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Hurricane Ida

Recovery Information

FEMA Disaster Assistance

FEMA assistance calendar

Insurance

  • If you have insurance, contact your homeowner’s or renter’s insurance provider to file a claim. If you have not filed a claim with your insurance company or provided a copy of your insurance settlement approval or denial to FEMA, you will likely receive a notification that there is "no decision." This means FEMA may need additional information from you to continue processing your application.
  • For National Flood Insurance Program questions, send an email to floodsmart@fema.dhs.gov or call 877-336-2627.

For FEMA Assistance

  • For survivors who live in one of the 25 designated Parishes for Individual Assistance: Ascension, Assumption, East Baton Rouge, East Feliciana, Iberia, Iberville, Jefferson, Lafourche, Livingston, Orleans, Plaquemines, Pointe Coupee, St. Bernard, St. Charles, St. Helena, St. James, St. John the Baptist, St. Martin, St. Mary, St. Tammany, Tangipahoa, Terrebonne, Washington, West Baton Rouge and West Feliciana.
  • FEMA disaster assistance may be available to help pay uninsured or underinsured losses such as home repair for disaster-related damage, rental assistance, reimbursement for lodging expenses for individuals whose home was inaccessible or unhabitable during the disaster, medical expenses incurred from this disaster or other disaster-related needs.
    • Eligible survivors may be eligible for a one-time payment per household of $500 for immediate or critical lifesaving and life-sustaining items such as water, food, fuel for transportation, or prescriptions.
    • FEMA may provide one month of expedited rental assistance to eligible applicants who reported their essential utilities are temporarily unavailable and whose primary home is in the one of the following parishes only: Ascension, Assumption, East Baton Rouge, East Feliciana, Jefferson, Lafourche, Livingston, Orleans, Plaquemines, St. Bernard, St. Charles, St. Helena, St. James, St. John the Baptist, St. Tammany, Tangipahoa, Terrebonne, and Washington.
  • To apply for FEMA assistance, add information or check status, go to disasterassistance.gov or call 800-621-3362.

Is FEMA assistance available if I’m being evicted from my storm-damaged home?

Louisiana renters who face eviction or have been evicted from 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 my rental property, but I have nowhere to go. What should I do?

Answer: Calling 211 connects callers to available resources 24 hours a day, seven days a week...even during disasters. The statewide network works with state agencies and local officials to provide the most current and available information during times of need.

Question: I am being forced to leave my rental property. Is there anything FEMA can do to help me?

Answer: Louisiana renters who face eviction or have been evicted due to Hurricane Ida may be eligible for disaster
assistance from FEMA.

FEMA is also partnering with the Louisiana State Bar Association and the American Bar Association Young Lawyers Division to provide free legal aid to low-income individuals with disaster legal needs, such as help addressing evictions. Call the toll-free legal aid hotline at (800) 310-7029, or you can get legal advice online through Louisiana Free Legal Answers.

Question: What if I already applied with FEMA and was later evicted?

Answer: Survivors who have already applied for FEMA assistance but were later evicted due to damage to other parts of their home should call FEMA at 800-621-3362 or visit a temporary disaster recovery center. Displaced survivors can reach out even if they were previously determined ineligible for FEMA assistance. Check the FEMA App or visit the FEMA DRC Locator to find the locations and hours of operation of the temporary disaster recovery
centers.

Question: Where can I apply for FEMA assistance?

Answer: There are several ways to apply for disaster assistance:

  • Online at DisasterAssistance.gov
  • Use the FEMA mobile app.

FEMA Application Deadlines 

You currently have until Sept. 12 to be considered for specific assistance related to urgent needs or power outages:

  • Rapid financial assistance for critical needs (food, water, fuel for transportation, prescription medications)
  • Expedited rental assistance for people who have evacuated to hotels – or need to relocate – because of the dangerous power outages
  • Apply online at DisasterAssistance.gov
  • If that’s not possible, call 800-621-3362.
  • Or visit FEMA in person at more than 20 locations in Louisiana; check with local officials for locations and hours

For other FEMA assistance, the deadline to apply is November 28

FEMA is providing grant money for damage and serious needs not covered by insurance, including:

  • Basic home repairs to a primary residence to help restore habitability (for homeowners)
  • Temporary rental assistance for people who need to relocate because a home is uninhabitable (for homeowners and renters)
  • Other needs, such as replacing essential personal property and other disaster expenses (homeowners and renters)
    • Money for chainsaws and generators may be available
    • Survivors whose primary home is in one of the 25 designated parishes may be eligible to receive reimbursement for the purchase or rental of a generator up to $800.
    • The generator must have been purchased or rented between Aug. 26, 2021 and Sept. 25, 2021.
    • The reimbursement amount for the purchase or rental of a chainsaw up to $250 for this disaster.
  • FEMA determines eligibility on a case-by-case basis
  • The deadline to apply with FEMA is November 28
  • Assistance is available beyond the deadline, but if you have serious needs, you need to apply by October 28

 

By law, FEMA is not allowed to duplicate insurance payments.

