Hawaii (DR-4724-HI): Rumor Response and Frequently Asked Questions

No. They are different.

TSA is a FEMA program that is approved for eligible disasters. It allows for temporary, short-term lodging at a participating hotel/motel, that FEMA pays for directly. Survivors may not request TSA. Those who are eligible will be contacted by FEMA about their eligibility.

If you need short-term lodging at a hotel or motel because you cannot stay at your home due to the disaster, FEMA may be able to reimburse your out-of-pocket lodging expenses (room and tax) through Lodging Expense Reimbursement.

Rental assistance is money to rent alternate housing accommodations, like an apartment, while your home is being repaired or until you find a permanent post-disaster housing solution. For applicants who have a documented, continued temporary housing need, Rental Assistance may be available for up to 18 months from the date of the disaster.

Displaced renters who need a safe place to stay while they look for longer-term housing may be eligible for short-term hotel stays paid by FEMA under its Transitional Sheltering Assistance (TSA) program. Applicants cannot request TSA, but FEMA will identify survivors who may be eligible and have a need for this specific assistance. FEMA will communicate TSA eligibility through a variety of methods including voice; text; and email.

If TSA is approved by your state, territory, or tribal government, the list of participating hotels will be posted on DisasterAssistance.gov. You can also find this information by calling the FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362. If you use video relay service (VRS), captioned telephone service or others, give FEMA your number for that service.

Applicants can upload their receipts online to their DisasterAssistance.gov account. All documents should include the registration and disaster number. Download instructions on how to upload your documents. This information is available in multiple languages.

Survivors can also submit through standard mail at:
P.O. Box 10055, Attn: FEMA 
Hyattsville, MD 20782-8055 

Or Fax 1-800-827-8112 (Cover sheet required)

To be considered for FEMA disaster assistance, you must be one of the following:

• U.S. citizen
• Non-citizen national
• Qualified non-citizen

A qualified non-citizen:

• Legal permanent resident (“green card” holder)
• Non-citizens granted asylum
• Refugees
• Non-citizens whose deportation status is being withheld for at least one year
• Non-citizens paroled into the U.S. for at least one year for urgent humanitarian purposes or significant public benefit
• Cuban/Haitian entrants
• Certain battered non-citizens or their spouses or children
• Certain victims of a severe form of human trafficking, including persons with a “T” or “U” visa

If you do not meet the citizenship requirements, the household may still apply for certain forms of federal assistance if:

• The parent or legal guardian of a minor child who is a U.S. citizen, non-citizen national, or qualified non-citizen applies on behalf of the minor child, so long as they live in the same household. The parent or legal guardian must apply as the co-applicant, and the minor child must be under age 18 at the time the disaster occurred.

To be considered for Lodging Expenses Reimbursement, eligible applicants must submit verifiable lodging receipts or itemized statements with the following information: The name of the applicant or co-applicant, information for the lodging provider (name, address and phone number), dates of occupancy and the amount of expenses incurred.