Hurricane Helene Update No. 21

Hillsborough County, Fla. (Sept. 29, 2024) - The Hillsborough County Office of Emergency Management, Florida Department of Emergency Management (FDEM), and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announce the Monday opening of the Disaster Recovery Center for individuals, families, and businesses impacted by Hurricane Helene and Hurricane Debby.

The Center will open at Hillsborough Community Center (HCC) at The Regent at 6437 Watson Rd., Riverview, FL 33578 from 1-6 p.m. Monday, Sept. 30, and from 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 1, through Sunday, Oct. 6.

The Disaster Recovery Center is open to individuals, families, businesses, and nonprofits seeking assistance or needing help in completing applications after being impacted by Hurricane Helene and Hurricane Debby. FEMA representatives will be in attendance to assist.

Additionally, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has declared that residents in Hillsborough County who were impacted by Hurricane Helene and Hurricane Debby can apply for aid through the Individuals and Households Program (IHP).


The program provides financial and direct services to eligible individuals and households affected by Hurricane Helene or Hurricane Debby. The assistance is intended to meet basic needs and supplement disaster recovery efforts. Residents who need long-term housing are encouraged to apply for individual assistance with FEMA as soon as possible.


Hillsborough County residents who were impacted by Hurricane Helene or Hurricane Debby can apply for the FEMA assistance if they have uninsured or underinsured necessary expenses and serious needs, according to FEMA. However, the Individuals and Households Program (IHP) assistance is not a substitute for insurance and cannot compensate for all losses caused by a disaster.


What does FEMA assistance for the Individuals and Households Program (IHP) include?

  • Funds for temporary housing while you are unable to live in your home, such as rental assistance or reimbursement for hotel costs

  • A temporary housing unit when you are not able to use rental assistance due to a lack of available housing resources

How to apply for Individual and Household Assistance

For application help, call the FEMA Helpline, (800) 621-3362, 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., seven days a week. For technical support or site errors, call the Internet Help Desk, (800) 745-0243, 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., seven days a week.

Additionally, Hillsborough County has created a webpage with local, state, and national resources available to residents as they recover from Hurricane Helene. Residents can find these resources at HCFL.gov/StormRecovery.

Get Connected. Stay Alert.

Make sure to have a plan. Residents and visitors are encouraged to register for HCFL Alert, Hillsborough County's official public notification system for emergency and urgent alerts. To receive messages by email, phone, and text, go to HCFL.gov/StaySafe. Residents without digital access are encouraged to call (833) HC STORM or (833) 427-8676, the County's storm information line.