April 24 was the check-out deadline for some participants in FEMA’s Transitional Shelter Assistance (TSA) program for Hurricane Harvey survivors. Extensions were granted for some eligible participants to stay in hotels up to May 31.
The TSA program provides short-term lodging assistance to disaster survivors who are temporarily unable to return to their homes because they are uninhabitable or inaccessible.
Survivors are no longer eligible for TSA assistance if:
- They declined a direct housing solution offered by FEMA, the Texas General Land Office, the City of Houston or the Houston-Galveston Area Council;
- Their damaged home is in a county that has been found to have adequate housing resources available for rent; or
- They have not complied with TSA terms and conditions, including the requirement to seek alternative housing.
For more information on the TSA program and eligibility, visit www.fema.gov/transitional-shelter-assistance.
Participants who are preparing to move on from the TSA program have a variety of resources available to them:
Housing Resources:
- The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Helpline: 800-621-3362 (voice, 711 or VRS) or 800-462-7585 (TTY), 6 a.m.-10 p.m., 7 days a week, or www.fema.gov/disaster/4332.
- 211 Texas: For local information about food, housing, child care, crisis counseling and substance abuse treatment, dial 2-1-1, 877-541-7905 or visit www.211texas.org/.
- Housing resources from Texas Rebuilds: Eligibility questions: 888-610-1622; maintenance issues: 877-503-6053; qualifications for FEMA housing: 888-958-0877; if denied housing: 800-621-3362; or visit: http://texasrebuilds.com/index.html.
- Subsidized apartment search. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) offers programs to assist both homeowners and renters: www.hud.gov/states/texas.
- Affordable housing options and housing resources are available through the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs. Call 512-475-3800 or visit: www.tdhca.state.tx.us/texans.htm.
- The Section 811 Project Rental Assistance program provides project-based rental assistance for extremely low-income persons with disabilities linked with long-term services. Call 512-475-3800 or visit: www.tdhca.state.tx.us/section-811-pra/index.htm.
- Post-hurricane housing resources from the Texas Apartment Association. TAA offers extensive options to find available housing by region and provides helpful information and guidance for renting in Texas: www.taa.org/renters/helpful-info/.
- Search for rental homes and apartments in Texas. Search by zip code, type of home and price. Zillow: 206-470-7000 or www.zillow.com/rent/; Apartments.com: 888-658-7368 or www.apartments.com/.
- Mortgage relief options. The Federal Housing Administration offers mortgage relief options for FHA homeowners. Call 800-225-5342 or visit: www.hud.gov/program_offices/housing/sfh/nsc/qaho0121.
- Mortgage Servicers. Fannie Mae works with mortgage servicers offering special options for those impacted by disasters. Call 800-232-6643 or visit www.knowyouroptions.com/relief.
- U. S. Small Business Administration (SBA): For those who received an SBA low-interest disaster loan, contact SBA at 800-659-2955, visit www.sba.gov/disaster or meet with SBA representatives at a Disaster Recovery Center to follow up on your loan or ask questions.
- Texas Department of Insurance Consumer Help Line: 800-252-3439 or www.tdi.texas.gov/index.html.
- Disaster Legal Services Texas Harvey Hotline: Call 800-504-7030 or visit www.disasterlegalaid.org/txhurricaneharvey.
- Texas Attorney General Tenant Rights: 512-463-2100 or visit: https://texasattorneygeneral.gov/cpd/tenant-rights.
Local Resources:
- County and city sites offering information for affected communities:
- City of Rockport—Hurricane Harvey News: https://cityofrockport.com/669/Hurricane-Harvey–News-Resources-and-Li
- Rockport-Fulton Hurricane Harvey Information and Giving Funds: http://www.rockport-fulton.org/Hurricane_Harvey_Information
- Aransas County Harvey Recovery: www.aransascounty.org/harvey/
- Harris County Recovery Network: http://harrisrecovery.org/
- City of Houston Disaster Recovery Information: https://houstonrecovers.org/
- City of Corpus Christi Hurricane Harvey Recovery: http://www.cctexas.com/harvey
- Nonprofit organizations offering help for affected communities:
- American Red Cross Texas Gulf Coast Region: 409-883-2322 or www.redcross.org/ns/site/long-term-recovery-program.html#English.
- Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston Disaster Relief Services: 713-526-4611 or https://catholiccharitiesusa.org/network/.
- Goodwill: 800-466-3945 or www.goodwill.org.
- Salvation Army Disaster Relief Services: 214-956-6000 or http://disaster.salvationarmyusa.org/aboutus/?ourservices.
- United Ways of Texas Hurricane Harvey Disaster Relief:
512-651-1149 or www.unitedway.org/local/united-states/texas. - United Way of Coastal Bend: www.uwcb.org/hurricane-resources.
Other resources that may be helpful to those leaving TSA:
- Locating a nearby Disaster Recovery Center: Need face-to-face assistance? Visit a Disaster Recovery Center (DRC). To find the nearest DRC, go to fema.gov/DRC.
- Disaster Distress Support: Trained professionals help with anxiety or stress and counsel on available resources. Multilingual, confidential crisis support service available 24 hours a day, seven days a week: 800-985-5990; 800-846-8517 (TTY); text TalkWithUs (Spanish-speakers text: Hablanos) to 66746; or visit https://www.samhsa.gov/find-help/disaster-distress-helpline.
- Hurricane Harvey information from the Office of the Governor: Information and referral hotline: 800-843-5789 or visit: https://gov.texas.gov/hurricane.
- Finance-related questions: The Association of International Certified Professional Accountants offers information for survivors with questions about filing insurance claims, government assistance and employer responsibility after a disaster. Call 888-777-7077 or visit: http://blog.aicpa.org/2017/09/help-after-harvey-disaster-resources.html#sthash.lnSi7oTl.dpbs