Northwest Iowa — Homeowners and renters who received initial rental assistance from FEMA may be eligible for continued rental assistance if they cannot live in their homes because of recent flooding and storms in Iowa.
FEMA officials tell us you can ask for Rental Assistance by calling the FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362, by visiting DisasterAssistance.gov or by visiting a Disaster Recovery Center.
You can apply for FEMA assistance if you live in Buena Vista, Cherokee, Clay, Dickinson, Lyon, O’Brien, Osceola, Plymouth, or Sioux counties in our area as well as several others. (Adair, Adams, Cedar, Clarke, Emmet, Harrison, Humboldt, Jasper, Mills, Monona, Montgomery, Palo Alto, Polk, Pottawattamie, Ringgold, Scott, Shelby, Story, Union or Woodbury counties.)
To be eligible to apply, survivors must have been awarded initial rental assistance and used it as intended, (The initial award covers two months.), be unable to return to their pre-disaster residence because it is uninhabitable, cannot be accessed or is not available due to the June. 12 storms, and be unable to pay for housing without assistance. The applicants must also not be receiving temporary housing help from any other source, and must be developing a longer-term or permanent housing plan or can demonstrate progress toward one.
More information from FEMA:
What Is Rental Assistance?
FEMA Rental Assistance can help cover temporary housing costs. You can use this money to rent a place to live, such as a house, apartment, hotel room, RV or other options while your home is repaired.
What Does Rental Assistance Cover?
Rental Assistance covers temporary housing while you are unable to live in your permanent residence.
Rental Assistance can be used for rent, security deposits and the cost of essential utilities (gas, water and electric).
Rental Assistance can be used for short-term hotel stays, air b-n-bs/short-term stays, rent payments while you stay with a friend, accessory dwelling units, etc. while you look for a longer-term place to rent or repair your home.
Rental Assistance cannot pay for cable or internet.
How Long Does Rental Assistance Support Me?
The initial grant is for two months.
Can Rental Assistance Be Extended?
Yes. Keep your receipts for every month, and you may be eligible for Continued Temporary Rental Assistance for up to 18 months from the date of the disaster declaration.
What if I have Insurance?
File a claim as soon as possible. Your insurance company will give you a claim settlement or denial document that includes Additional Living Expenses to provide to FEMA.
How to Apply with FEMA
Visit DisasterAssistance.gov
Call FEMA directly at 800-621-FEMA (3362)
Download and use the FEMA app.
Multilingual operators are available (press 2 for Spanish).
Anyone using a relay service, such as video relay service (VRS), captioned telephone service or others, can give FEMA the number for that service. For an accessible video on three ways to apply for FEMA assistance, visit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LU7wzRjByhI
Disaster recovery assistance is available without regard to race, color, religion, nationality, sex, age, disability, English proficiency, or economic status. If you or someone you know has been discriminated against, call FEMA toll-free at 833-285-7448.
