Continued Temporary Rental Assistance May be Available for Hurricane Fiona Survivors

FEMA may provide financial assistance to residents of Puerto Rico who need temporary housing because they are displaced from their primary residence as a result of Hurricane Fiona. Those who need it can apply for continued rental assistance while they look for more permanent housing.

The rental can be a home, apartment or hotel. Rental Assistance covers rent, security deposit costs, electricity and water. It does not cover cable or internet.

If you received an initial grant of rental assistance from FEMA and cannot return to your primary residence, you may submit an application for Continued Temporary Housing Assistance.

To be eligible to apply, survivors must meet the following conditions:

• They were awarded initial rental assistance and used it as intended. The initial award covers two months.
• They are unable to return to their pre-disaster residence because it is uninhabitable, cannot be accessed or is not available due to the disaster.
• They cannot pay for housing without assistance.
• They are not receiving temporary housing help from any other source.
• They are developing a longer-term or permanent housing plan or can demonstrate progress towards one.

If you were awarded financial help for temporary rental assistance you may have received a form to apply for Continued Temporary Housing Assistance. If you haven’t received this form you can request one by calling the FEMA Helpline at 1-800-621-3362. If you use a relay service, such as video relay service (VRS), captioned telephone service or others, give FEMA the number for that service. Operators are available seven days a week from 7 a.m. to 2 a.m. local time

Applicants should submit the following documents with the completed application:

• Pre- and post-disaster income for household members 18 and older.
• Proof of pre-disaster housing costs (copy of lease and utility bills, renter’s insurance, mortgage statements, real estate taxes, home insurance, etc.).
• Proof of post-disaster housing costs (copy of current lease or rental agreement signed by the applicant and the landlord).
• Proof of payment using previous award (rent receipts, canceled checks or money orders).

The application form and supporting documents should be returned to FEMA. You can upload them to your disaster account at DisasterAssistance.gov, mail them to FEMA, PO Box 10055, Hyattsville, MD 20782-8055 or fax them to 1-800-827-8112. You can also visit a DRC to submit your documents and get your questions answered. Find your nearest DRC by visiting www.FEMA.gov/DRC. If you need a Puerto Rico Sign Language (PRSL) interpreter, American Sign Language (ASL) interpreter or a spoken language interpreter to communicate with FEMA, please send an email to FEMA-PRaccesible@fema.dhs.gov to schedule a personal appointment.

FEMA will evaluate the request to determine if the applicant is eligible. It is important for applicants to keep FEMA updated with their contact information and housing status. Remember: Federal and local disaster workers do not solicit or accept money. FEMA staff will never charge applicants for disaster assistance, inspections or help in filling out or processing applications.

Original source can be found here.