A comprehensive guide on documenting damage to your home, applying for aid, knowing your rights as a renter, understanding unemployment, and more.
This guide was created in partnership with Blue Ridge Public Radio, so it focuses on western North Carolina, eastern Tennessee, and southwestern Virginia. However, there is general information for anyone impacted by flooding or hurricanes (including communities in Georgia, South Carolina, and Florida hit by Hurricane Helene), and instructions for how to find assistance in your state. We’ll update this with more resources as recovery continues.
After a disaster, there’s so much information swirling around about relief and recovery. Whether you’re looking for financial assistance or trying to stay safe while cleaning your home, there’s an overwhelming amount of requirements, applications, advice, laws, tips, and tricks spread across the internet. We’ve compiled a guide — sourced from trusted organizations, newsrooms, and government agencies — to help you navigate the information you’ll need in the days and weeks ahead.
We’ll update this as Hurricane Helene recovery continues. Visit our partner Blue Ridge Public Radio for live updates on relief and recovery efforts in North Carolina.
Jump to:
DOCUMENTING DAMAGE
CLEANING YOUR HOME
HOW TO APPLY FOR FEMA AID
INFORMATION FOR UNDOCUMENTED IMMIGRANTS
FEDERAL FOOD PROGRAMS
DISASTER-RELATED UNEMPLOYMENT
EVICTIONS AND TENANTS’ RIGHTS
SCAMS, FRAUD, AND MISINFORMATION
If and when it’s safe for you to return home, it’s critical that you take photos of everything that was damaged, and get whatever documents you can salvage for insurance claims and government aid applications. Please, do not attempt to drive or wade through floodwaters, as they can be contaminated or contain dangerous debris.
Whether you have flood insurance and are filing a claim, or you’re applying for federal assistance via the Federal Emergency Management Agency, you’ll need a lot of evidence to prove the damage floodwaters caused your home. Watch this short video from FEMA to learn more.
Here are key things about documenting damage:
After documenting damage, the next step is to begin the cleanup process. Here is a booklet from the Environmental Protection Agency that is a helpful visual resource on cleaning your house.
Mucking and gutting
Mucking involves removing mud, silt, muck, and other sediment from your home. Gutting means moving damaged construction materials, like drywall, insulation, cabinets, floorboards, and paneling, out of your home. (Here’s a visual guide from Galveston County, Texas emergency management on this process.)
Some key things to keep in mind (Virginia’s Department of Health has more tips):
Mold
The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services has a fact sheet on mold risks — people with breathing problems like asthma or a weakened immune system should stay away — and how to clean it up. The key to mold is moisture control. You may not be able to see all of the mold developing in your home after flooding. According to FEMA: “If your home has mold, everything that has been contaminated must be cleaned and dried. Items that cannot be properly cleaned and dried within 24-48 hours must be discarded, including building materials and personal property.”
You will likely see a lot of bleach at distribution sites to be used for cleanup. According to the EPA, bleach is not recommended as a routine practice for cleaning up mold. You can use bleach on hard, nonporous surfaces, but do not use it on porous surfaces like wood to kill mold — make sure those dry completely before deciding whether to keep them. If using bleach, ventilate the area and never mix with other cleaning solutions or detergents that contain ammonia, because it could produce toxic fumes.
Debris
Your county/state will set up temporary disaster debris storage areas to manage the sheer amount of debris. Here is some information on mobile home debris, open burning, and other issues in North Carolina.
Where to find help with cleanup
After a disaster, charities and nonprofits can help with house inspections, mucking and gutting, as well as tree and debris removal. Contact Crisis Cleanup at 844-965-1386 to get connected with community groups and faith-based organizations. These services are free but not guaranteed due to overwhelming demand. In Tennessee, the Northeast Tennessee Disaster Relief Center hotline can help with reporting damages, requesting assistance, getting resources you need, and more. The Northeast Regional Health Office in Tennessee also has a Citizen Information Hotline to provide information related to flood safety. Call 423-979-4689 to ask questions.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency is the federal government’s main disaster response agency. It provides assistance to states and local governments during large events like hurricanes, wildfires, and floods. FEMA is part of the Department of Homeland Security.
