Dallas residents displaced from their rental homes by disasters may now apply for short-term financial assistance from the city in the form of cash transfers or gift cards of up to $1,000.

The overview

The newly created Dallas Disaster Aid Program will provide immediate assistance to residents who are no longer able to live in their homes due to emergencies such as fires or flooding. Dallas City Council approved the program during its Oct. 25 meeting.

The program is meant to supplement the services already provided by the American Red Cross, the city’s primary partner in providing emergency assistance.

Typically when families are displaced by mass emergencies, the Dallas Office of Emergency Management opens shelter facilities for 72 hours, according to City Council documents. The new program is meant to reduce the number of families who need that emergency shelter by helping them pay for temporary housing needs, such as a hotel room, clothing and toiletries.


“The primary goal of this program is to enable residents to take the action most appropriate for them and/or their family in the 72-hour period following the loss of their primary residence,” the documents state.

The details

Financial assistance through the program will be provided through electronic fund transfers or gift card cash equivalents, according to City Council documents.

The program has $200,000 in funding. The financial assistance granted to applicants will be dependent on their family size:
  • $500 for families with one to four members
  • $800 for families with five to seven members
  • $1,000 for families eight or more members
Who it’s for


To qualify for the assistance, those interested must provide proof of Dallas residency and proof of emergency in their application.

Other criteria include:
  • The applicant must reside in a multifamily rental property.
  • The applicant’s home must be declared “uninhabitable” by Dallas Fire-Rescue, the Dallas Code Compliance Department or a city building official.
  • The applicant is ineligible for assistance from the American Red Cross, or the organization is unable to provide assistance in a “timely manner.”
  • The applicant’s landlord is unable or unwilling to accommodate the applicant, such as with a vacant unit or hotel room.
For more information, visit the city’s emergency management office website.