CHICAGO – Cook County homeowners and renters with uninsured or under insured losses from the Sept. 17-18, 2023 severe storms and flooding have until Friday, Feb. 9 to apply for assistance. The application deadline was recently extended by three weeks to allow more time for affected residents to apply. More than $31 million in FEMA assistance has already been approved.
FEMA’s assistance programs are designed to help you with basic, critical needs such as a safe, sanitary and accessible place to live. Assistance includes rental assistance, lodging expenses reimbursement, and home repair and replacement assistance. FEMA grants do not have to be repaid and FEMA assistance is nontaxable and will not affect eligibility for Social Security, Medicaid or other federal benefits.
Apply one of four ways:
- Visit DisasterAssistance.gov.
- Use the FEMA mobile app.
- Call the FEMA helpline at 800-621-3362. Multilingual operators are available. If you use video relay service, captioned telephone service or others, give FEMA your number for that service.
- Visit a Disaster Recovery Center. The centers serve as one-stop shops for survivors who need one-on-one help. Survivors can visit any center for assistance. To find center locations and current hours, visit FEMA.gov/DRC.
FEMA’s mission is helping people before, during, and after disasters. For more information about Cook County’s recovery, visit www.fema.gov/disaster/4749.
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Disaster recovery assistance is available without regard to race, color, religion, nationality, sex, age, disability, English proficiency, or economic status. Reasonable accommodations, including translation and American Sign Language interpreters will be available to ensure effective communication with applicants with limited English proficiency, disabilities, and access and functional needs. If you or someone you know has been discriminated against, call FEMA toll-free at 800-621-3362. If you use video relay service, captioned telephone service or others, give FEMA your number for that service.