For San Diego County renters and homeowners who cannot live in their homes because of damage due to the Jan. 21-23, 2024, severe storm and flooding, FEMA Rental Assistance may help. The initial rental award is for two months and may be reviewed for further assistance.
Lodging Assistance and Rental Assistance
FEMA rental assistance is a temporary grant to survivors to pay for somewhere to live while they repair or rebuild their home. For renters, it may provide a solution while their home is under repair or while they look for a new place to rent. A Rental Assistance grant may cover:
- Funds for temporary housing while you are unable to live in your home.
- Funds can be used for security deposits, rent and the cost of essential utilities such as electricity, gas and water. They may not be used to pay for cable or Internet.
- Lodging Expense Reimbursement may be available to those who incurred out-of-pocket expense for staying at a hotel/motel or other short-term lodging.
Steps for Homeowners and Renters
Survivors who live in San Diego County, follow these steps if your home is not safe, sanitary and livable and you need a place to stay:
- File a claim with your insurance company. Your Flood, Homeowners or Renters’ Insurance company will give you a settlement document that you will need to provide to FEMA. It may take time to get this document, so file your insurance claim as soon as possible. Also, check with your insurance agent to see if your policy covers Additional Living Expenses (ALE). ALE may pay for relocating to a temporary residence.
- Apply for FEMA assistance right away. If you have insurance, tell FEMA and submit your settlement documents for review as soon as you receive them. FEMA cannot determine your final eligibility status until this information is complete. If your policy does not include ALE, or if you use up this coverage and you still cannot live in your home, you may be eligible for rental assistance from FEMA.
- You can apply online at DisasterAssistance.gov, use the FEMA mobile app or call the FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362. Helpline operators are available from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. PT daily. Help is available in most languages. If you use a relay service, such as video relay (VRS), captioned telephone or other service, give FEMA the number for that service. To view an accessible video about how to apply visit: Three Ways to Register for FEMA Disaster Assistance - YouTube.
After You Apply
Keep your receipts for three years to show how you spent FEMA grants. If grant money is not used as outlined in the letter, you may have to repay FEMA and could lose eligibility for further federal assistance.
FEMA may provide Rental Assistance, including initial and continued assistance awards, up to 18 months or the end of the 18-month period of assistance, whichever comes first. FEMA will also award applicants one additional month of rent when utilized for a security deposit.
FEMA is prohibited from duplicating benefits provided by other sources for the same loss. While FEMA grants do not have to be paid back, if you receive assistance from another source for the same need you may be required to repay FEMA.
For the latest information on the Jan. 21-23, 2024, San Diego County severe storms and flooding, visit www.fema.gov/disaster/4758.
###
FEMA’s mission is helping people before, during, and after disasters.
All FEMA disaster assistance will be provided without discrimination on the grounds of race, color, sex (including sexual harassment), sexual orientation, religion, national origin, age, disability, limited English proficiency, or economic status.
If you believe your civil rights are being violated, you can call the Civil Rights Resource line at 833-285-7448 (TTY 800-462-7585). Those who use a relay service such as a videophone, InnoCaption or CapTel should update FEMA with their specific number assigned to that service. Multilingual operators are available (press 2 for Spanish).