Hurricane Ida Louisiana updates, including news releases and fact sheets are available here:

https://www.fema.gov/disaster/4611

Generator and chainsaw reimbursement

Louisiana survivors who purchased or rented a generator and/or chainsaw as a result of Hurricane Ida may be eligible for FEMA reimbursement.

FEMA cannot reimburse equipment paid for by another source, such as homeowner’s, flood or other types of insurance. Duplicate payments or reimbursements for assistance provided by insurance or any other source are prohibited by law.

Survivors interested in generator and/or chainsaw reimbursement from FEMA must first apply for assistance. They may do so by going online to DisasterAssistance.gov, downloading the FEMA mobile app or calling the FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362 (TTY: 800-462-7585). Multilingual operators are available. Lines are open 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. CDT, seven days a week. Those who use 711 or Video Relay Service may call 800-621-3362.

Applicants who purchase or rent a generator and/or chainsaw between Aug. 26, 2021 and Sept. 25, 2021, may be eligible to receive financial assistance for reimbursement if:

  • The applicant meets the general eligibility requirements for FEMA’s Individuals and Households Program.
  • The home is the applicant’s primary residence and is located in a parish designated for the Individuals and Households Program. The parishes are: Ascension, Assumption, East Baton Rouge, East Feliciana, Iberia, Iberville, Jefferson, Lafourche, Livingston, Orleans, Plaquemines, Pointe Coupee, St. Bernard, St. Charles, St. Helena, St. James, St. John the Baptist, St. Martin, St. Mary, St. Tammany, Tangipahoa, Terrebonne, Washington, West Baton Rouge and West Feliciana parishes.
  • The generator was purchased or rented due to a disruption in electrical utility service caused by Hurricane Ida.
  • Proof-of-purchase or rental receipts for the items are submitted by the applicant.

Price Limits

  • FEMA may reimburse applicants up to $800 for generators and up to $250 for chainsaws.

Generator Safety

  • Survivors should never use a generator inside a home, garage, basement, crawlspace or any partially enclosed area. Keep these devices outdoors, away from doors, windows and vents that could allow carbon monoxide to come indoors.

For the latest information, visit fema.gov/disaster/4611. Follow the FEMA Region 6 Twitter account at twitter.com/FEMARegion6 or on Facebook at facebook.com/FEMARegion6/.

Types of Assistance for Hurricane Ida Survivors

A summary of the types of assistance currently available to Louisiana survivors of Hurricane Ida.

Insurance

Survivors who have homeowners, renters or flood insurance should contact their insurance provider immediately and begin the claims process. FEMA requires information from your insurance which may include a declaration page, settlement or denial.

Types of Temporary Housing Assistance

Rental Assistance

Financial assistance to pay for alternate temporary housing if a homeowner or renter is displaced from their primary residence because of Hurricane Ida. This may include renting an apartment, house or staying at a hotel, bed and breakfast or Airbnb.

Expedited rental assistance may be available to survivors in Ascension, Assumption, East Baton Rouge, East Feliciana, Jefferson, Lafourche, Livingston, Orleans, Plaquemines, St. Bernard, St. Charles, St. Helena, St. James, St. John the Baptist, St. Tammany, Tangipahoa, Terrebonne and Washington parishes. Survivors in those parishes who are unable to return to their home due to a utility outage or inaccessibility may receive up to one month’s rental assistance at the fair market rate. Eligible survivors must not be receiving housing assistance covered by insurance benefits like additional living expenses or loss of use and must apply with FEMA by Sept. 12, 2021 to be considered.

Lodging Expense Reimbursement (LER)

Reimbursement for out of pocket lodging expenses that are not covered by insurance benefits like additional living expenses or loss of use. The survivor’s pre-disaster primary residence must be unlivable, inaccessible or affected by an extended disaster-caused utility outage. Eligible expenses may include the cost of the room and taxes charged by a hotel or other lodging provider. This does not include costs for food, phone calls or transportation.

