Disaster Resources for Housing Advocates

Resources / February 5, 2025

Tags: Disaster resources, Immigration, Public housing

A Resource Guide for Housing Advocates Assisting Communities Impacted by Disasters

Given the wide-spread devastation brought by the Los Angeles Wildfires, we would like to share the following housing resources for advocates who are working with disaster-impacted communities. If you are working with homeowners, please reach out to Lisa (lsitkin@nhlp.org) with any questions or resource needs. If you are working with renters, please reach out to Natalie (nmaxwell@nhlp.org) and Hannah (hadams@nhlp.org) with any questions or resource needs.

2025 Los Angeles Wildfires Resources

Review NHLP’s Advocacy Tip Sheet, Preventing Evictions Following the Los Angeles Fires: Policy Advocacy Strategies and Protections Under Federal Law.
HUD-approved housing counselors are available to provide advice on resources and assistance available to renters and homeowners displaced by the LA Wildfires. To find a HUD-approved housing counseling agency, use HUD’s online search tool or phone search by calling (800) 569-4287 or (202) 708-1455 (TTY).
The California Attorney General’s office has released this list of resources for homeowners, tenants, and consumers impacted by the fires, which includes information about the state’s price gouging law.

General Resources for Advocates

The National Consumer Law Center has a number of resources available for advocates assisting consumers post-disaster, including the recently updated Twelve Tips for Homeowners After Natural Disasters. NCLC is also providing free access to its treatise content on Homeowner Rights after a Natural Disaster and Unfair and Deceptive Practices in Emergency Situations.

Immigration Status and Eligibility for Emergency Disaster Relief – In general, all individuals, regardless of immigration status, who are affected by a major disaster are eligible to receive nonmonetary, in-kind, emergency disaster relief, including medical care, shelter, food, and water. Additionally, charitable non-profit agencies can also provide assistance regardless of someone’s immigration status. FEMA has also issued a Fact Sheet and an FAQ that address which disaster assistance programs require an eligible immigration status, and the ability of undocumented household members to access programs, even if the only eligible family member is a minor child. FEMA also provides flyers for disaster survivors on Qualifying for Disaster Assistance: Citizenship and Immigration Status. The flyer is available in multiple languages. For a more detailed analysis on immigration status and eligibility for federal emergency relief programs, review NHLP’s Memo on Immigration Requirements.

The Disaster Housing Recovery Coalition is a group of more than 860 local, state, and national organizations dedicated to ensuring the federal response to disaster recovery prioritizes the housing needs of the lowest income people in the impacted areas. The group, which is led by the National Low Income Housing Coalition, works with local partners affected by disasters and advocates for federal policy change and resources. To join the DHRC’s weekly calls, visit this link.

Advocates for Disaster Justice is a national network of over 650 U.S. based legal advocates working to advance equity, rights and resilience in communities impacted by disasters. They maintain a website with resources and trainings for advocates.

The Partnership for Inclusive Disaster Strategies (The Partnership) is the only U.S. disability-led organization with a focused mission of equity for people with disabilities and people with access and functional needs before, during and after disasters and emergencies. The Partnership operates the Disability & Disaster Hotline, which provides information, referrals, guidance, technical assistance and resources to people with disabilities, families, allies, and organizations assisting disaster impacted individuals with disabilities and others seeking assistance with immediate and urgent disaster-related needs.

Housing Discrimination – Housing discrimination remains a barrier to disaster recovery after a disaster. If you think your rights have been violated, you can file a fair housing complaint with HUD or a state or local fair housing agency. To file a complaint with HUD, call 1-800-669-9777 or visit How to File a Complaint on HUD’s website. Individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing may contact HUD using the Federal Relay Service at 1-800-877-8339.

Federal Housing Program Disaster Resources

HUD Disaster Resources Website – Provides information regarding disaster resources provided by HUD by state and by disaster.

HUD MFH Disaster Guidance Website – Houses Chapter 38, “Multifamily Emergency/Disaster Guidance,” of the HUD Asset Management Handbook 4350.1 Rev-1 Chg-2, which provides HUD’s current policies and procedures on disaster recovery for HUD’s Multifamily Housing Programs after a Presidentially-Declared Disaster.

PHA Disaster Preparedness Website – Contains HUD’s recently updated PHA Disaster Readiness, Response, and Recovery Guidebook (September 2022), which provides guidance to PHA’s on preparing for, responding to and recovering from a disaster. The Guidebook also details PHA obligations as well as best practices for meeting the short-term and long-term housing needs of public housing residents and Housing Choice Voucher participants impacted by disasters. Finally, the page provides resources for residents and PHAs, including the PHA Disaster Readiness, Response, and Recovery Webinar Series, which details best practices for responding to a variety of disasters, including hurricanes, extreme temperatures, wildfire, tornadoes, and flooding.

