Georgia and Tennessee Flood Housing

On November 5, 2026, Georgia’s governor declared a State of Emergency for Fannin, Gilmer, Murray, and Union counties, and Polk County, Tennessee declared its own. If your home is not livable while it is repaired, the first question is who pays for housing, and after a flood the honest answer is often no policy. 1st Choice Living has placed furnished travel trailers on homeowners’ own property, nationwide, since 2004. We check the local rule for your address first, bill the carrier directly when it approves the housing, and give you one named contact from the first call to pickup.

Storm facts as of November 10, 2026

Georgia. On November 5, 2026, Governor Kemp signed Executive Order 11.05.26.01, declaring a State of Emergency for severe flooding in Fannin, Gilmer, Murray, and Union counties. The order says the storms of November 4 and 5 dropped up to ten inches of rain in parts of North Georgia, bans price gouging on goods and services needed for the response, including water and fuel, and expires November 12, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. unless it is renewed. Source: Georgia Executive Order 11.05.26.01
Georgia response. On November 8, 2026, GEMA/HS said the State Operations Center is at Level 2, counted 103 rescues in Georgia (100 in Fannin County and three in Gilmer County), and asked residents to report property damage to their county emergency management agency. Source: GEMA/HS, North Georgia flood response, November 8, 2026
Tennessee. TEMA says Polk County declared a State of Emergency on November 5, 2026 and the State Emergency Operations Center in Nashville was activated at Level 4, Elevated. By its November 6 report, the Copperhill evacuation order had been lifted. TEMA asks residents to photograph and document damage before cleanup, for insurance, and says the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation issued a temporary advisory to avoid contact with all surface water in the Ocoee watershed. Source: TEMA Flash Report 2, Polk County Flooding, November 6, 2026
Water, Copperhill. On November 9, 2026, the City of Copperhill lifted its boil water advisory and asked residents to keep conserving water. Source: City of Copperhill, City Alerts and Notices
Weather. The National Weather Service issued Flash Flood Emergencies for southern Fannin and northern Gilmer counties at 10:47 p.m. on November 4, for Copperhill at 3:58 a.m. on November 5, and for McCaysville at 5:08 a.m. on November 5. NWS Morristown called the Ocoee crest at Copperhill a record. Source: National Weather Service Morristown, Flash Flood Emergency for Copperhill, November 5, 2026
River crest. The Toccoa and Ocoee River gauge at Copperhill, one gauge for both towns, peaked at 18.05 feet at 6:00 a.m. Eastern on November 5, 2026. Major flood stage there is 14 feet, and the prior record was 17.75 feet in February 1990. Source: NOAA National Water Prediction Service, Ocoee River at Copperhill (CPHT1)
Federal. As of November 10, 2026, no FEMA emergency or major disaster declaration covers this flood in Georgia or Tennessee. The City of Copperhill says joint preliminary damage assessments with FEMA are set for November 10 in Tennessee and November 11 in Georgia, and that a request for a federal declaration can come only after the assessments. Source: City of Copperhill, City Alerts and Notices
Flood insurance. FEMA’s FloodSmart says most homeowners insurance does not cover flood damage and only flood insurance covers the cost of rebuilding after a flood. To find your flood insurer, call the National Flood Insurance Program at (877) 336-2627. Source: FEMA FloodSmart
Flood policy and housing. The federal flood policy, the Standard Flood Insurance Policy, does not pay additional living expenses while a home is repaired or cannot be lived in, and it excludes loss of use. Proof of loss is due within 60 days. Source: Standard Flood Insurance Policy, Dwelling Form, 44 CFR Part 61, Appendix A(1)

For current information, go to the source, Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency (GEMA/HS) or Tennessee Emergency Management Agency (TEMA), Polk County Flooding.

FEMA help: not declared yet

As of November 10, 2026, FEMA has not declared a disaster for this flood, so no FEMA housing help is open yet. The City of Copperhill says joint damage assessments with FEMA are set for November 10 in Tennessee and November 11 in Georgia, and that a request for a federal declaration can come only after them. Source: City of Copperhill, City Alerts and Notices. If one is declared, households apply at DisasterAssistance.gov.

FloodSmart ties federal disaster assistance for flood damage to a presidential declaration: “Flood damage can also qualify you to receive federal disaster assistance if the president officially declares a disaster.” Source: FloodSmart, How to start a flood insurance claim
TEMA tells affected Polk County residents who need help with housing, food, and other needs to “call the American Red Cross at 1-800-RED-CROSS (1-800-733-2767).” Source: TEMA, Polk County Flooding (updated November 9, 2026)

FEMA help and your insurance claim are separate. FEMA decides what its own assistance covers, and your insurer decides what your policy covers. 1st Choice Living is independent of FEMA and of every insurer.

