Resources During Emergency and Disaster

Are you a renter or homeowner living in a county with a federal disaster declaration?

If your county is part of a federal disaster declaration, you may be eligible for individual assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for expenses such as temporary housing and home repair. Residents with damage can submit an application online at www.disasterassistance.gov or by calling 800.621.FEMA (3362). In instances when Individual Assistance is not available under a disaster declaration, low interest loans from the Small Business Administration (SBA) may be available to assist with repair costs. For information about whether your county is covered by a federal declaration, visit the South Carolina Emergency Management Division website. 

Looking for updated information about Emergency Shelters, Road Conditions, and Clean-up Activities?

The South Carolina Emergency Management Division maintains updated information on resources and assistance for individuals and families impacted by disasters. For details, visit their Emergency Shelters page.

Looking for an apartment?

If you need an affordable place to rent, SCHousingSearch.com is a great resource. This free search tool is provided by SC Housing and includes a list of properties across the state to meet your budget and needs.

What if I fall behind on my house payment due to disaster?

In counties designated for Individual Assistance, SC Housing has a 90-day moratorium on foreclosures. For current disaster declarations and FEMA information, visit FEMA's disaster page.

Need to find your insurance company?

• Survivors should file an insurance claim immediately. The faster they file, the faster their recovery can begin.
• The South Carolina Department of Insurance provides a home preparedness checklist and other emergency planning resources at doi.sc.gov/847/Hurricane-Preparedness.
• FEMA’s National Flood Insurance Program is allowing advance payments to policyholders on their flood insurance claims. When a policyholder contacts their insurer, the policyholder can receive an advance payment of up to $5,000 on a flood claim, without an adjuster visit or additional documentation.
• The NFIP Support Call Center provides customer service to survivors, policy holders, adjusters, agents and the general public regarding all areas of the NFIP, call 800-427-4661 or for direct policy info 800-638-6620.

Need to file a Flood Insurance claim?

Visit the National Flood Insurance Program website for assistance.

Looking for Individual Emergency Assistance and Relief?

Dial 2-1-1 or visit 211.org, a service of the United Way. They provide information on disaster preparedness, up-to-date information on road closures, evacuation routes, shelters, disaster relief assistance, and recovery resources. They partner with Homeland Security, CDC, FEMA, and local emergency management programs.

Have speech, hearing, or other disabilities?

Able SC can assist you. Contact them at 803.779.5121 or visit able-sc.org.

Are you a veteran impacted by a disaster?

Veterans Affairs may be able to assist you. Their 24-hour hotline is 800.698.2411. If you need an interpreter, call 800.698.2411 and select 0.

Other Helpful Information

For a list of all SC Public Housing Agencies and their jurisdictions, see the HUD Public Housing Authority Contact Information.

HUD and USDA may have subsidized rental properties available. Use the HUD website search tool to locate subsidized apartments throughout South Carolina. Additional subsidized apartments can be found through USDA Rural Development. 

Additionally, grants from the Single Family Housing Rural Disaster Home Repair Grants from the USDA and the Home and Property Disaster Loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration may be available. 

Please check this page often as we will add more resources as they become available.