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Tennesseans who had privately owned roads or bridges damaged or destroyed by Tropical Storm Helene may be eligible for financial assistance from FEMA or the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) for repairs or replacement.

FEMA Assistance

FEMA may provide funds to repair privately owned access roads and bridges damaged by the storm. To qualify, the road or bridge must serve as the only access to your primary residence, and you must be the owner. A FEMA inspection will determine if repairs are necessary to provide drivable access to the property. Additionally, the following conditions must be met:

• Repairs are required to provide drivable access to the primary residence.
• You are responsible for or share responsibility with other homeowners for maintaining the privately owned access route.
• The privately owned access route is the only access to your primary residence.
• Repair or replacement is necessary for the safety of the home’s occupants, allowing access for emergency vehicles or equipment.

If multiple households share a privately owned access route, FEMA assistance will be shared among applicants. Coordination and documentation between FEMA and each applicant will be required.

To apply for FEMA disaster assistance, visit DisasterAssistance.gov, use the FEMA App, or call the FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362. If you use a relay service such as video relay service or captioned telephone, provide FEMA with the number for that service. You may also visit a Disaster Recovery Center. For locations and hours, visit fema.gov/drc.

For an accessible video on how to apply, visit FEMA Accessible: Registering for Individual Assistance on YouTube.

U.S. Small Business Administration Disaster Loans

The SBA, FEMA’s federal partner in disaster recovery, may also assist homeowners who share private access roads and bridges with others. Homeowners may be eligible for SBA disaster loans to repair or replace damaged access routes.

To learn more or apply, visit sba.gov/disaster, call 800-659-2955 (dial 711 for telecommunications relay services), or email DisasterCustomerService@sba.gov.

Agricultural property is not eligible for SBA loans, but access roads to a farmer’s residence and the residence itself may be eligible under disaster home loan criteria. For more information, contact your local USDA Farm Service Agency.

For the latest information on Tennessee’s recovery, visit tn.gov/tema or fema.gov/helene/tennessee. Follow FEMA Region 4 on X (@FEMARegion4) or FEMA on social media.