Federal Disaster Assistance to Individuals and Households in Presidential Declared Disaster Areas

To provide financial assistance, and if necessary, direct services to individuals and households affected as a direct result of a Presidentially-declared major disaster or emergency, who have uninsured or underinsured, necessary expenses and serious needs and are unable to meet such expenses or needs through other means. This program supports disaster recovery by providing the financial means or direct services to disaster survivors for Housing Assistance and Other Needs Assistance administered by FEMA. Performance metrics for this program are established in accordance with the Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA) of 1993, as amended by the GPRA Modernization Act of 2010, to include:
• Goal of 90% applicants satisfied with the simplicity of the Individuals and Households Program
• Goal of an average of less than seven days for the timeliness of providing Individuals and Households Program awards, excluding Critical Needs Assistance and Clean and Sanitize Assistance
• Goal of 68% applicants confident in FEMA Individuals and Households Assistance
• Goal of 70% applicants satisfied with FEMA’s Individuals and Households Program application process
Data gathering methodology for measuring performance and results is conducted through quarterly surveys with disaster survivors.

Individuals and households, in areas declared a major disaster or emergency by the President that include Individual Assistance, who have necessary expenses and serious needs they are unable to meet through insurance or other means, are eligible to apply for this program. All needs must be caused by the disaster. Basic conditions of eligibility include: the individual or a member of the household must be a citizen of the United States, a non-citizen national, or a qualified alien; FEMA must be able to verify the applicant’s identity; the applicant’s insurance, or other forms of disaster assistance received cannot meet their disaster-caused needs; and the applicant’s necessary expenses and serious needs are directly caused by the major disaster or emergency.
If the applicant meets the basic conditions of eligibility, FEMA may provide Housing Assistance when the disaster has caused damage that affects the habitability of the applicant’s home. Some types of Housing Assistance are available to both pre-disaster homeowners and renters, such as Rental Assistance and Direct Temporary Housing Assistance, while other types are only available to pre-disaster homeowners, such as Home Repair Assistance and Permanent Housing Construction. FEMA may provide Other Needs Assistance to applicants who have necessary expenses and serious needs they are unable to meet through insurance or other means. Each type of Other Needs Assistance has additional eligibility requirements, which may include verifiable documentation of the disaster-caused expense. FEMA collaborates with the Small Business Administration to determine eligibility for Personal Property, Transportation, and a Group Flood Insurance Policy.
Housing Assistance: 1) Temporary Housing Assistance (financial) – proof of primary residence, proof of occupancy, disaster-caused displacement, and/or paid receipts for Rent or Lodging Expenses; 2) Temporary Housing Assistance (direct) – Authorized on a disaster-by-disaster basis when applicants are unable to make use of financial assistance to secure temporary housingproof of primary residence, proof of occupancy, disaster-caused displacement; 3) Repair – primary residence, proof of occupancy and ownership, disaster caused home damage; 3) Replacement – primary residence, proof of occupancy and ownership, home destroyed by the disaster; 4) Permanent Housing Construction – primary residence, proof of occupancy and ownership, disaster-caused home damage, authorized on a disaster by disaster basis when located in an insular area outside the continental United States and in other locations in which no alternative housing resources are available, and types of temporary housing assistance are unavailable, infeasible, or not cost-effective.
Other Needs Assistance: 1) Medical: disaster-caused expenses, and/or paid receipts (bills) for medical treatment; 2) Dental: disaster-caused expenses, and/or paid receipts (bills) for treatment; 3) Child Care: disaster-caused expenses and paid receipts or estimates for services; 4) Funeral: disaster-caused expenses, and paid receipts or estimates for services; 5) Personal Property: disaster- caused personal property damage; 6) Transportation: disaster-caused vehicle damage; 7) Group Flood Insurance Policy: Three years of a flood insurance policy premium for applicantswho may not otherwise be able to purchase a policy and receive flood damage in a Special Flood Hazard Area; and 8) Other Miscellaneous Expenses: the expense or need must be caused by the disaster and approved by FEMA.
Section 1211 of the Disaster Recovery Reform Act authorized state, territorial, and tribal governments to apply for financial assistance to provide direct services for Temporary Housing Assistance to eligible individuals and households, in areas declared an emergency or major disaster by the President w here FEMA has determined eligible individuals and households are unable to make use of financial Temporary Housing Assistance and have a Housing Strategy approved by FEMA. State, territorial and tribal governments in areas declared an emergency or major disaster by the President in insular areas outside of the continental United States and in other locations where FEMA has determined no alternative housing resources are available, and temporary housing is unavailable, infeasible, or not cost effective, and have a Housing Strategy approved by FEMA, are eligible to apply for financial assistance to provide direct services for Permanent Housing Construction. Under Section 1211 of the Disaster Recovery Reform Act, FEMA could provide this assistance to a state, territorial, and tribal government as part of a pilot program which expired on October 5, 2020.

Restricted to presidentially-declared disasters or emergencies which designate Individual Assistance, such as an earthquake, hurricane, tornado, wildfire, or flood, etc. Program activates only after issuance of a presidential declaration. Housing Assistance, either Financial or Direct, may be provided for the following: (1) Temporary Housing, (2) Home Repair, (3) Home Replacement and (4) Permanent Housing Construction. Assistance not used for the specified purpose will be required to be returned. Other Needs Assistance may be provided for: (1) Medical and Dental, (2) Child Care, (3) Funeral, (4) Personal Property, (5) Transportation, (6) Group Flood Insurance Policy, and 7) Assistance for Miscellaneous Items.

Based on damage assessments and an agreement to commit state funds and resources to the long-term recovery, the state or territorial Governor or Indian Tribal Chief Executive makes a request (through the FEMA Regional Administrator) for a presidential declaration for an emergency or major disaster. Requests for assistance must be made in accordance with 44 C.F.R. Part 206, except as provided in § 206.24(d) for emergency declarations involving primarily federal responsibility. A presidential major disaster or emergency declaration must first be issued. Under pending regulatory changes, if a state, territory, or tribe were to apply for financial assistance to provide direct services for Temporary Housing Assistance or Permanent Housing Construction to eligible individuals and households, the state, territorial, or tribal government would have to have a Housing Strategy approved by FEMA, demonstrating its ability to manage the program, how assistance will be provided, and how it will comply with applicable federal and state, territorial, or tribal laws and regulations.

A presidential disaster or emergency declaration must be issued before individuals and households can register an application for assistance with FEMA via a toll-free number, FEMA's internet application, or by visiting a Disaster Recovery Center. Assistance for real property damages will not be awarded to individuals residing outside of the area declared as a major disaster or emergency. Funds are allocated from the Disaster Relief Fund for use in a designated emergency or major disaster. Households receive assistance directly from FEMA or, pending regulatory changes, through the state, territory, or tribe for Direct Temporary Housing Assistance or Permanent Housing Construction. Other Needs Assistance is provided directly to the applicant by FEMA or by the state, territory, or tribe, as stipulated in the State, Territory, or Tribe Administrative Plan (see Assistance Listing 97.050 for additional information on state, territory, or tribe administration of Other Needs Assistance).

Varies, in general 7-21 days. Generally, applications for disaster assistance must be filed within 60 days of the disaster declaration.