Housing Assistance

Temporary Housing Assistance

N.C. Emergency Management and FEMA are working with local communities to find short-term and long-term temporary housing for residents displaced by a disaster. The primary goal is to help survivors while their homes are repaired or rebuilt. The first solution is to provide financial aid for rental assistance. (This keeps money in the local communities and takes advantage of existing inventory.) The other option is to house people in a hotel or motel for a short period of time while their home is cleaned or repaired.

Who is Eligible:  Renters and homeowners in any of the 35 counties declared for federal Individual Assistance, who do not have insurance, or whose policy does not cover temporary rental assistance can apply.Note: the residence must be the survivor's primary home.

Housing Solutions

1.Temporary rental assistance
This is the primary temporary housing solution used by FEMA. Eligible applicants receive two months of rental assistance and are referred to rentals that are located, preferably, within a reasonable distance of their damaged homes. Additional assistance may be available for those who still need help after the initial two months.

2. Transitional Shelter Assistance
In certain areas where there is a shortage of rentals, survivors who cannot live in their residences are eligible to stay in hotels or motels for up to two weeks while FEMA looks for other available temporary rental solutions. This program is available for Hurricane Irene survivors whose primary residence is in: Beaufort, Dare, Halifax, Hyde, Pamlico and Tyrrell counties.  

The hotel bill is paid for on behalf of the survivors by the state and the federal government.

In order to qualify for the Transitional Shelter Assistance program, survivors must first apply for federal assistance through FEMA and meet the following requirements: 

  • They must be eligible for federal disaster assistance, and 
  • The survivor's primary residence must be in one of the six counties where the transitional shelter program has been activated.

Rental assistance has been approved for 3,096 renters or homeowners. Currently, 3,079 rental resources have been identified.

3. Temporary Housing Units
There are two types of manufactured housing that may be installed as a last resort in areas with extremely limited rental resources. Depending on the family's need, they may be eligible for a park model home (2 bedroom) or mobile home (3 bedroom). Both come fully furnished and equipped with a stove, refrigerator and microwave oven. To speed the recovery process, units will be installed temporarily on a survivor's property, or as close as possible, so that survivors can make repairs or rebuild their homes.

In order to be eligible, survivors must first register with FEMA. 

The first units will be installed in the next few days in Beaufort and Pamlico counties. FEMA and North Carolina Emergency Management are working with local officials and storm survivors to identify other locations; more homes are expected to be installed soon in areas where housing is needed.
 

How To Apply

Survivors displaced by the storm or in need of a place to live while repairs are made on their homes should register with FEMA for assistance by:

  • Calling the FEMA helpline number is 800-621-3362 or TTY at 800-462-7585

  • Registering online at www.DisasterAssistance.gov or at m.fema.gov by using a tablet.

  • Visiting a disaster recovery center to get face-to-face assistance. To find the nearest center, go to the DRC locator. A complete list is also available at www.ncdps.gov using the Hurricane Irene tab.