HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, Fla. — 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.
This means people in Pinellas, Hillsborough, Manatee, Pasco, Hernando and Citrus counties can start applying.
Residents that applied to FEMA after Hurricane Debby and have additional damage from Hurricane Helene will need to apply separately for Helene and provide the dates of their most recent damage.
Apply for either storm online at DisasterAssistance.gov.
Applications can also be submitted by using the FEMA mobile app or by calling FEMA’s helpline toll-free at 800-621-3362.
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
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 underinsured disaster-caused expenses and serious need
How 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.
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.