If you feel confused about the next step in your recovery, like finding housing or understanding what documents you may need to have on hand, FEMA says call us at 800-621-3362.
If you disagree with a decision made by FEMA, or need help making a recovery plan, FEMA says call us. If you know people who seem stuck, tell them to call FEMA. If you haven’t heard from FEMA and you were expecting to, call 800-621-3362.
Calling FEMA to get answers may be especially useful to those living in hotels as part of the Transitional Sheltering Assistance (TSA) program. If you are part of the TSA program, you should be working on finding a more permanent place to live as soon as possible.
Here are some resources that can help you:
- NCHousingHelps.org (http://NCHousingSearch.org) a free service to locate available and affordable rental housing. The service is available online or through this toll-free, bilingual call center, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., at 877-428-8844.
- The FEMA Housing Portal (https://asd.fema.gov/inter/hportal/home.htm) provides rental housing information arranged by area.
- If you lived in public housing or a multi-family Section 8 apartment or had a Housing Choice Voucher before Hurricane Matthew, the U.S. Housing and Urban Development (HUD) may be able to help you. Contact the housing provider that assisted you before the disaster and contact HUD at 336-851-8058 or email hudhelpingu@hud.gov (mailto:hudhelping@hub.gov).
Are you facing foreclosure? HUD may offer information and assistance. Call 800-569-4287 to talk to a housing counselor.
Voluntary organizations in your community may help you in a number of ways including finding housing. Referrals for unmet needs are available by calling the United Way at 211. North Carolina Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster offers a list of organizations currently assisting survivors at https://www.ncvoad.org/cms/NCVOADmembership.
And, if you feel you don’t know what steps to take next, call FEMA at 800-621-3362.
Finally, if you have not registered with FEMA for assistance, do so now. The registration deadline is Monday, Jan. 9. Here’s how to register:
- Online at DisasterAssistance.gov.
- Call the FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362 for voice, 711 and Video Relay Service. If you are deaf, hard of hearing or have a speech disability and use a TTY, call 800-462-7585.
- Download the FEMA Mobile App and apply.
- Visit a FEMA/North Carolina Emergency Management disaster recovery center for face-to-face help. You can register with FEMA and have questions answered. DRCs are located in Wayne, Edgecombe, Cumberland and Robeson counties.
If you have been contacted by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), you should fill out and submit the disaster loan application.
- An SBA disaster loan may provide you with the funds you need to repair your home and move on with your life.
- Not submitting your disaster loan application will stop FEMA from considering you for any other assistance.
- Even if you qualify for an SBA disaster loan, there is no requirement that you have to accept it.
- If you have questions about the SBA, call its hotline: 800-659-2955 (800-877-8339 TTY). Or go online to https://disasterloan.sba.gov/ela/ to apply online.
FEMA can’t help you solve your resource problems unless you call at 800-621-3362. If you use TTY, call 800-462-7585. Those who use 711 or Video Relay Service can call 800-621-3362. Lines are open from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. EDT, seven days a week, until further notice.
You can also visit a North Carolina disaster recovery center and speak with a disaster assistance representative. Currently there are DRCs in Wayne, Edgecombe, Cumberland and Robeson counties. To locate a DRC nearest to you, call 800-621-3362 or download the FEMA mobile app. If you have access to a computer, you can go online to ncdps.gov.
For more information on North Carolina’s recovery, visit fema.gov/disaster/4285 and readync.org. Follow FEMA on Twitter at @femaregion4 and North Carolina Emergency Management @NCEmergency.
About Author
