TBA Law Blog


Posted by: Liz Slagle Todaro on Oct 3, 2024

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has announced that federal disaster assistance is available to individuals and businesses affected by Hurricane Helene in Carter, Cocke, Greene, Hamblen, Hawkins, Johnson, Unicoi and Washington counties in Tennessee. Assistance from FEMA may include grants for temporary housing and home repairs, low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses and other programs to help recovery from the effects of the disaster. Knox News has more about FEMA individual assistance. Gov. Bill Lee said, "As Tennesseans begin the rebuilding process, I thank our federal partners for granting resources to further our severe weather response and recovery in Northeast Tennessee." Recovery operations continue in the affected areas and additional designations may be made if warranted by the results of damage assessments. Individuals and business owners who sustained losses in the designated areas can begin applying for assistance by registering online at www.DisasterAssistance.gov.

The TBA has actively been working with partner organizations this week to plan disaster legal assistance efforts and eventual legal clinics, which will follow recovery efforts. To help prepare for those events, lawyers from across the state are invited to complete this online form to volunteer to help disaster survivors. The TBA Disaster Resources page offers general information for those impacted by disasters, as well as those seeking to provide assistance. The TBA's new Helene Disaster Response page has information and resources specific to this disaster.