What type of housing will I be able to move into using my rental assistance?

Rental Assistance is meant to be used to rent temporary housing—an apartment or house—while your home is being repaired or until you find a more permanent post-disaster housing solution. If you use your Rental Assistance on a hotel or motel stay, and later need help renting temporary housing, FEMA may not be able to help you with additional Rental Assistance unless you have a lease or rental agreement.

If you need help paying short-term lodging costs at a hotel or motel, FEMA may be able to reimburse your out-of-pocket lodging expenses separately from Rental Assistance. You can request Lodging Expense Reimbursement by contacting FEMA and sending your lodging receipts. FEMA can only reimburse you for lodging costs and taxes; we cannot help with room service, long-distance phone calls, or other optional charges.

Rental Assistance award amounts are based on the Fair Market Rent (FMR) established by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) for the area in which the rental property is located and the number of bedrooms needed. Rental Assistance awards cannot exceed the HUD FMR amount unless authorized on a disaster-specific basis.