FEMA May Help You with Moving and Storage Expenses

If your home became unlivable due to Hurricane Ida and you had to move your personal property into another home or a storage facility to protect it from further damage, FEMA may provide financial assistance to help cover your moving and/or storage expenses.

First step: Apply for assistance

First, you must apply for assistance. Tell FEMA that you had to move your property out of your home to protect it from further damage. Financial assistance for moving and/or storage may be available to survivors whose home is unlivable due to damage caused by the disaster. There is no specified maximum for moving and storage expenses other than the financial Other Needs Assistance maximum. However, only moving and/or storage costs not covered by another source such as insurance will be considered.

What is considered personal property?

Personal property are essential items and/or household goods. These include appliances, such as a refrigerator or washing machine, and furniture such as a bed or sofa. This does not include recreational items, for example, boats or fishing gear. 

How to qualify?

To qualify for this assistance, you must meet the following eligibility criteria:

  • Your home was damaged and is unlivable.
  • It is your primary residence. Rental or vacation homes do not qualify.
  • The property being moved and/or stored is considered essential personal property and or household goods.
  • You are moving and/or storing these items temporarily until you repair your home and return to it, or until you find a new place to live and can move your belongings into your new home.
  • You moved and/or stored your items on or after Aug. 26, 2021. 

What is covered?

Moving and storage assistance may be provided for the following expenses:

  • Costs for commercial moving labor
  • Moving truck rental fee
  • Fuel for the rental vehicle
  • Costs for tape and boxes
  • Commercial storage unit fees, including self-storage
  • Associated sales taxes

Is moving and storage assistance available for survivors who are not homeowners?

Yes, as long as the eligibility criteria are met, moving and storage assistance is available to renters, people who live in public housing, private homes using a Section 8 housing choice voucher, or survivors who live in assisted-living facilities.

How to apply

  • The fastest and easiest way to apply is by visiting DisasterAssistance.gov.
  • If it is not possible to apply online, call 800-621-3362. The toll-free telephone lines operate 24 hours, seven days a week. If you use a relay service, such as video relay service (VRS), captioned telephone service or others, give FEMA the number for that service.

For the latest information on Hurricane Ida visit fema.gov/disaster/4611. Follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/FEMARegion6 and like us on Facebook at facebook.com/FEMARegion6/.

This article was brought to you via FEMA.gov

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