News and Media: Disaster 4701

Tennessee storm survivors who live in Cannon, Hardeman, Hardin, Haywood, Lewis, Macon, McNairy, Rutherford, Tipton or Wayne counties and received initial rental assistance from FEMA may be eligible for continued rental assistance.

As eligible Tennessee homeowners and renters begin receiving disaster funds from FEMA for rental assistance, home repairs or other categories of assistance, it is important to keep track of your spending. Use the money for the specified reason stated in your FEMA letter.

Tennessee residents who were affected by the recent severe storms and tornadoes have until Tuesday, June 6, 2023, to apply for FEMA disaster assistance. Here are answers to your frequently asked questions:

Debris removal from private property is the responsibility of property owners and is usually ineligible for reimbursement under FEMA’s Public Assistance Program. Sometimes, FEMA may determine that debris removal from private property is eligible for program funding. But there are factors that affect that decision. Those factors are based on the severity of the disaster and whether debris on private property is so widespread that it threatens public health and safety or the economic recovery of the community. In such cases, FEMA works with state and local governments to designate specific areas where debris removal from private property is eligible for funding. In those cases, debris removal must be in the public interest, not merely benefiting an individual or a limited group of individuals.

Disaster Recovery Centers are one-stop shops where disaster survivors can get information and advice about community, state and federal agencies and other available assistance. They are accessible to all, including people with disabilities and those with access and functional needs.