WASHINGTON - The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Scott Turner announced the availability of Federal disaster assistance to West Virginia to supplement recovery efforts in the areas affected by severe storms, straight-line winds, flooding, landslides and mudslides beginning on February 15, 2025 and continuing. 

“As West Virginians rebuild their homes, neighborhoods, and businesses following the severe storms, HUD continues to provide financial flexibility and disaster recovery resources,” Secretary Turner said. "Supporting disaster response is a core and important part of our mission-minded approach to serving communities at HUD."

“Ensuring our communities have the resources they need to recover from disasters is a top priority. I appreciate the collaboration we’ve had with HUD, including the recent visit by Regional Administrator DeFelice in assessing the damage in Welch and Bradshaw. I am grateful to HUD for delivering additional resources to West Virginians impacted by these storms, which will help in the rebuilding and strengthening of our communities for the future,” U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) said.

“I was just in Welch, West Virginia to view disaster recovery with the Acting Administrator of FEMA, the Small Business Administration, the county commission, local mayors, and folks effected by the floods. Through the leadership of President Trump, we are really moving forward with a whole of government response that is truly encouraging to see. Simply rebuilding isn’t the goal, building a stronger community is the goal – I’ve always said we need to bring all resources to bear, and if that’s not enough we need to triple the triple. I applaud Secretary Turner and will continue to work with both him and President Trump to make sure West Virginia has the resources needed to rebuild stronger than before,” Senator Jim Justice said. 

“West Virginians were devastated by last month’s severe storms, and I’m thankful we have a President who is providing relief for those affected. The federal disaster assistance that President Trump issued for our state is crucial to helping our communities recover faster, and I thank the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development for their efforts to provide essential resources and financial help to my constituents during this time. I also thank HUD’s regional administrator Joe DeFelice for taking the time to visit Welch and Bradshaw to see the aftermath firsthand. I look forward to continuing to work closely with the Trump administration to deliver more relief for the West Virginians who were hurt by the storms,” Congresswoman Miller said.

President Trump issued a major disaster declaration in the State of West Virginia. 

Effectively immediately HUD is:

• Providing financial flexibility- A 90-day moratorium is issued on foreclosures of mortgages insured by the Federal Housing Administration (FHA). There is also a 90-day extension granted automatically for Home Equity Conversion Mortgages. The moratorium and extension are effective as of the President’s disaster declaration date.
  
  Homeowners affected by the disaster should contact their mortgage or loan servicer immediately for assistance. Conventional mortgage holders may also be eligible for additional relief through their mortgage holder.
  
  Call the FHA Resource Center at 1-800-304-9320 for additional information. To learn more about disaster relief options for FHA homeowners visit the FHA Disaster Relief site.
• Making mortgage insurance available - When homes are destroyed or damaged to an extent that required reconstruction or complete replacement, HUD’s Section 203(h) program provides FHA insurance to disaster victims. Borrowers from participating FHA- approved lenders are eligible for 100 percent financing including closing costs.
• Making financing available for both mortgage and home rehabilitation - HUD’s Section 203(k) loan program enables individuals to finance the purchase or refinance of a house, along with its repair, through a single mortgage. Homeowners can also finance the rehabilitation of their existing homes if damaged.
• Sharing information on housing providers and HUD programs - Information will be shared with FEMA and the State on housing providers that may have available units in the impacted counties, including Public Housing Agencies and Multi-Family owners. The Department will also connect FEMA and the State to subject matter experts to provide information on HUD programs and providers.
• Providing flexibility to Community Planning and Development Grantees - Recipients of Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program, Housing Opportunities for Persons With AIDS/HIV (HOPWA) Program, Continuum of Care (CoC) Program, Emergency Solutions Grants (ESG) Program, HOME Investment Partnerships Program, and Housing Trust Fund (HTF) Program funds can apply for needed administrative flexibility in response to Presidentially Declared Major Disasters for West Virginia (DR 4861-WV). For more information on applying for a waiver or suspension of program requirements, contact your local Community Planning and Development (CPD) Field Office here. The Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, CPD staff work with West Virginia grantees. 
• Providing flexibility to Public Housing Agencies - Public Housing Agencies can apply for needed waivers and flexibilities for disaster relief and recovery. For detailed information on applying for a waiver, click here for the latest Federal Register Disaster Relief Notice guidance. The Department also released PIH Notice 2021-34, which advises the public of HUD’s expedited process for waivers and flexibilities from HUD regulatory and administrative requirements for various Public Housing and Voucher Programs. As a reminder, to be eligible to receive a disaster waiver, the PHA must be located in an active Presidentially declared Major Disaster Declaration area and submitted within four months of an MDD.
• Ensuring HUD-approved housing counseling agencies are ready to assist - HUD-approved housing counseling agencies have counselors available to assist those impacted by natural disasters to determine assistance needs and available resources. Find a HUD-approved housing counseling agency online or use our telephone look-up tool by calling 1-800-569-4287. Telephone look-up includes access to information in more than 200 different languages. You do not have to have an FHA-insured mortgage to meet with a HUD-approved housing counseling agency. There is never a fee for foreclosure prevention counseling.
• Assisting with housing discrimination - Housing discrimination can occur when people attempt to find and access housing following a disaster. HUD’s Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity is available to assist people who believe they have experienced housing discrimination. If you think your rights have been violated, you should file a fair housing complaint with HUD. You can file a complaint by calling HUD at 1-800-669-9777 or visiting  How to File a Complaint on HUD’s website. Individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing may contact the Department using the Federal Relay Service at 1-800-877-8339. HUD may not help you if your complaint is filed more than one year after the last discriminatory act. You may also be able to file a complaint with a state or local fair housing agency. A list of the State and local fair housing agencies funded by HUD is available on HUD’s website here.