Orlando, Fla. – If you are a renter or a student at a college or university in a disaster designated Florida county and sustained damage from Hurricane Irma, you may be eligible for disaster assistance.
The first step is to register with FEMA online at disasterassistance.gov or by calling the FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362. Multilingual operators are available. Survivors who are deaf, hard of hearing or have a speech disability and use TTY can call 800-462-7585. Those who use 711 or VRS (Video Relay Services) or require accommodations while visiting a center, can call 800-621-3362 to register. The toll-free numbers are open from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. ET daily.
As a renter or student, you may also qualify for a grant under FEMA’s Other Needs Assistance program for essential personal property and other needs. FEMA grants can help pay for disaster-related expenses that do not have to be repaid such as:
- Replacement or repair of necessary personal property, such as furniture, appliances, clothing, text books or school supplies
- Replacement or repair of tools and other job-related equipment required if you are self-employed
- Replacement or repair of primary vehicles
- Medical and dental bills as a result of the disaster
As a student or renter, you do not need to be a permanent resident of the designated counties to be eligible for assistance, but the property damage or loss must have occurred in a disaster designated county.
Renters and students may also qualify for a low-interest SBA loan of up to $40,000 to repair or replace personal property. For more information, call SBA’s Disaster Assistance Customer Service Center at 800-659-2955 or visit sba.gov/disaster. TTY users may call 800-877-8339. Applicants may also apply online using the Electronic Loan Application via SBA’s secure website at disasterloan.sba.gov/ela.
###
FEMA’s mission is to support our citizens and first responders to ensure that as a nation we work together to build, sustain, and improve our capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate all hazards.
Disaster recovery assistance is available without regard to race, color, religion, nationality, sex, age, disability, English proficiency or economic status. If you or someone you know has been discriminated against, call FEMA toll-free at 800-621-FEMA (3362). For TTY call 800-462-7585.
FEMA’s temporary housing assistance and grants for public transportation expenses, medical and dental expenses, and funeral and burial expenses do not require individuals to apply for an SBA loan. However, applicants who receive SBA loan applications must submit them to SBA to be eligible for assistance that covers personal property, vehicle repair or replacement, and moving and storage expenses