What you need to know about Thursday's FEMA assistance deadline

HOUSTON – Residents in southeast Texas who were affected by Hurricane Harvey have until Thursday to apply for federal disaster assistance.

More than three months after Harvey caused catastrophic flooding across the region, some people are still displaced or repairing the damage. The Federal Emergency Management Agency has extended the deadline for those people to file applications for assistance until Thursday.

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Here’s what you need to know about the process and deadline.

Who can apply?

Anyone who sustained damage to their property during the storm and who lives in a county that is part of a federal disaster declaration, according to FEMA officials.

In Texas, those counties are: Aransas, Austin, Bastrop, Bee, Brazoria, Caldwell, Calhoun, Chambers, Colorado, DeWitt, Fayette, Fort Bend, Galveston, Goliad, Gonzales, Grimes, Hardin, Harris, Jackson, Jasper, Jefferson, Karnes, Kleberg, Lavaca, Lee, Liberty, Matagorda, Montgomery, Newton, Nueces, Orange, Polk, Refugio, Sabine, San Jacinto, San Patricio, Tyler, Victoria, Walker, Waller, and Wharton.

What kind of help can I get?

According to FEMA, assistance includes temporary housing, rental assistance and repair or replacement of damaged homes. Also, grants may be available to help with other expenses like medical and dental care, child care, funeral and burial costs, among other things.

How do I apply?

The easiest way to apply is at FEMA’s assistance website at DisasterAssitance.gov. You can also download the FEMA app on your Apple or Android device at fema.gov/mobile-app

To apply by phone, call 800-621-3362.

To apply in person, visit a Disaster Recovery Center in your area. You can find the center closest to you at fema.gov/DRC.

What information do I need to apply?

According to FEMA officials, the following information is helpful when applying for assistance:

  • Address of the location where the damage occurred (pre-disaster address)
  • Current mailing address
  • Current telephone number
  • Insurance information
  • Total household annual income
  • Routing and account number for checking or savings account (this allows FEMA to directly transfer disaster assistance funds into a bank account)
  • A description of disaster-caused damages and losses

Where can I get more information?

For more information about federal assistance in Texas, go to fema.gov/disaster.