If you received rental assistance from FEMA and require further rental assistance while working toward your permanent housing plan, we encourage you to stay in touch with FEMA. Continued Temporary Housing Assistance (CTHA) may be available for those who qualify. Rental Assistance is available as an initial temporary two months grant for homeowners and renters to pay for somewhere to live if their primary residence suffered damage by the Los Angeles County wildfires.
If temporary housing is still needed after the first two months of receiving rental assistance, survivors can apply for Continued Temporary Housing Assistance (CTHA) based on three months of their actual monthly costs for rent and utilities or the Fair Market Rent, whichever is less.
To Be Eligible to Apply For CTHA, Survivors Must Meet The Following Conditions:
- Be awarded initial Rental Assistance and show they used this money to pay for temporary housing.
- Are unable to return to their pre-disaster residence because it is not safe to live in or is no longer available to them, due to the disaster.
- Demonstrate a continued disaster-caused financial need.
- Show that they have established a permanent housing plan and continue to show that they are working toward meeting their goals.
What Are Eligible Expenses?
- CTHA is intended to cover the monthly rent amount (including lot rent, if applicable)
- Essential utilities (gas, propane, electric, water, oil, trash, sewer due to disaster-caused displacement)
- This does not include telephone, cable TV, or internet service for the housing unit.
If you were initially approved for Rental Assistance, an application for CTHA may be mailed to you 15 days after the grant is approved. If you do not receive one, please contact FEMA By calling 800-621-3362
Can Rental Assistance Be Extended?
Yes. Keep your receipts for every month, and you may be eligible for assistance for up to 18 months from the date of the disaster declaration.
What If I Have Insurance?
File a claim as soon as possible. Your insurance company will give you a claim settlement or denial document that includes additional living expenses to provide to FEMA. If you received funds for Additional Living Expenses through your insurance, you may be eligible for initial Rental Assistance once those funds are exhausted.
- Applying for Continued Temporary Housing Assistance
The Continued Temporary Housing Assistance request form and supporting documents should be returned to FEMA in one of the following ways: