Cory Crowe / KEDM
Survivors of hurricanes Laura, Delta and Zeta and the winter storms could be eligible for rental assistance for temporary housing through FEMA’s Individuals and Households Program. FEMA pays rent, including a security deposit, at a place other than your damaged home.
Your rental can be a house, apartment or hotel that can keep you near your job, home, school and place of worship. The assistance includes essential utilities such as electricity and water but not cable or Internet.
The approved rental amount will be based on fair market rates for your area as determined by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
In the wake of a disaster, the people of Louisiana have always come together with compassion and courage to ask how they can help survivors. However, people often don t realize there is still a great need weeks or months after a disaster.
How to Help
If anyone would like to volunteer to help Louisiana disaster survivors, the Governor s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness (GOHSEP) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) suggests working through a local voluntary organization. Debris removal and rebuilding are among ways that volunteers can help.
Those interested in volunteering can contact Volunteer Louisiana online at www.volunteerlouisiana.gov and be put in touch with a voluntary group in need. Volunteer Louisiana is a state-run organization.
My New Orleans
05/03/2021
BATON ROUGE, La (press release) – In the wake of a disaster, the people of Louisiana have always come together with compassion and courage to ask how they can help survivors. However, people often don’t realize there is still a great need weeks or months after a disaster.
How to Help
If anyone would like to volunteer to help Louisiana disaster survivors, the Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness (GOHSEP) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) suggests working through a local voluntary organization. Debris removal and rebuilding are among ways that volunteers can help.
Louisiana homeowners, renters or business owners who sustained property damage or loss caused by severe winter storms in February, have two weeks left to register and apply for federal disaster assistance. Residents who were temporarily forced from their homes because of utility failures should also register with FEMA. Reimbursement for hotel or other temporary rental expenses may be possible.
The deadline to register for assistance from FEMA and to apply for low-interest disaster loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration is Monday, May 10.
Survivors should register even if they have insurance. FEMA cannot duplicate insurance payments, but eligible homeowners and renters may be able to receive a grant from FEMA for losses not covered by insurance to help pay for basic home repairs, temporary rental assistance and other needs such as replacing personal property.
Seniors â Prepare Now for an Emergency
When a disaster strikes, the senior population is one of the most vulnerable, especially for those who live alone. There are measures older Americans can take to start preparing for emergencies before they happen. For example, if it is difficult to get around on your own or you need assistance to shelter at home or evacuate, you need to know ahead of time who will help.
Older adults face many more obstacles during an emergency than most people: isolation, limited mobility, medical needs, and distrust. Sometimes, seniors rely on a single relative as their main caregiver. But emergencies can happen at any time, and that usual person may not be there. It is important to have a list of other people you can call on and know how to get hold of them.