If your home was damaged by a major disaster, you may be eligible for repair assistance from FEMA. FEMA repair assistance is only intended to help you with basic repairs to make it safe to return to your home. FEMA is not intended to assist with all repairs or result in your home returning to its pre-disaster condition.
FEMA also expects that you will soon return to your home and take steps to prevent further damage. For instance, if you have a hole in your roof, FEMA expects that you will place a tarp over it to prevent interior damage to your home.
You may be eligible for home repair assistance if:
- You or a household member is a U.S. citizen, non‐citizen national, or qualified alien
- Your home is in a declared disaster area
- You own your home
- Your home is uninhabitable or inaccessible due to the disaster
- Your home is not covered by insurance, or your insurance does not cover all your damage
- You were occupying your home as your primary residence at the time of the disaster
You may NOT be eligible if:
- You have other, adequate, rent-free housing available
- You refused assistance from your insurance
- You were required to maintain flood insurance after a previous disaster, but did not do so
Common issues that can cause FEMA to deny a homeowner’s claim include proving ownership and proving that the disaster has caused so much damage to the home that it is not currently habitable.
If FEMA denies your application for assistance or does not grant you enough money for your needs, you have 60 days to appeal. You can appeal on your own, or Legal Aid NC or another attorney can help you with your appeal.