Clean and Sanitize Assistance

If your home was damaged after Tropical Storm Helene swept across Tennessee, but you can live in it safely, FEMA may be able to provide up to $300 in one-time financial assistance to help with cleanup. This assistance is for eligible homeowners and renters.

You may qualify for FEMA assistance if you meet the following criteria:

• Your pre-disaster primary home must be in one of the counties designated for Individual Assistance: Carter, Cocke, Greene, Hamblen, Hawkins, Johnson, Unicoi and Washington.
• Based on a FEMA inspection, your home has disaster damage; or if you are a renter, the inspection noted clean-up actions are needed or have already been done.
• If you have already cleaned up, save your receipts from any supplies, materials or paid help.
• The damage is not covered by your insurance.
• FEMA determines your disaster-damaged primary residence is safe to occupy.

How to Apply

Go online to DisasterAssistance.gov, use the FEMA App, or call the FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362. If you use a relay service such as Video Relay Service, captioned telephone or other service, give FEMA your number for that service. Lines are open from 7 a.m. to midnight ET seven days a week, and specialists speak many languages. For an accessible video on how to apply for assistance, go to FEMA Accessible: Applying for Individual Assistance - YouTube.

If you applied to FEMA after earlier storms and have additional damage from Tropical Storm Helene, you will need to apply separately for Helene and provide the dates of your most recent damage.