Renters in Connecticut counties whose homes and property were damaged by Hurricane Sandy may be eligible for federal disaster assistance.

“Sandy did not discriminate between homeowners and renters,” said Federal Coordinating Officer Albert Lewis. “We're here to help everyone who is eligible for assistance, and that definitely includes renters.”

Renters who were displaced from their homes by the storm may be eligible for a FEMA grant to help them pay rent for temporary housing. These rental grants are for a 30-day period, subject to assistance review, until renters' previous homes are again habitable or they find another home.

There is a free referral service to help applicants find safe, replacement rental property.

Go to: http://go.usa.gov/gKve.

Both renters and homeowners may also be eligible for Other Needs Assistance, designed to help survivors with uninsured or underinsured necessary expenses and serious needs caused by the disaster.

Eligibility for these grants is determined through completing and returning the U.S. Small Business Administration application that many applicants receive after registering for disaster assistance. There is no requirement to take out a loan.

Grants can be used for:

• Disaster-related medical and dental expenses;
• Replacement or repair of necessary personal property lost or damaged in the disaster, such as room furnishings or appliances, and tools and equipment required by the self-employed for their jobs;
• Primary vehicles and approved second vehicles damaged by the disaster; and
• Disaster-related funeral and burial expenses.

The deadline to register is Dec. 31. Survivors can register online anytime day or night at www.DisasterAssistance.gov, or with a smartphone or other Web-enabled device at m.fema.gov. Survivors can also register by phone anytime by calling FEMA at 800-621-3362. The TTY number is800-462-7585. Multilingual operators are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Wait for the English message to finish to reach multilingual operators.

Registering for disaster assistance with other agencies or organizations does not register survivors for FEMA disaster assistance. Having FEMA flood insurance does not register policyholders for disaster assistance; flood insurance claims are handled separately.