07/21/2025
After attending a legal education webinar today, I wanted to share some important information for flood survivors in Texas. First of all, here are some helpful numbers.
If you need help, you must apply for FEMA. You have to fill out an application by going to the web page or calling below: or in-person at a Disaster Recovery Center. Applying through these official channels will ensure your information is secure.
https://www.disasterassistance.gov/
FEMA Helpline
1-800-621-3362
Texas Rural Legal Aide: TRLA Intake Hotline: 956-996-8752, for flood survivors.Press #3 to bypass standard intake. TRLA has committed to taking all cases related to the recent floods.
One of the most important takeaways: 1) you must apply to get help: 2) even if you have flood insurance, you should apply for FEMA help and make a claim at the same time under your insurance policy. Why? Because you won't know what's covered and the process can take some time.
Here are some rumors and answers from the FEMA web page: Info from Fema.gov/recover/rumor-response.
(Below info is directly copied from the web page.)
Rumor: FEMA will pay for my hotel if I call 1-800-621-3362.
You are not able to request hotel room payment assistance from FEMA by calling any number.
However, FEMA may reimburse lodging expenses to eligible individuals and families. To see if this assistance is available to you, apply at DisasterAssistance.gov.
cure.
Rumor: Survivors can’t apply if they have insurance:
This is not true. If you have insurance, you can apply for FEMA assistance but you must file an insurance claim as well. FEMA cannot help with expenses your insurance might cover until you send us your insurance settlement or denial, but FEMA may be able to assist with other losses insurance won’t cover. If insurance does not cover the entire cost of disaster-related expenses and your settlement was less than the maximum amount of money FEMA can provide for that loss, you may be eligible for FEMA assistance.
Rumor: My homeowner’s insurance includes flood insurance.
This is not true. Homeowner insurance policies do not normally cover flood damage. Flood insurance is typically a separate policy.
Visit the National Flood Insurance Program page to purchase flood insurance or find out more.
Rumor: I have to add a disclaimer on my fundraiser page stating that any money raised won’t go towards to my home cleanup or rebuilding?
In general, crowdfunding proceeds or other gifts do not factor into how much funding a survivor will receive from FEMA. For example, FEMA would not consider a general “help me raise money for my recovery” on a crowd sourcing platform as a duplication of benefit under our laws, regulations, and policy.
By law FEMA cannot duplicate benefits a survivor receives from any other program, insurance, or any other source. If survivors receive money from a GoFundMe page for a specific disaster-related expense, they may not be able to receive FEMA assistance for the same, specific expense.
For example, if a survivor received money via crowdfunding for “hotel costs” and the survivor also requested money from FEMA for hotel costs, FEMA would need to consider the funding received via crowdfunding before processing the assistance for lodging expense reimbursement.
There are no "magic words" to use on crowdfunding sites, but FEMA would recommend just keeping the campaigns general to avoid duplications of federal benefits.
Rumor: FEMA only provides a one-time payment when you apply for assistance.
This is false. FEMA reviews each disaster assistance application individually to determine the types of assistance you are eligible to receive. Your unique situation determines the amount of assistance you may receive.
There are often misleading claims that FEMA will only provide a set amount of assistance to every person who applies. Amounts commonly stated in these misleading claims include $500, $750, and $1,000. It’s important to remember that FEMA assistance is not one-size-fits-all and the assistance you receive is based on the information you provide when you apply. You may even receive multiple checks from FEMA of varying amounts ranging from several hundred dollars to several thousand dollars.
Many scams also claim that you can call a phone number to receive a cash payment from FEMA. Be careful of these scams as they are often designed to steal your money by pretending to be FEMA. FEMA’s official disaster assistance helpline is 1-800-621-3362.
FEMA : does provide funeral expenses: limited amount.
Rumor: I don’t own a business so I can’t apply for a U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) loan.
You don't need to own a business to request a disaster loan from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA).
SBA provides low-interest disaster loans to qualified homeowners, renters, and businesses of all sizes.