FEMA has two primary roles after a federally declared disaster:
President Joe Biden approved major disaster declarations in six states for Helene, allowing people to apply for individual assistance. In North Carolina, 27 counties and the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians are eligible. In Virginia, nine counties: Montgomery, Pulaski, Giles, Grayson, Smyth, Tazewell, Washington, Montgomery and Wythe counties and the city of Galax. In Tennessee, Carter, Cocke, Greene, Hamblen, Hawkins, Johnson, Unicoi, and Washington counties. In Georgia, more than 50 counties are eligible, and in South Carolina, 21 counties. In Florida, more than 30 counties are eligible for assistance from Helene damage. If you are a U.S. citizen, or meet certain qualifications as a non-citizen, and live in a federal disaster declaration area, you are eligible.
You can find more information on applying in North Carolina via BPR. FEMA offers survivors in counties eligible for individual assistance:
Some other important things to know:
Documentation
Before you apply, gather your paperwork. You will need documents to verify everything from your identity to proof of residency and living expenses as part of this process. FEMA has a list of documents you can submit to prove home ownership (like mortgage statements, property tax bills, deed or title) or proof of residency (lease or housing agreement, bank or credit card statement, motor vehicle registration form, court documents, letters from social service agencies, schools, and more). These documents should be dated within a year (so, if you are applying for aid in 2024, your documents should be dated or issued sometime in 2023 or 2024). According to the agency, your driver’s license, state-issued identification card, or voter registration card must have been dated before the disaster happened and not have expired.
If you’re a renter who may need aid for alternative housing or personal property loss, you must also provide proof of address. You can provide a copy of your lease with your name on it, or utility bills such as gas, electric, or water bills. FEMA might also require proof of income with a pay stub or tax form.
Other documents you may be required to submit:
The agency has some advice on how to replace lost documents here; you should apply even if you don’t have all the necessary paperwork.
Inspection
After you apply for assistance, FEMA must verify the damage through an onsite or remote inspection. FEMA staff and inspectors may call from an unknown or restricted phone number and make several attempts to discuss your disaster-caused damage — so be on the lookout for that. You’ll have to be present for the inspection, or you may be able to meet somewhere else if your home is inaccessible. You don’t have to wait for this inspection to begin cleaning or removing items — just make sure you take photos before you do.
Help with FEMA applications
There are some lawyers and legal organizations offering free help with applications. Here are a few application pointers, which can be copied and pasted as a Facebook post if needed. These tips come from Dr. Laura Olson, an associate professor at the Department of Emergency Management & Public Administration at Jacksonville State University and a member of Disaster Justice Network.
North Carolina
FEMA states that regardless of citizenship or immigration status, if you are affected by a disaster, you may be eligible for crisis counseling, disaster legal services, disaster case management, medical care, shelter, food, and water.
Only U.S. citizens and non-citizens who meet specific requirements are eligible for financial assistance. However, undocumented immigrants can still benefit. Enlace Latino NC has more information here: “Whether the parent or guardian of a minor who is a U.S. citizen, non-citizen national, or qualified non-citizen, you may apply for assistance on behalf of the minor as long as you live in the same household. The parent or legal guardian must apply as a co-applicant, and the child must be under 18 at the time of the disaster. Parents will need to provide the child’s Social Security number… Undocumented individuals who apply for assistance on behalf of their minor child or other persons in their household should not share any information or sign any documents related to their own immigration status. FEMA will not require information on immigration status if the individual does not apply for benefits on his or her own behalf.”
The Department of Homeland Security (which oversees FEMA) released a statement in September saying that during emergency events, “U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) remind the public that sites that provide emergency response and relief are considered protected areas. To the fullest extent possible, ICE and CBP do not conduct immigration enforcement activities at protected areas such as along evacuation routes, sites used for sheltering or the distribution of emergency supplies, food or water, or registration sites for disaster-related assistance or the reunification of families and loved ones.” Enlace Latino NC reported that while ICE and Border Patrol trucks may be in the area, officials say they are there to provide assistance.
However, going to a shelter or government-run site can be intimidating. Here are some tips compiled by immigrant and farmworker advocacy organizations:
Depending on your legal status, total household income, and if your household has children under 5 years old or a pregnant or breastfeeding mother, you could be eligible for government benefits that include financial assistance for food.
