees With Inaccessible or Unlivable Homes

ALBANY, NY -– The Federal Emergency Management Agency, at the request of the state of New York, has activated its Transitional Sheltering Assistance (TSA) program, which allows eligible evacuees from Hurricane Sandy, who cannot return to their homes, to stay in hotels or motels until more suitable housing accommodations are available.

This federal assistance is intended to provide a place to stay for a longer period of time for evacuees whose neighborhoods are not accessible or whose houses have been destroyed. The initial period of assistance is from Nov. 3, 2012 to Nov. 17, 2012. However, this federal program will not reimburse applicants for previously incurred hotel expenses.  Applicants are responsible for their own meals and for any lodging costs above the authorized allowance.

“To be eligible to receive this federal assistance you must register with FEMA,” said Federal Coordinating Officer (FCO) Michael F. Byrne. “Keep in mind the TSA initiative is only a temporary fix. We are working diligently with our state and local partners to develop a long-term housing solution to help people until their homes and communities are repaired or rebuilt. But, again, you must register with FEMA to be able to benefit from this short-term aid.”

You can register for FEMA assistance online at www.disasterassistance.gov or via smart phone or tablet at m.fema.gov. Applicants may also call 1-800-621-FEMA (3362) or (TTY)
1-800-462-7585. If you use 711-Relay or Video Relay Services (VRS), call 1-800-621-3362. The toll-free telephone numbers will operate from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. (local time) seven days a week until further notice.

Eligible evacuees must fit the following criteria:

  1. FEMA must be able to verify the identity of the evacuee;

  2. The primary residence of the evacuee must be in one of the counties that has been designated a disaster area; and

  3. The primary residence is inaccessible or unlivable due to damage or lack of power.

TSA allows eligible individuals or families to stay in a hotel or motel for a limited time and have the cost of the room and taxes paid directly to the hotel by FEMA. Meals, telephone calls and other incidental charges are not covered.

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.

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FEMA Transitional Sheltering Assistance Available for Hurricane Sandy Evacuees With Inaccessible or Unlivable Homes

FEMA Transitional Sheltering Assistance Program Extended Again in Louisiana

BATON ROUGE, La – The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), at the request of the state of Louisiana, has approved a third extension to the Transitional Sheltering Assistance program. The initiative allows eligible Hurricane Isaac survivors whose houses have been severely damaged or destroyed to stay in a hotel or motel for a limited time and have the cost of the room and taxes paid directly to the hotel by FEMA.

“We are aware that some survivors in hard-hit parishes are facing critical challenges to getting back into their homes,” said Federal Coordinating Officer Mike Hall. “We are working in close coordination with our state and parish partners to arrive at thoughtful solutions to those challenges. Meanwhile, the TSA extension will offer eligible survivors some relief.”

The program, which began Sept. 3, now runs through Oct. 28, with checkout on Oct. 29. Meals, telephone calls and other incidental charges are not covered, and applicants are responsible for any lodging costs above the authorized allowance.  The program does not reimburse previously incurred hotel expenses.

FEMA continues to work in coordination with the state and local parishes to connect survivors in the program to recovery resources in their communities.

Home inspections do not have to be completed before an applicant can be considered for the Transitional Sheltering Assistance program. After a housing inspection is performed, applicants in the sheltering program may remain eligible for this third extension if their home is still unlivable, inaccessible or without power.

TSA is open to eligible applicants whose damaged dwellings are in St. John Parish or in designated zip codes in Ascension, East Baton Rouge, Iberville, Jefferson, Lafourche, Livingston, Orleans, Plaquemines, St. Bernard, St. Charles. St. Helena, St. James, St. Mary, St. Tammany, Tangipahoa, Terrebonne and Washington parishes.

For more information on Louisiana disaster recovery, click www.fema.gov/disaster/4080 or www.gohsep.la.gov. You can follow FEMA on Twitter at www.twitter.com/femaregion6 or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/FEMA. Also visit our blog at www.fema.gov/blog.

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FEMA Transitional Sheltering Assistance Program Extended Again in Louisiana