Disaster Recovery: What can FEMA do for me?

Yes. FEMA can help you with your hotel bill. In some cases, FEMA will pay the hotel bill for you. You can check for a list of those hotels at Transitional Sheltering Assistance (TSA) Program – Participating Hotel List. If your hotel is not a participating hotel, save your hotel bill receipts to ask for FEMA reimbursement after you check out.

See www.DisasterAssistance.gov, Commonly Asked Questions About FEMA's Housing Assistance Program, and Baker Botts's Harvey Crisis Response Guide.

Yes. FEMA can help you with rent at a new place if your home was damaged by a disaster.

Source: Baker Botts's Harvey Crisis Response Guide. See also Commonly Asked Questions about FEMA’s Housing Assistance Program. 

FEMA can often help you with rent at a new place. See Assistance for Housing and Other Needs.

Yes. If you own your home, FEMA can provide home owners with a limited amount of help to make your residence safe, sanitary and functional.

• Home owners who have good credit and enough income to pay off a loan may also get a government-backed loan to fully repair their home.
• You may need to clear up ownership of your property if you do not have a deed in your name by the time you register with FEMA.

Source: Baker Botts's Harvey Crisis Response Guide.

Yes. FEMA can give you money to replace personal belongings that were damaged or destroyed during the disaster. Things that FEMA can help you replace include vehicles, furniture, appliances, and other important personal property.

Source: Baker Botts's Harvey Crisis Response Guide.

Yes. FEMA can help you with needs that are not covered by your insurance or give you money while you are waiting on inusrance money.

• You may need to give FEMA a copy of your insurance policy.
• FEMA will not cover your insurance deductible.
• You will need to pay FEMA back after you receive your insurance money.

Source: Baker Botts's Harvey Crisis Response Guide.

Yes. FEMA can help you with the medical expenses, dental expenses, funeral expenses, transportation expenses, and other serious needs caused by the disaster.

• FEMA will not cover these expenses unless you can show that they were caused by the disaster.
• You may need to get your doctor to give you a note that says your medical or dental expenses were caused by the disaster.
• You may also need to provide receipts for any other expense caused by a disaster.

Source: Baker Botts's Harvey Crisis Response Guide.

Call or go online at: 800-621-FEMA (3362) or www.fema.gov.

Important:

• Consider filing for FEMA even if you don't think you need it at the time. This can help document your damage in case you need FEMA help later.
• Keep all papers you get from FEMA.
• Keep receipts showing how you spend the money FEMA gives you. Keep these receipts for three years.
• When FEMA gives you money, they will tell you how you should use it.
• Only use FEMA money for the things FEMA tells you to spend it on.
• Apply for other benefits such as disaster unemployment and disaster food stamps if possible so you won't be tempted to use FEMA money for living expenses.

Be sure to claim the total value of your damaged house or property even if it's more than FEMA or insurance limits.

Source: Baker Botts's Harvey Crisis Response Guide.