FEMA Offers Assistance for Renters, Too

AUSTIN, Texas – Renters displaced by the May storms and flooding may be eligible for federal disaster assistance, including grants from FEMA and low-interest disaster loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration.

FEMA offers eligible renters grants for rental assistance. These grants help pay for temporary housing while a damaged home or apartment is being repaired.

Eligible renters may receive grant under FEMA’s Other Needs Assistance program. These grants help uninsured or underinsured survivors with expenses and serious needs caused by the May storms including:

  • child care

  • moving and storage expenses

  • disaster-related funeral and burial expenses

  • disaster-related dental and medical expenses, such as wheelchairs, canes and prescription drugs

  • repair or replacement of storm-damaged personal property, including furniture and appliances, as well as job-related tools and equipment required by the self-employed

  • primary vehicles, and approved second or modified vehicles damaged by the disaster

The SBA offers low-interest disaster loans with rates that remain the same for the life of the loan. Renters may be eligible to borrow up to $40,000 to repair or replace damaged personal property, including automobiles.

Applicants may apply online for an SBA loan using the electronic loan application at the secure website DisasterLoan.sba.gov/ela.

Texans can register for disaster assistance the following ways:

  • online at DisasterAssistance.gov

  • phone 800-621-3362 (FEMA). Persons who are deaf, hard of hearing or have a speech disability and use a TTY may call 800-462-7585. Applicants who use 711 or Video Relay Service may also call 800-621-3362. The toll-free numbers are open from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., seven days a week. Multilingual operators are available.

  • at a disaster recovery center.To find the nearest one, go online to the Disaster Recovery Center Locator at asd.fema.gov/inter/locator.

FEMA grants do not have to be repaid. FEMA assistance is nontaxable and will not affect eligibility for Social Security, Medicaid or other federal benefits.

Survivors should register even if they have insurance. FEMA cannot duplicate insurance payments, but underinsured applicants may receive help after their claims have been settled.

For more information on the Texas recovery, visit the disaster webpage for the May storms at fema.gov/disaster/4272; or visit the Texas Division of Emergency Management website at txdps.state.tx.us/dem. Follow us on Twitter @femaregion6.

# # #

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.

Download fema.gov/mobile-app to locate open shelters and disaster recovery centers, receive severe weather alerts, safety tips and much more.

Originally from:  

FEMA Offers Assistance for Renters, Too

Help for Renters Who Lost Personal Property in Hurricane Sandy

TRENTON, N.J. — Renters who need to repair or replace essential items lost in Hurricane Sandy can get help from the Small Business Administration.

Many survivors are learning that their insurance is not enough to cover all of their losses. Only 43 percent of renters have insurance, according to the Insurance Information Institute.

Survivors may qualify for long-term, low-interest SBA loans to repair or replace personal property  items such as clothing, furniture, cars, or appliances damaged or destroyed in the disaster. The deadline to return a disaster loan application is Jan. 30.

Money is available for necessary expenses and serious needs caused by Hurricane Sandy that are not covered by insurance or other programs. Items such as textbooks and computers used for education, professional tools, household furnishings, disaster-related medical, dental, or funeral costs and storm damage to vehicles may qualify for FEMA grants. Renters must return their SBA loan application to be considered for these grants.

Survivors may apply online using the electronic loan application via SBA’s secure website at DisasterLoan.sba.gov/ela. For additional information, contact an SBA disaster assistance customer service center by calling 800-659-2955 or TTY 800-877-8339, emailing disastercustomerservice@sba.gov or visiting sba.gov. SBA customer service representatives are available at all disaster recovery centers throughout the state. Centers can be found online at fema.gov/DRC.

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 www.fema.gov/blog, www.twitter.com/fema, www.facebook.com/fema, and www.youtube.com/fema. Also, follow Administrator Craig Fugate’s activities at www.twitter.com/craigatfema. 

The social media links provided are for reference only. FEMA does not endorse any non-government websites, companies or applications.

SBA’s Disaster Assistance Program provides long term, low-interest loans to homeowners, renters and businesses of all sizes. For more information, visit www.sba.gov. All SBA’s program and services are provided on a nondiscriminatory basis.

Link:

Help for Renters Who Lost Personal Property in Hurricane Sandy

Federal Disaster Assistance Is for Connecticut Renters, Too

WINDSOR, Conn. — Renters in Connecticut counties whose homes and property were damaged by Hurricane Sandy may be eligible for federal disaster assistance.

“Sandy did not discriminate between homeowners and renters,” said Federal Coordinating Officer Albert Lewis. “We’re here to help everyone who is eligible for assistance, and that definitely includes renters.”

Renters who were displaced from their homes by the storm may be eligible for a FEMA grant to help them pay rent for temporary housing. These rental grants are for a 30-day period, subject to assistance review, until renters’ previous homes are again habitable or they find another home.

There is a free referral service to help applicants find safe, replacement rental property.

Go to: http://go.usa.gov/gKve.

Both renters and homeowners may also be eligible for Other Needs Assistance, designed to help survivors with uninsured or underinsured necessary expenses and serious needs caused by the disaster.

Eligibility for these grants is determined through completing and returning the U.S. Small Business Administration application that many applicants receive after registering for disaster assistance. There is no requirement to take out a loan.

Grants can be used for:

  • Disaster-related medical and dental expenses;  
  • Replacement or repair of necessary personal property lost or damaged in the disaster, such as room furnishings or appliances, and tools and equipment required by the self-employed for their jobs;
  • Primary vehicles and approved second vehicles damaged by the disaster; and
  • Disaster-related funeral and burial expenses.

The deadline to register is Dec. 31. Survivors can register online anytime day or night at www.DisasterAssistance.gov, or with a smartphone or other Web-enabled device at m.fema.gov. Survivors can also register by phone anytime by calling FEMA at 800-621-3362. The TTY number is 800-462-7585. Multilingual operators are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Wait for the English message to finish to reach multilingual operators.

Registering for disaster assistance with other agencies or organizations does not register survivors for FEMA disaster assistance. Having FEMA flood insurance does not register policyholders for disaster assistance; flood insurance claims are handled separately.

Disaster recovery assistance is available without regard to race, color, religion, nationality, sex, age, disability, English proficiency or economic status. If you or someone you know has been discriminated against, call FEMA toll-free at 800-621-3362. For TTY, call 800-462-7585.

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is the federal government’s primary source of money for the long-term rebuilding of disaster-damaged private property. SBA helps homeowners, renters, businesses of all sizes and private, nonprofit organizations fund repairs or rebuilding efforts, and covers the cost of replacing lost or disaster-damaged personal property. These disaster loans cover losses not fully compensated by insurance or other recoveries and do not duplicate benefits of other agencies or organizations.

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.

See the original post:

Federal Disaster Assistance Is for Connecticut Renters, Too