Rental Assistance Available: Getting it and Keeping it Going

Survivors of the May 10 severe storms and tornadoes in the designated county could be eligible for 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, but not cable or Internet.

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

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.

• An application for continued rental assistance is normally mailed to the rental assistance recipient 15 days after the grant is approved.
• 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 Center account, available online at DisasterAssistance.gov.

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

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 being given temporary housing help from any other source.
• You provide the status of your permanent housing plan.

The completed application will require these supporting documents:

• Current household income status.
• Current lease, utility bill, and renter's insurance information; Copy of the lease or rental agreement signed by you and the landlord; and
• Rental receipts, cancelled checks or money orders showing the rental assistance was used to pay for housing expenses.

Disaster survivors can receive up to 18 months of rental assistance as they make progress toward finding long-term solutions.

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 call 800-621-3362.

For the latest information about Florida's recovery, visit fema.gov/disaster/4794. Follow FEMA on X, formerly known as Twitter, at x.com/femaregion4 or on Facebook at facebook.com/fema.

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