Housing and Mortgage Issues

National Consumer Law Center

The National Consumer Law Center (NCLC) has great resources to help communities cope with financial devastation after a natural disaster strikes. Click here for resources on housing and mortgages.

To help households, especially the most vulnerable, recover from financial devastation after a disaster strikes, the NCLC has also created a free Disaster Relief toolkit.

The online toolkit includes resources for families, advocates, and policymakers on:

• Obtaining mortgage relief;
• Getting short-term and longer-term federal student loan debt relief (English and Spanish);
• Avoiding home repair fraud (based on lessons learned after Hurricane Katrina);
• Identifying debt settlement scams (English and Spanish);
• Keeping households connected with utilities, including model utility consumer protections that states can adopt, an issue brief on helping low-income households with assistance in paying bills for heating and cooling, and an issue brief and fact sheet explaining how low-income households can remain connected with voice and broadband internet service; and
• Helping older consumers after a natural disaster (including tips on insurance benefits and obtaining assistance from FEMA).

Landlord/Tenant Issues

Landlord/tenant laws vary by state. Find legal help in your area by visiting LawHelp.org. 

Other Housing Resources

•     Fannie Mae's Disaster Response Network
•     NeighborWorks America & FDIC: Navigating the Road to Housing Recovery is a comprehensive guide to resources and steps to take for those affected by natural disasters.
•     Make a Plan by Ready.gov
•     HUD Disaster Resources - Maintained by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)
•     List of Currently Open Red Cross Shelters - Maintained by the American Red Cross