USDA Disaster Resources Website – Provides information regarding disaster resources provided by USDA for its housing as well as other rural programs it administers.
- Priority Housing Access for Displaced Renter Households – Tenants of USDA Rural Development multi-family housing programs who are displaced as the result of a federally-declared disaster are eligible for occupancy nationwide as “displaced tenants” at any USDA-financed multi-family housing project, with or without a Letter of Priority Entitlement (LOPE). LOPE factsheets are available on the RD website in English and Spanish. For more information on USDA’s disaster response policies, see the Asset Management Handbook HB-2-3560, Chapter 9, Section 6: Special Procedures for Declared Disasters.
- Rural Disaster Home Repair Grant Program – provides grants to very-low and low-income homeowners to repair homes that were damaged as a result of a Presidentially Declared Disaster that occurred during calendar year 2022.

FHA Disaster Relief site – Provides information regarding disaster relief options for FHA homeowners. Call the FHA Resource Center at 1-800-304-9320 for additional information.

2024 Hurricane Helene Resources

Review NHLP’s Advocacy Tip Sheet, Advocacy Strategies for Combating Evictions Following Hurricane Helene.
HUD-approved housing counselors are available to provide advice on resources and assistance available to renters and homeowners displaced by Hurricane Helene. To find a HUD-approved housing counseling agency, use HUD’s online search tool or phone search by calling (800) 569-4287 or (202) 708-1455 (TTY).
Federal housing agencies provide servicing relief for borrowers in Florida, South Carolina, North Carolina impacted by Hurricane Helene. Starting September 23, 2024, for Florida and September 25, 2024 for North and South Carolina, HUD instituted a 90-day moratorium on foreclosures of mortgages insured by the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) and mortgages to Native American borrowers guaranteed under the Section 184 Indian Home Loan Guarantee program. There is also a 90-day extension granted automatically for Home Equity Conversion Mortgages.
For Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac backed mortgages, impacted homeowners may be eligible to reduce or suspend their mortgage payments for up to 12 months by entering into a forbearance plan with their mortgage servicer. During this temporary reduction or pause in payments, homeowners will not incur late fees and foreclosure and other legal proceedings are suspended. Servicers are authorized to offer a forbearance plan for up to 90 days – even without establishing contact with the homeowner – if the servicer believes the home was affected by the disaster.
USDA Servicing Relief for Borrowers Impacted by Presidentially Declared Disaster (PDD) Areas – Homeowners participating in USDA’s Single Family Housing Guaranteed Loan Program who are impacted by a disaster and located in a PDD area (county, parish, municipality, etc.) may be eligible for temporary relief from the holder or service of their loan. USDA has instituted a 90-day moratorium on initiating new foreclosures as well as on existing foreclosure actions for borrowers whose properties or place of employment have been directly impacted in the PDD. In addition, borrowers may be placed on a forbearance of up to 12 months to provide payment relief from their mortgage obligation during this time. Guidance can be found in “Assistance in Natural Disasters” located in Chapter 18 of the technical Handbook.

2023 Maui Wildfires Resources

Review NHLP’s Advocacy Tip Sheet, Policy Advocacy Strategies for Combatting Evictions Following the Maui Wildfire
HUD-certified housing counselors are available to assist renters and homeowners displaced by the Maui Wildfires. To find a HUD-approved housing counseling agency, use HUD’s online search tool or phone search by calling (800) 569-4287 or (202) 708-1455 (TTY).
Federal Housing Agencies provide servicing relief for borrowers impacted by the Maui Wildfires:
- Starting August 10, 2023, FHA instituted a 90-day moratorium on foreclosures in Maui County. Federal Housing Administration (FHA) Approved Mortgage Servicers must not initiate new, or continue with existing, foreclosure actions in Maui County during the moratorium. FHA has extended the foreclosure moratorium through August 4, 2024. See Mortgagee Letter 2024-08, Second Extension of the Foreclosure Moratorium in Connection with the Presidentially-Declared Major Disaster in Maui County, Hawaii.
- For Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac Backed Mortgages, servicers are authorized to offer a forbearance plan for up to 90 days – even without establishing contact with the homeowner – if the servicer believes the home was affected by the disaster. Impacted Homeowners may be eligible to reduce or suspend their mortgage payments for up to 12 months by entering into a forbearance plan with their mortgage servicer. During this temporary reduction or pause in payments, homeowners will not incur late fees and foreclosure and other legal proceedings are suspended. USDA Servicing Relief for Borrowers Impacted by the Maui Wildfires – Homeowners participating in USDA’s Single Family Housing Guaranteed Loan Program that have been impacted by the Maui wildfires may be eligible for temporary relief from the holder or service of their loan. USDA has instituted a 180-day moratorium on initiating new foreclosures as well as on existing foreclosure actions In addition, Borrowers may be placed on a forbearance of up to 12 months to provide payment relief from their mortgage obligation during this time.