Arkansas renters who have been asked to leave or vacate their storm-damaged home or apartment complex, whether their unit had damage or not, may be eligible for disaster assistance from FEMA.
Question: My landlord has told me I have to leave / I am being forced to leave my rental property. Is there anything FEMA can do to help me?
Answer: Arkansas renters who have been asked to leave or vacate their storm-damaged home may be eligible for disaster assistance from FEMA. To find out what assistance may be available, survivors are encouraged to apply for FEMA assistance at disasterassistance.gov.
Question: What if I already applied with FEMA and was later told I needed to leave my rental property?
Answer: Survivors who have already applied for FEMA assistance but were later asked to leave or vacate their property due to damage to other parts of their home should call FEMA at 800-621-3362 or visit a FEMA Disaster Recovery Center (DRC). Displaced survivors can reach out even if they were previously determined ineligible for FEMA assistance. Check the FEMA app or visit www.FEMA.gov/DRC to find the locations and hours of operation of the DRCs.
Question: Where can I apply for FEMA Assistance?
Answer: There are several ways to apply for disaster assistance:
- Online at disasterassistance.gov
- Call the FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362
- Visit a DRC open in affected areas. Check the FEMA App or visit the www.FEMA.gov/DRC to find the locations and hours of operation.
Question: What other types of help are available for displaced survivors?
Answer: Renters may be eligible for grants from FEMA to help with disaster-related expenses, such as:
- Renting a home when the renter’s previous one is unsafe to live in due to the disaster or their apartment complex or home is under repair due to the disaster.
- Disaster-related medical and dental expenses.
- Child-care assistance
- Moving and storage fees
- Replacement or repair of necessary personal property lost or damaged in the disaster, such as appliances and furniture, textbooks and computers used by students, and work equipment or tools used by independent contractors
- Repair or replacement of vehicles damaged by the disaster
- Disaster-related funeral and burial expenses
Question: Do I have to pay FEMA back this money?
Answer: The grants are not loans and do not have to be repaid. They are not taxable income and won't affect
eligibility for Social Security, Medicaid, welfare assistance, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
benefits and several other programs.
Question: I was receiving rental assistance from the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and
was displaced due to the March 31 severe storms and tornadoes. Do I qualify for FEMA disaster assistance?
Answer: FEMA cannot duplicate any types of assistance received from another federal agency. However, if you
were forced to leave your HUD-assisted housing because of damage caused by the severe storms and tornadoes,
you may be eligible for help from FEMA. This includes displaced families or residents who were:
- Living in HUD-assisted public housing
- Living in a privately-owned apartment that provides rental assistance from HUD
- Living in a private home using a Housing Choice Voucher (formerly known as Section 8 voucher) issued by a public housing authority or other authorized agency
Question: What type of help is available for HUD-assisted renters?
Answer: If you received HUD rental assistance, you may be eligible for temporary rental assistance to pay for a place to live until:
- You relocate back to public housing
- You relocate back to the private housing that provides HUD assistance
- You sign a lease with a private property owner using a Housing Choice Voucher
Assistance may also include help with replacing essential contents, such as clothing and essential household items, and reimbursement to you for serious disaster-related expenses not covered by insurance. FEMA cannot duplicate any types of assistance received from another federal agencies.
Question: Where can I find information on renter's rights and guidance related to evictions?
Answer: The State of Arkansas Attorney General offers general information for Arkansas renters on their website at arkansasag.gov/consumer-protection/home/landlord-and-tenant-rights/
For the latest information, visit fema.gov/disaster/4698. Follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/FEMARegion6 and like us on Facebook at facebook.com/FEMARegion6/.