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Updated September 13, 2023
FEMA’s Individuals and Households Program (IHP)
When a disaster occurs, the Federal Emergency
Direct Housing Assistance). The federal government pays
Management Agency (FEMA) may assist individuals with
100% of the costs of all forms of Housing Assistance.
their recovery through the Individual Assistance (IA)
program if the President authorizes such assistance pursuant
Other Needs Assistance
to a declaration of emergency or major disaster under the
FEMA can also provide financial assistance to help disaster
Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency
survivors with the costs of acquiring or obtaining essential
Assistance Act (Stafford Act; P.L. 93-288, as amended;
items or services through ONA. The types of ONA
codified at 42 U.S.C. §§5121 et seq.). One form of IA is the
available to an applicant will vary based on their disaster-
Individuals and Households Program (IHP), through which
caused needs. Some types of ONA also involve
FEMA may provide financial and/or direct assistance for
consideration of an applicant’s eligibility for low-interest
housing, as well as financial assistance for other needs. The
loans available through the Small Business Administration
IHP is authorized under Stafford Act Section 408 (42
(SBA) (see Table 2 for a list of the types of SBA-
U.S.C. §5174); FEMA’s IHP regulations are codified at 44
Dependent and Non-SBA-Dependent ONA, and the
C.F.R. §§206.101 et seq.
description on the SBA’s role, included below). States,
Authorizing IA-IHP Assistance
territories, and tribes may decide to (1) administer ONA
independently; (2) jointly administer ONA with FEMA; or
There is no threshold or trigger that automatically
(3) allow FEMA to administer ONA. ONA is subject to a
authorizes IA or IHP assistance. Federal assistance is
statutorily set 75% federal and 25% nonfederal cost share,
intended to supplement—not supplant—the local, state,
territory, or tribal government’s response and recovery
which is borne by the affected state, territory, or tribe (not
the individual or household receiving ONA).
efforts. Thus, the governor of an affected state or territory
or the chief executive of an affected tribal government must
Table 1. Types of IHP Housing Assistance
request that the President declare an emergency or major
disaster authorizing IA. Using information submitted by the
Housing Assistance:
Housing Assistance:
governor or chief executive in their major disaster
Financial
Direct
declaration request, FEMA evaluates specific factors to
determine whether there is a need for supplemental federal
Lodging Expense
Multi-Family Lease and Repair
assistance to individuals (for more information, see CRS
Reimbursement
Transportable Temporary
Report R47015, FEMA’s Individuals and Households
Rental Assistance
Housing Units
Program (IHP)—Implementation and Considerations for
Home Repair Assistance
Direct Lease
Congress). FEMA then provides a recommendation to the
Home Replacement
Permanent Housing
President, who has sole discretion to authorize a declaration
Assistance
Construction
that provides IA (the declaration approval may limit the
types of IA that are authorized, to include limiting
Source: CRS’s interpretation of Figure 5 on page 44 of FEMA’s,
assistance to the IHP or selected types of IHP assistance).
Individual Assistance Program and Policy Guide (IAPPG).
IHP Categories of Assistance
Table 2. Types of IHP Other Needs Assistance (ONA)
IHP assistance helps address the disaster-caused needs of
individuals, with certain limitations. The program only
ONA:
ONA:
covers uninsured or under-insured necessary expenses and
SBA-Dependenta
Non-SBA-Dependentb
serious needs that cannot otherwise be met. For example,
the IHP may help make a home safe, sanitary, or functional,
Personal Property Assistance
Funeral Assistance
but is not designed to restore it to its pre-disaster condition.
Transportation Assistance
Medical and Dental
There are two categories of IHP assistance: Housing
Group Flood Insurance Policy Assistance
Assistance and Other Needs Assistance (ONA).
Childcare Assistance
Housing Assistance
Assistance for Miscellaneous
FEMA can help meet a disaster survivor’s housing needs by
Items
providing financial and/or direct assistance. Financial
Moving and Storage
Housing Assistance provides grant funds for temporary
Assistance
accommodations and/or to repair or replace a damaged
Critical Needs Assistance
primary residence. FEMA first looks to provide financial
Clean and Sanitize Assistance
assistance before providing Direct Housing Assistance,
which provides disaster survivors with a temporary place to
Source: CRS’s interpretation of Figure 28 on page 146 of FEMA’s
live (see Table 1 for a list of the types of Financial and
Individual Assistance Program and Policy Guide (IAPPG).
https://crsreports.congress.gov
FEMA’s Individuals and Households Program (IHP)
Notes: “SBA” refers to the Smal Business Administration.
the SBA’s minimum income test to first apply for a low-
a.
interest SBA disaster loan. If the applicant does not qualify
SBA-Dependent ONA is only available to individuals or
for an SBA disaster loan or their SBA disaster loan amount
households that do not qualify for an SBA disaster loan or
is insufficient to meet their disaster-caused expenses or
whose SBA disaster loan amount is insufficient. Eligibility for
serious needs, then they can be referred back to FEMA for
SBA-Dependent ONA is determined by FEMA in col aboration
consideration for SBA-Dependent ONA. In September
with SBA (see 42 U.S.C. §5174(e); and 44 C.F.R. §206.119).
b.