LER is limited to reimbursement and is not provided in advance or in the form of direct payment to a hotel or motel. The costs must have also been incurred on or after Aug. 26, 2021. Survivors can upload their receipts to their DisasterAssistance.gov account.

Transitional Sheltering Assistance (TSA)

Assistance that allows eligible survivors who are unable to live in their primary home to stay temporarily in short-term lodging at a participating hotel or motel, which FEMA pays for directly. Survivors may not request TSA. Those who are eligible will be contacted by FEMA about their eligibility.

TSA-eligible applicants must find and book their own hotel rooms. The list of participating hotels will be posted on DisasterAssistance.gov, under the link Transitional Sheltering Assistance Program.

TSA-approved hotels are limited to the states of: Louisiana, Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Florida, Mississippi, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and Texas.

Home Repair Assistance

Financial assistance to help with uninsured or underinsured home repairs to an owner-occupied primary residence. Types of repairs can include structural parts of a home (e.g., foundation, outside walls, roof) or windows, doors, floors, walls, ceilings and cabinetry. It may also include repair utility systems such as electrical, plumbing and gas systems. Assistance is limited to the basic needs to make the home safe, sanitary and functional.

Additional Types of Assistance

Other Needs Assistance (ONA)

Financial assistance for other uninsured or underinsured disaster-caused expenses and serious needs such as medical, funeral, childcare, moving and storage expenses or other essential items purchased as a result of the disaster such as generators and chainsaws.

For this disaster only, survivors whose primary home is in one of the 25 designated parishes, may be eligible to receive reimbursement for the purchase or rental of a generator up to $800. The generator must have been purchased between Aug. 26, 2021 and Sept. 25, 2021. Additionally, the reimbursement amount for the purchase or rental of a chainsaw is up to $250 for this disaster.

For survivors who do not qualify for a loan from the Small Business Administration, assistance may be available to cover losses for essential personal property or transportation.

Critical Needs Assistance (CNA)

Critical Needs Assistance is provided to eligible survivors who have immediate or critical needs because they are displaced from their home or survivors who are in their home but identified a critical need for an alternate place to live. CNA may cover water, food, first aid, prescriptions, infant formula, diapers, personal hygiene items and fuel for transportation. CNA is limited to a one-time $500 payment per household. Survivors must apply with FEMA by Sept. 12, 2021 to be considered.

Clean and Sanitize Assistance (CSA)
Financial assistance to eligible survivors who have disaster-caused real property damage, but their home is still livable. CSA is to be used for needed clean-up actions to the survivor’s home and cannot duplicate benefits of insurance. CSA is limited to a one-time payment of $300 per household.

Low-Interest Disaster Loans

Small Business Administration (SBA) disaster loans are the primary source of money to pay for repair or replacement costs not fully covered by insurance or other compensation. The SBA offers low-interest disaster loans to businesses of all sizes, most private nonprofit organizations, homeowners and renters.

Businesses may borrow up to $2 million for any combination of property damage or economic injury. While homeowners may borrow up to $200,000 to repair or replace their primary residence, and homeowners and renters may borrow up to $40,000 to replace personal property.

SBA offers low-interest working capital loans called Economic Injury Disaster Loans to small businesses, small businesses engaged in aquaculture and most private, nonprofit organizations of all sizes having difficulty meeting obligations as a result of the disaster.

Apply online using SBA’s secure website at disasterloan.sba.gov/ela. SBA has established a Virtual Disaster Loan Outreach Center that is open 7 days a week. 7 am to 7 pm Central Time. You can contact an SBA customer service representative via email at FOCWAssistance@sba.gov or by phone at 800-659- 2955. Individuals who are deaf or hard-of-hearing may call 800-877-8339. Completed applications should be mailed to U.S. Small Business Administration, Processing and Disbursement Center, 14925 Kingsport Road, Fort Worth, TX 76155.

Applying with FEMA

Hurricane Ida survivors in one of the parishes designated for Individual Assistance can apply for FEMA assistance online at DisasterAssistance.gov or by telephone at 1-800-621-3362, TTY 1-800-462-7585. Those who use a relay service, such as a videophone, InnoCaption or CapTel, should give FEMA the number for that service. Additionally, survivors should contact FEMA again if there are any updates or changes to their application for disaster assistance, including access to their primary home, utility service and current location. They can visit DisasterAssistance.gov or call 800-621-3362 to update their application.

 

FEMA FAQs

Updated 9/5/2021

1. Who is eligible to receive FEMA assistance as a result of Hurricane Ida?

Residents affected by the storm live in one of the 25 designated Parishes (listed below) are eligible for Individual Assistance: Ascension, Assumption, East Baton Rouge, East Feliciana, Iberia, Iberville, Jefferson, Lafourche, Livingston, Orleans, Plaquemines, Pointe Coupee, St. Bernard, St. Charles, St. Helena, St. James, St. John the Baptist, St. Martin, St. Mary, St. Tammany, Tangipahoa, Terrebonne, Washington, West Baton Rouge and West Feliciana.

2. Do I need to have homeowner’s or renter’s insurance?

No; however, if you have insurance, you must contact your homeowner’s or renter’s insurance provider first to file a claim. If you are uninsured or underinsured, you may be eligible for federal assistance.

3. If I do have insurance, will FEMA still assist me?

Yes. FEMA disaster assistance may be available to help pay uninsured or underinsured losses. However, by law, FEMA cannot duplicate benefits for losses covered by insurance.

4. What types of losses will FEMA cover?

FEMA can help cover losses such as: home repair for disaster-related damage, rental assistance, reimbursement for lodging expenses for individuals whose home was inaccessible or unhabitable during the disaster, medical expenses incurred from this disaster or other disaster-related needs.

5. How much FEMA assistance am I able to receive?

Residents may be eligible for a one-time payment per household of $500 for immediate or critical lifesaving and life-sustaining items such as water, food, fuel for transportation, or prescriptions.

6. Will FEMA provide rental assistance?

FEMA may provide one month of expedited rental assistance to eligible applicants who reported their essential utilities are temporarily unavailable and whose primary home is in the one of the following parishes only: Ascension, Assumption, East Baton Rouge, East Feliciana, Jefferson, Lafourche, Livingston, Orleans, Plaquemines, St. Bernard, St. Charles, St. Helena, St. James, St. John the Baptist, St. Tammany, Tangipahoa, Terrebonne, and Washington.

7. Why was I denied FEMA assistance?

No one has been denied assistance by FEMA. However, if you have not filed a claim with your insurance company or provided a copy of your insurance settlement approval or denial to FEMA, you will likely receive a notification that there is "no decision." This means FEMA may need additional information from you to continue processing your application.

8. Am I eligible for assistance, even though I evacuated pre-storm or post-storm?

Yes, anyone that resides in one of the 25 designated parishes are eligible for assistance, regardless of evacuation status.

9. How do I apply?

To apply for FEMA assistance, add/edit information or check your application status, go to disasterassistance.gov, download the FEMA app, or call 800-621-3362. The toll-free telephone lines operate from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. CDT, seven days a week.

10. When applying, what information do I need?

When you apply for assistance, have the following information readily available:

  • A current phone number where you can be contacted
  • Your address at the time of the disaster and the address where you are now staying
  • Your Social Security number, if available
  • A general list of damage and losses
  • If insured, the policy number or the agent and/or the company name

Note: To expedite the application approvals process, take photos to document damage, and remember to keep receipts from all purchases related to the cleanup and repair.

11. Are there any application fees associated with applying for individual assistance?

No, FEMA does not charge a fee to apply for assistance. If you are charged or asked for payment/billing information, notify local law enforcement officials immediately.

12. Once approved, how and when can I expect to receive to receive assistance funds?

Applications are approved on a rolling basis, and payments have already started going out for critical needs. You can choose to either have a check mailed to you or to receive a direct deposit to your checking or savings account.

13. Is there anyone I can talk to in-person if I need additional assistance?

Yes, FEMA representatives will be available at DRCs in Orleans Parish throughout the week.

14. Are there any other federal resources available?

U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) low-interest disaster loans are available for homeowners, renters, businesses of any size and most nonprofits. Similar to FEMA, SBA cannot duplicate benefits for losses covered by insurance. Businesses and residents can apply online at https://disasterloanassistance.sba.gov.

For questions and assistance completing an application, call 800-659-2955 or email FOCWAssistance@sba.gov. SBA will answer specific questions about how a disaster loan may help each survivor recover from the disaster damage. For the latest information visit fema.gov/disaster/4611. Follow the FEMA Region 6 Twitter account at twitter.com/FEMARegion6 or on Facebook at facebook.com/FEMARegion6/.