Renters Can Apply for Disaster Assistance

Texas renters with losses not covered by insurance can apply for federal disaster assistance after the severe storms and flooding that occurred March 26-28, 2025. FEMA Individual Assistance and U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) disaster loans are available to homeowners and renters, including students.

FEMA can help pay for temporary housing if an applicant is displaced from a residence damaged by the disaster.

Under FEMA’s Other Needs Assistance program, renters may also qualify for financial assistance for essential personal property and other disaster-related expenses. These may include:

• Displacement Assistance is a new type of assistance and counts toward the maximum amount of Other Needs Assistance you can receive. It is money you can use to stay in a hotel or motel, stay with family and friends, or for any other available housing options. You may get Displacement Assistance if:

• You or someone in your home is a U.S. citizen, non-citizen national, or qualified non-citizen,
• FEMA can confirm your identity,
• Your home is in a declared disaster area,
• You live in your home most of the year,
• A FEMA inspection determines your home is not safe to live in, or an inspection can’t be completed because your home is inaccessible,
• You don’t have insurance, or your insurance doesn’t have Additional Living Expense or Loss of Use coverage, and
• You apply for FEMA assistance during the registration period.

• Replacement or repair of necessary personal property such as clothing, textbooks or school supplies. FEMA may also help replace furniture or appliances you purchased.
• Replacement or repair of tools and other job-related equipment if you are self-employed.
• Vehicle repair or replacement.
• Uninsured or out-of-pocket medical/dental expenses, childcare, moving and storage expenses.

Residents with homeowners’ or renters’ insurance are encouraged to file a claim as soon as possible with their insurance carrier. By law, FEMA cannot provide funding for losses covered by your insurance. If your policy does not cover all disaster expenses, you may then be eligible for federal assistance.

Learn more about FEMA’s Individual Assistance program at fema.gov/assistance/individual.

Survivors in Cameron, Hidalgo, Starr, and Willacy counties may apply for federal assistance if they had damage in the March 26-28 storms.

The deadline to apply is July 22, 2025.

There are several ways to apply. Visit a Disaster Recovery Center. To find a center close to you, go online to: DRC Locator, or text DRC along with your Zip Code to 43362 (Ex: DRC 78552). Go to DisasterAssistance.gov; download the FEMA App for mobile devices; or call the FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362 between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m. CT. Help is available in most languages. If you use a relay service, captioned telephone or other service, you can give FEMA your number for that service.

For an accessible video on how to apply for assistance, go to Three Ways to Register for FEMA Disaster Assistance – YouTube.

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) low-interest loans to repair or replace disaster damage are available for the severe storms and flooding from March 26-28. Renters are eligible to apply for personal property loans and may borrow up to $100,000 to replace or repair personal property, such as clothing, furniture, cars and appliances.

To apply online, visit sba.gov/disaster. 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. For people who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, please dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunications relay services.

For the latest information about Texas’ recovery, visit fema.gov/disaster/4871. Follow FEMA Region 6 on social media at x.com/FEMARegion6 and at facebook.com/FEMARegion6/.

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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 833-285-7448. If you use a relay service, such as video relay service, captioned telephone service or others, give FEMA the number for that service. Multilingual operators are available. Press 2 for Spanish.