NASHVILLE – Renters in Davidson, Putnam and Wilson counties whose homes and property were damaged by the tornadoes and severe storms March 3 can apply for federal disaster assistance.
FEMA Individual Assistance is available to renters, including students, as well as homeowners. Federal grants can help pay for temporary housing. The initial rental grant is for a 60-day period and can be reviewed for further assistance. The deadline to register for federal aid is May 4, 2020.
Renters may also qualify for a grant under FEMA’s Other Needs Assistance program for essential personal property and other disaster-related expenses. These may include:
- 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 by the self-employed
- Primary vehicles
- Medical and dental bills
The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) offers low-interest disaster loans to help Tennessee renters repair or replace disaster-damaged personal property, including automobiles. Loan rates are as low as 1.563 percent, terms can be as long as 30 years, and survivors may be eligible for up to $40,000, depending on their losses.
Survivors in Davidson, Putnam and Wilson counties can register with FEMA in the following ways:
- Visit DisasterAssistance.gov
- Download the FEMA App
- Call 800-621-3362 (800-462-7585 TTY). Multilingual operators are available. The toll-free numbers are open from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. local time, seven days a week.
- Visit a Disaster Recovery Center (to locate the nearest center, visit www.fema.gov/disaster-recovery-centers.
For additional information about SBA disaster loans, the loan application process, or for help completing the SBA application, visit SBA’s secure website at Disasterloan.sba.gov. Applicants may also call SBA’s Customer Service Center at 800-659-2955 or email disastercustomerservice@sba.gov for more information on SBA disaster assistance. Individuals who are deaf or hard-of-hearing may call 800-877-8339.
For more information on Tennessee recovery, visit the disaster web page, www.fema.gov/disaster/4476 and the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency website, www.tn.gov/content/tn/tema.html.
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FEMA’s mission is helping people before, during, and after disasters.
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 800-621-3362. For TTY call 800-462-7585.
FEMA’s temporary housing assistance and grants for 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 loan officers to be eligible for assistance that covers personal property, vehicle repair or replacement, and moving and storage expenses.
The U.S. Small Business Administration is the federal government’s primary source of money for the long-term rebuilding of disaster-damaged private property. SBA helps businesses of all sizes, private nonprofit organizations, homeowners and renters fund repairs or rebuilding efforts and cover the cost of replacing lost or disaster-damaged personal property. For more information, applicants may contact SBA’s Disaster Assistance Customer Service Center at 800-659-2955. TTY users may also call 800-877-8339. Applicants may also email disastercustomerservice@sba.gov or visit SBA at www.SBA.gov/disaster.