If you live in Citrus, Columbia, Dixie, Gilchrist, Hamilton, Hernando, Jefferson, Lafayette, Levy, Madison, Manatee, Pasco, Pinellas, Sarasota, Suwannee or Taylor counties and had personal property damaged or destroyed by Hurricane Idalia, FEMA may provide financial assistance under the Other Needs Assistance provision of the Individuals and Households Program.
The assistance is intended to meet the basic needs of the household, not to restore all personal property items to a pre-disaster condition.
FEMA assistance to repair and replace personal property falls within the following categories:
- Appliances: Includes standard household appliances, such as a refrigerator, washing machine, etc.
- Clothing: Essential clothing needed due to loss, damage, or contamination.
- Room furnishings: Standard furnishings found in a bedroom, kitchen, bathroom and living room.
- Essential Tools: Tools and equipment required by an employer as a condition of employment and items required as a condition of an applicant’s or household member’s education.
- Accessible Items: FEMA also provides assistance for damaged personal property items required for qualified applicants with disabilities.
Applicants must meet the following conditions to receive Personal Property Assistance:
- If you received a referral to apply for an SBA Disaster Loan, you must have submitted the application and received a denial.
- The item needs to be repaired or replaced due to disaster damage.
- The occupants of the household have an unmet disaster-related need for the damaged item. FEMA may not provide assistance if the applicant can meet that need with another similar item in their possession or available to the household.
- The item was owned and being used by occupants of the household.
- FEMA does not provide assistance for furnishings and/or appliances provided by a landlord.
- Items used by guests and relatives who were not members of the pre-disaster household are not eligible for assistance.
To apply for FEMA assistance, go online to DisasterAssistance.gov, use the FEMA app for smartphones, visit a Disaster Recovery Center (DRC Locator (fema.gov) or call 800-621-3362. Help is available in most languages. If you use a relay service, such as video relay service (VRS), captioned telephone service or others, give FEMA your numberfor that service.Lines are open from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. ET seven days a week.