Floods Displaced You from Your Home? FEMA May Help with Rent

Renters and homeowners who live in Chaves County and whose primary residence is uninhabitable or inaccessible, because of the Oct. 19-20, 2024, severe storm and flooding, may be eligible for federal rental assistance for temporary housing. Grants are being made available to eligible New Mexicans through FEMA's Individuals 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 includes essential utilities such as electricity and water, but not cable TV 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 (HUD). As a homeowner or renter, you may qualify for assistance, but you must first apply to FEMA for federal disaster assistance.

If you receive housing assistance through your insurance company, by federal law, FEMA cannot duplicate housing benefits. However, if you exhaust housing assistance funds from your insurance company, FEMA may then be able to provide you with temporary rental assistance.

A FEMA inspector must determine that your house or apartment is uninhabitable due to damage caused by the storm and flooding. If your home is uninhabitable or inaccessible you may be eligible for one month of rental assistance.

• FEMA assistance is a grant that New Mexicans do not have to repay.
• Chaves County residents needing more than two months of temporary rental assistance must call FEMA for extended assistance and must demonstrate to FEMA their continued financial need.
• If FEMA cannot meet your housing needs, you may be referred to charitable or volunteer groups in your community for assistance.

How to Apply for FEMA Disaster Assistance

The first step for individuals and households to receive assistance is to apply to FEMA for federal assistance. There are no costs involved to apply for, or receive, FEMA assistance. There are four ways to apply:

• Go online to disasterassistance.gov/
• Download the FEMA Appfor mobile devices at fema.gov/about/news-multimedia/mobile-products
• Call the FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362 between 5 a.m. and 9 p.m. MT. Help is available in most languages.

• Visit the Disaster Recovery Center located at Roswell Mall, 4501 N Main St. Roswell, NM 88201 in Chaves County, next to Bath & Body Works store. Open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturdays. Closed Sundays.

For an American Sign Language (ASL) video on how to apply for assistance, visit youtube.com/watch?v=hUrdKaE9SVQ.