This program is now closed for applications.
Eligible homes must be located in a county approved for FEMA Individual Assistance following the three presidentially declared natural disasters this spring and summer. These counties currently include Adair, Adams, Buena Vista, Cedar, Cherokee, Clarke, Clay, Dickinson, Emmet, Harrison, Humboldt, Jasper, Lyon, Mills, Monona, Montgomery, O’Brien, Osceola, Palo Alto, Plymouth, Polk, Pottawattamie, Ringgold, Scott, Shelby, Sioux, Story Union and Woodbury.*
*Additional counties may be added. A map of counties, including those approved for FEMA Individual Assistance, as required for this program, is available here.
The disaster-affected home must have been the applicant’s primary, owner-occupied residence as of the date of the disaster and be located in a county declared eligible for FEMA Individual Assistance.
If the homeowner had insurance coverage covering disaster damage, the homeowner must have filed a claim with their insurance company and received final approval or denial of that claim.
The homeowner must have registered with FEMA and been awarded some form of FEMA Housing Assistance, which may include assistance for home repairs or temporary housing.
The homeowner’s disaster-affected home must have sustained damage greater than the damage that is covered by insurance plus any other state or federal disaster-related financial assistance the homeowner is eligible to receive.
The disaster-affected home must be deemed suitable for rehabilitation by the local program administrator.
The disaster-affected home is not eligible for buyout or the homeowner is requesting a forgivable loan for repair or rehabilitation in lieu of a buyout.
The homeowner must be in good standing with the Iowa Department of Revenue.
Assistance under the program must not duplicate benefits provided by any local, state, or federal disaster recovery assistance program.
Homes located within the 100-year floodplain are not eligible for the program.
Photos of damage to the home caused by the disaster.
Assistance may be paid directly to contractors completing the repair or rehabilitation work or to the homeowner as reimbursement for eligible costs incurred.
Contact the disaster housing recovery assistance team.
FEMA has issued guidance stating that qualified disaster relief payments, including reasonable and necessary expenses incurred for the repair or rehabilitation of a personal residence, are not considered income, provided they are not also covered by insurance or other reimbursements. Iowa will treat DRHAP payments received by taxpayers the same as they are treated for federal tax purposes. Homeowners are advised to consult a tax professional for guidance applicable to their individual situation. The IRS offers free tax assistance through its Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) and Tax Counseling for the Elderly (TCE) programs for eligible taxpayers. You can find a provider near you here.
FEMA’s Individual Assistance Program (or the Individuals and Households Program) has two provisions: Housing Assistance and Other Needs Assistance. FEMA Housing Assistance provides funding for temporary housing, home repairs, or replacement housing. To be eligible to apply for assistance under this program, homeowners must have received some type of FEMA Housing Assistance award. Homeowners who were only awarded Other Needs Assistance from FEMA, which might cover damage to household items or vehicles, are ineligible.
No, this program can only provide repair assistance to eligible homeowners for their disaster-affected home that has been determined feasible for rehabilitation. Please visit disasterrecovery.iowa.gov for information on other resources for which you may be eligible to apply, including the Disaster Recovery Temporary Housing Program.
The program cannot provide repairs to a home business or business located on the same site. If only part of the home is used for business purposes and the remainder of the home serves as the homeowner’s primary residence, the homeowner may be eligible to apply; however, any home repair award amount approved would be prorated to exclude that portion of the home that the homeowner claims for business purposes when filing their income taxes. The homeowner must provide a copy of their most recent tax return as part of the application process if they have a home business.
Yes, you may be eligible to apply. Please upload a copy of your Letter of Map Amendment (LOMA) or Letter of Map Revision base on Fill (LOMR-F) as approved by FEMA. Our review team will also independently verify FEMA’s approval.
Yes, you may submit an application pending the outcome of your FEMA appeal. We will confirm the status of your appeal directly with FEMA as part of the application review process. However, to be eligible to be awarded assistance under the program, the homeowner must agree that IFA may require repayment of some or all of the DRHAP repair assistance if any additional Disaster Compensation from FEMA, insurance, or any other governmental resource is received by the homeowner after the forgivable loan is awarded.