You can use SBA disaster loans for the following:
Home repair or replacement
Mitigation
Personal property
Business losses
Vehicle repair or replacement
Working capital for small businesses and most private nonprofits
Rumor: If I receive a grant from FEMA, I have to pay it back.
This is not true. In most cases, FEMA grants do not have to be paid back. If you have insurance that covers your temporary housing costs, but you ask FEMA to advance you some money to help you pay for those costs while your insurance is delayed, you will need to pay that money back to FEMA after you receive your insurance settlement.
FEMA partners with other agencies to help meet the needs of disaster survivors. The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) offers low-interest disaster loans to homeowners and renters in a declared major disaster area.
If you still have unmet needs, loans may help with home repair or replacement, personal property, vehicles, mitigation, business losses, and working capital for small business and most private nonprofits. Learn more about SBA disaster loans. You can also call the FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362 if you have additional questions or need more information.
Rumor: If my application is not approved, there is nothing I can do about it.
This is not true. Every applicant has the right to appeal. An appeal is your chance to tell FEMA why you don’t agree with the decision the agency made. You may send new or additional information and ask FEMA to change its decision. You must mail or submit your signed appeal letter within 60 days of receiving your decision letter.
Rumor: I am automatically registered for FEMA assistance if I reported damage to my local parish, county officials, or a disaster relief organization.
This is not true. To be considered for federal disaster assistance, you must apply directly with FEMA.
Rumor: You must be a U.S. citizen to apply for federal assistance.
This is not true. FEMA may provide financial assistance to eligible U.S. citizens, non-citizen nationals and qualified aliens.
When available, life-sustaining resources such as shelter, food and water, crisis counseling, disaster case management, disaster supplemental nutrition assistance program and disaster legal services are available to disaster survivors regardless of citizenship and immigration status.
To learn more, visit our Citizenship and Immigration Status Requirements for Federal Public Benefits page.
Rumor: If I receive a grant from FEMA, I have to pay it back.
This is not true. In most cases, FEMA grants do not have to be paid back. If you have insurance that covers your temporary housing costs, but you ask FEMA to advance you some money to help you pay for those costs while your insurance is delayed, you will need to pay that money back to FEMA after you receive your insurance settlement.
FEMA partners with other agencies to help meet the needs of disaster survivors. The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) offers low-interest disaster loans to homeowners and renters in a declared major disaster area.
If you still have unmet needs, loans may help with home repair or replacement, personal property, vehicles, mitigation, business losses, and working capital for small business and most private nonprofits. Learn more about SBA disaster loans. You can also call the FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362 if you have additional questions or need more information.
Rumor: FEMA assistance is only for homeowners.
This is not true. Renters may apply for disaster assistance with FEMA.
FEMA may be able to provide pre-disaster renters with money to help pay for short-term lodging expenses, costs for renting temporary housing, and the costs of replacing or repairing a vehicle and other necessary personal property. FEMA may also be able to help pay for uninsured medical, dental, childcare, moving and storage expenses.
If Direct Housing Assistance is authorized for the disaster, pre-disaster renters may be eligible for Direct Temporary Housing Assistance if they are unable to use financial assistance to secure temporary housing
Rumor: FEMA will pay for my food or transportation costs while I’m staying at a hotel through the Transitional Sheltering Assistance (TSA) Program.
This is not true. Eligible expenses under TSA 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, transportation or other miscellaneous expenses.
Rumor: I will receive reimbursement for my eligible lodging expenses immediately.
This is not true. Your timeline can vary because requests are manually reviewed. For example, in larger scale disasters with many applicants, reimbursement of receipts may take longer.
Rumor: Flood insurance is only available for homeowners.
This is not true. Flood insurance is available to homeowners, renters, condos and businesses.
Visit the National Flood Insurance Program page for more information.
Rumor: FEMA will only give assistance to one person per household.
Generally, FEMA provides all eligible assistance to one application to assist all members of the pre-disaster household. However, FEMA will evaluate the unique needs of eligible survivors to include households that may be separated due to the disaster, households made up of roommates, or when there is a financial relationship between an owner living in a home with boarders or renters.
You can find more information on the Coronavirus (COVID-19) page and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website.