Some important things to consider if you are not a U.S. citizen:
The Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (D-SNAP), also known as disaster food stamps, helps you pay for food if you live in a county with a federal disaster declaration. D-SNAP provides funds on an electronic benefits transfer (EBT) card to pay for food. Even if you do not normally receive or qualify for food assistance through SNAP benefits, you may qualify (you must live in a county that has a federal disaster declaration). (Info for: North Carolina; Tennessee; Virginia; Florida; Georgia; South Carolina). This is usually at least a month of the maximum SNAP benefit for low-income households. This is not immediate relief, as it could take time to receive the benefits.
SNAP: The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program provides food assistance to low-income families to supplement their grocery budget for foods to prepare at home. In the event of a disaster, you may be able to buy hot or pre-made food using SNAP dollars. (Info for: North Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia)
WIC: The Women, Infants, and Children program offers food assistance, information, and healthcare referrals to low-income families with children under age 5 or those expecting a new child. You can be eligible for WIC with any immigration status. To apply for WIC, you will need to call either your local WIC office number or the toll-free number: 1-800-342-3556.
The Disaster Unemployment Assistance program provides temporary benefits to people who, as a result of a major disaster, lost or had their employment or self-employment interrupted. You are eligible for this assistance if you live in a city, county, or state where a federal disaster declaration has been made, your job is lost or interrupted as a result of a presidentially declared disaster, and you aren’t eligible for regular unemployment insurance benefits. You must file a claim with your state insurance agency; if you have evacuated to another state, you can still apply. (Here is application information for North Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, Georgia, Florida, and South Carolina)
H-2A worker assistance
If you are an agricultural worker on a temporary visa and you lose a job when a flood or storm hits, your employer must give you up to 75 percent of your lost wages. This is a federal law. If you are an H-2A worker and your employer does not provide these lost wages, you can file a complaint with the Department of Labor. (Here are instructions in English and Español on how to do that.) Some people have reported retaliation for making a complaint about working conditions. You can tell the Department of Labor if you think this has happened to you.
According to research at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, or MIT, a severe natural disaster nearly doubles the eviction rate in an affected county in the two years after the event. It is important to know your rights, which vary by state and sometimes county, as a tenant.
North Carolina
From Blue Ridge Public Radio: “In North Carolina, evictions can only happen through the court system. And if your county court is closed, you can’t get evicted. … The best thing to do is get requests for repairs in writing, whether via text, email, or letter. From that point, it becomes the landlord’s responsibility to take care of the issue, even if current circumstances may make the process longer.”
If you have questions or suspect a landlord may be taking illegal actions, email online@pisgahlegal.org or call 828-253-0406 to reach Pisgah Legal Services, which provides free legal advice, pro bono lawyers, and community legal services for underserved populations in western North Carolina.
Here are other resources:
Virginia
Know your rights, via Virginia Legal Aid
Tennessee
Rights and responsibilities of renters, via Tennessee Department of Health
Georgia
What to know about evictions, via Legal Aid of Georgia
A video on eviction laws, via Atlanta Legal Aid Society
Florida
Rental property problems after a disaster, via Community Legal Services
South Carolina
A step-by-step guide to the eviction process, via South Carolina Legal Services
During and after a disaster, it’s easy for information to get misconstrued or rumors to gain traction. Many people find information via social media. But it’s important to make sure what you’re reading is accurate. Here’s where to find the facts on extreme weather and the most reliable places to check for emergency alerts and updates.
Where to find accurate information
Scams and fraud
After disasters, there are often scammers trying to get personal information and money from those wanting to apply for FEMA aid. Here’s how to avoid and report them:
Report here for price gouging complaints in North Carolina; Find out more information about fraud and scams in South Carolina, and how to report them, here; Report suspected fraud in Tennessee here; Report suspected fraud in Virginia here, or call 800-552-9963; Report suspected fraud in Florida by contacting your local police or sheriff’s department, or contact Florida’s Office of the Attorney General by calling 866-9-NO-SCAM (866-966-7226), or visit myfloridalegal.com. To file a fraud complaint, go online to Scam Report (myfloridalegal.com); Report suspected price gouging or fraud in Georgia by contacting the Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division at 404-651-8600 or 1-800-869-1123 (toll-free in Georgia). Consumers can also submit a complaint online here.
