Hurricane Milton Update No. 74
Hillsborough County, Fla. (Nov. 6, 2024) - The Hillsborough County Office of Emergency Management, Florida Department of Emergency Management (FDEM), and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) are opening a Disaster Recovery Center (DRC) for individuals, families, and businesses impacted by Hurricanes Milton, Helene, and Debby.
The center will be open from 1-6 p.m. today at the Arthenia L. Joyner University Area Community Library at 13619 N. 22nd St., Tampa, FL, 33613. After today, the center will be open daily from 9 a.m.- 6 p.m. until further notice.
The Disaster Recovery Center is open to individuals, families, businesses, and nonprofits seeking assistance or needing help in completing applications after being impacted by Hurricanes Milton, Helene, and Debby. FEMA representatives will be in attendance to assist.
Additionally, FEMA declared that residents in Hillsborough County who were impacted by Hurricanes Milton, Helene, and 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 Hurricanes Milton, Helene, and 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.
Impacted Hillsborough County residents 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
- Funds to support the repair or replacement of owner-occupied homes that serve as the household's primary residence, including privately-owned access routes, such as driveways, roads, or bridges
- A temporary housing unit when you are not able to use rental assistance due to a lack of available housing resources
- Funds for hazard mitigation assistance to help eligible homeowners repair or rebuild stronger, more durable homes
- Funds for other uninsured or under-insured disaster-caused expenses and serious needs
To apply for Individual and Household Assistance
- Visit Disasterassistance.gov. From this page you can review the application process, apply for Individual Assistance, and check the status of your application
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.
Residents can find the latest information on storm recovery resources by visiting HCFL.gov/StormRecovery.
Get Connected. Stay Alert.
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/HCFLAlert. For the latest emergency-related information visit HCFL.gov/StaySafe. Residents without digital access are encouraged to call (833) HC STORM or (833) 427-8676, the County's storm information and helpline.