2020, the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO)
Non-SBA-Dependent ONA may be awarded regardless of the
found the interconnected SBA Disaster Loan and SBA-
individual or household’s SBA disaster loan status (see 42 U.S.C.
Dependent ONA application process burdensome.
§5174(e); and 44 C.F.R. §206.119).
According to GAO, in May 2023, FEMA revised its letters
IHP Program Limitations
to IHP applicants regarding the SBA requirements, and
FEMA has been working with the SBA to identify ways to
IHP awards for Financial Housing Assistance and ONA are
simplify the application process.
subject to statutory funding caps that limit the amount of
financial assistance an individual can receive. These caps
IHP Award Amount Determinations
are adjusted annually and published in the Federal Register.
The amount of financial assistance an applicant receives
Exempted from the maximum award amounts are financial
through the IHP will vary based on their personal
assistance to rent alternative housing accommodations and
circumstances. IHP award amounts depend on factors,
funding for accessibility-related home and personal
including the applicant’s status (e.g., homeowner, renter,
property repair or replacement costs. Selected forms of
roommate), the number of household members and
ONA are subject to additional state/territory/tribe-set
household composition, the type(s) of assistance being
funding limits. In addition, some forms of IHP assistance
requested and the associated eligibility criteria and
are subject to time-based limitations. Further, the Stafford
limitations, the loss amount determined by FEMA’s
Act prohibits FEMA from providing assistance that could
inspection, and to what extent the applicant’s real and
constitute a duplication of benefits, and applicants must
personal property losses were insured.
agree to repay FEMA assistance that duplicates other
assistance received.
Appealing FEMA’s IHP Decisions
IHP Applicant Eligibility
If FEMA denies an applicant’s IHP request, the applicant
may appeal FEMA’s determination by submitting a written
Applicants (i.e., individuals or households) may register for
appeal and supporting documentation. Applicants can
FEMA IHP assistance online, via telephone, or in person.
appeal initial eligibility determinations, decisions related to
Applicants generally have 60 days from the IA declaration
the amount and/or specific type of IHP assistance received,
to apply for IHP assistance (unless the registration period is
and FEMA’s rejection of a late application.
extended), and FEMA may also accept late registrations—
with written justification—for an additional 60 days.
Recoupment and Recoupment Waivers
Per FEMA’s guidance, IHP applicants must meet general
Federal laws require federal agencies, including FEMA, to
identify and recover improper payments (i.e., payments that
eligibility requirements:
should not have been made or were made in an incorrect
amount)—known as recoupment. FEMA is required to
1. “[t]he applicant must be a U.S. citizen,
waive recoupment in two situations, provided the debt does
noncitizen national, or qualified alien” (or
not involve fraud, a false claim, or misrepresentation by the
the parent or guardian of such a minor);
debtor or party having an interest in the claim: (1) if the
2. “FEMA must be able to verify the
IHP assistance was distributed based on an error by FEMA
applicant’s identity”;
and such debt shall be construed as a hardship; and (2) if
3. “[t]he applicant’s insurance, or other
the IHP assistance is subject to a claim or legal action.
forms of disaster assistance received,
cannot meet their disaster-caused needs”;
Additional IA and IHP Resources
and
For a detailed overview of the IHP, including the
4. “[t]he applicant’s necessary expenses and
information touched on in this In Focus, see CRS Report
serious needs are directly caused by a
R47015, FEMA’s Individuals and Households Program
declared disaster.”
(IHP)—Implementation and Considerations for Congress,
by Elizabeth M. Webster. For brief overviews of the IA
Each type of IHP assistance may require that additional
program, see CRS Infographic IG10024, How FEMA
eligibility conditions be met (e.g., some forms of assistance
Individual Assistance Works; CRS In Focus IF11298, A
require verification of ownership and/or occupancy), and
Brief Overview of FEMA’s Individual Assistance Program,
may require additional documentation.
by Elizabeth M. Webster; and CRS Report R46014, FEMA
Individual Assistance Programs: An Overview. FEMA’s IA
SBA-Dependent ONA Application Consideration
program guidance, the Individual Assistance Program and
FEMA and the SBA collaborate to determine an applicant’s
Policy Guide (IAPPG), v. 1.1, FP 104-009-03, May 2021,
eligibility for the three forms of SBA-Dependent ONA: (1)
and related guidance are available at https://www.fema.gov/
Personal Property Assistance; (2) Transportation
assistance/individual/policy-guidance-and-fact-sheets.
Assistance; and (3) Group Flood Insurance Policy
Assistance, because these forms of assistance may also be
Elizabeth M. Webster, Analyst in Emergency
addressed by an SBA disaster loan. Thus, to avoid a
Management and Disaster Recovery
duplication of benefits, FEMA refers applicants who meet
https://crsreports.congress.gov
FEMA’s Individuals and Households Program (IHP)
IF12049
Disclaimer
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https://crsreports.congress.gov | IF12049 · VERSION 5 · UPDATED