Continued Rental Assistance: It’s here if You Need it

Rhode Island residents in Kent, Providence and Washington counties affected by the storms and flooding that occurred December 17-19, 2023 and January 9-13, 2024 could be eligible for continued rental assistance for temporary housing through FEMA's Individuals and Households Program. FEMA pays temporary rent, including a security deposit, at a place other than your damaged home, to help you get back on your feet.

Your rental can be a house, apartment or hotel. 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.

Continued rental assistance may be available based on ongoing need if suitable housing is not available or you haven't completed a permanent housing plan. If you intend to seek continued rental assistance, you'll need receipts to show you used your previous temporary housing assistance for rent. Keep your receipts for three years.

To be eligible for continued rental assistance, you must meet the following conditions:

• You used your rental assistance on rent.
• You are unable to return home because it cannot be accessed or is not suitable to live in due to the disaster.
• You do not have money for housing without assistance.
• You are not receiving temporary housing help from any other source.
• You provide the status of your permanent housing plan.

The completed application may require these supporting documents:

• Pre-disaster and current household income status.
• Copies of pre-disaster lease, utility bills, and renter's insurance information.
• Copy of the lease or rental agreement signed by you and the landlord.
• Rent receipts, canceled checks or money orders showing the rental assistance was used to pay for housing expenses.

Extensions on rental assistance may be granted for three-month periods up to a maximum of 18 months from March 20, the date of the disaster declaration for the December and January storms.

If you have an ongoing need, you can request additional rental assistance.

• If you are a renter, contact FEMA's hotline number at 1-800-621-3362 and ask for a Declaration of Continuing Need for Rental Assistance.
• If you are a homeowner, the document is normally mailed 15 days after the rental assistance has been received.
• Return the form to FEMA by either mailing the completed form to: FEMA, P.O. Box 10055, Hyattsville MD 20782-8055, faxing it to (800) 827-8112, or uploading it to your FEMA Disaster Assistance Center account, available online at DisasterAssistance.gov.

It is important to keep FEMA updated with your contact information and housing status.

For the latest information, visit 4765 | FEMA.gov or 4766 | FEMA.gov. Follow FEMA on X, formerly known as Twitter, at twitter.com/femaregion1 and at facebook.com/fema.

For updates on the Rhode Island response and recovery, follow the Rhode Island Emergency Management Agency on Twitter at twitter.com/RhodeIslandEMA, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/RhodeIslandEMA, or visit www.riema.ri.gov.