Safety first

Housing can wait until everyone is safe. Go back to a property only when local officials say it is safe, and keep clear of flood water. In Tennessee, the state advises avoiding contact with all surface water in the Ocoee watershed (see the storm facts above). Your county emergency management agency has the word on roads, debris, water, and assistance; each area page below links the agencies for its counties. When it is safe, photograph everything before anything is cleaned up or thrown out. For a record from the air, LossMap documents a property by drone.

Who pays for housing after a flood

After a fire, a homeowners policy with Additional Living Expenses, also called loss of use, may pay for somewhere to live. A flood is different, so ask before you plan around a policy.

Homeowners policies. FEMA’s FloodSmart says most homeowners insurance does not cover flood damage.

“Most homeowners insurance does not cover flood damage. Only flood insurance covers the cost of rebuilding after a flood.” Source: FEMA FloodSmart

The federal flood policy. The Standard Flood Insurance Policy (Dwelling Form), the federal flood policy, does not pay additional living expenses while a home is being repaired or cannot be lived in, and it excludes loss of use.

“We only pay for direct physical loss by or from flood, which means that we do not pay you for: [...] Any additional living expenses incurred while the insured building is being repaired or is unable to be occupied for any reason; [...] Loss of use of the insured property or described location;” Source: Standard Flood Insurance Policy, Dwelling Form, 44 CFR Part 61, Appendix A(1)

Here is how each state’s insurance regulator puts it:

Georgia. The Georgia Office of Commissioner of Insurance and Safety Fire says most homeowners policies do not cover floods, which need a separate policy:

“Most policies do not cover motorized vehicles or losses from natural disasters, like floods or earthquakes. You can usually buy coverage for these things in a separate policy.” Source: Georgia Office of Commissioner of Insurance and Safety Fire, Home Insurance

Georgia. The Georgia Office of Commissioner of Insurance and Safety Fire says to file a claim as soon as possible, and to make temporary repairs, not permanent ones, before the damage is inspected:

“If you have to file a claim, do so as soon as possible. [...] While temporary repairs are a good idea, don’t make permanent repairs. An insurance company may deny a claim if you make permanent repairs before the damage is inspected.” Source: Georgia Office of Commissioner of Insurance and Safety Fire, Insurance Claim Tips

Tennessee. The Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance says most homeowners and renters policies do not cover flood damage, and only a flood insurance policy does:

“Most homeowners and renters insurance policies do not cover damages to a structure or contents in the event of a flood. Only a flood insurance policy will cover flood damage.” Source: Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance and TEMA news release, May 24, 2024

Ask your agent or adjuster which policy is handling the claim and whether it pays for housing. When a carrier does approve housing, we bill the carrier directly. This is general information, not legal or coverage advice. Your policy and your adjuster decide what is covered.

Filing a flood claim

If you have flood insurance, FloodSmart lays out the steps. To find your flood insurer, call the National Flood Insurance Program at (877) 336-2627.

Report the flood and your loss to your flood insurance provider as soon as possible. They assign an adjuster to inspect the property. Source: FloodSmart, How to start a flood insurance claim
Photograph and video all the damage, and write down the make, model, and serial number of appliances and electronics. Source: FloodSmart, How to start a flood insurance claim
When cleanup starts, keep samples of flood-soaked carpet, flooring, and curtains, and limit mold, which the flood policy does not cover. Source: FloodSmart, How to start a flood insurance claim
When you meet the adjuster, ask to see their Flood Control Number card. Source: FloodSmart, How to start a flood insurance claim
Under the Dwelling Form, a signed and sworn proof of loss is due within 60 days after the loss. “Within 60 days after the loss, send us a proof of loss, which is your statement of the amount you are claiming under the policy signed and sworn to by you.” Source: Standard Flood Insurance Policy, Dwelling Form, 44 CFR Part 61, Appendix A(1)

Ask about a trailer on your lot

Call or send the request form with the property address and, if a carrier is involved, your claim number and your adjuster’s contact. We confirm the local rule first, and tell you plainly if a trailer on your lot is not the right fit.

Call (214) 493-1515 Request housing

Hotel, rental, or a trailer on your own lot

There are three real options, and the right answer depends on your family, your property, the local rule, and how the repairs are likely to go.

Hotel. The easiest first night. Rooms are small, there is no kitchen, and restaurant meals add up.
Rental house or apartment. More room and a kitchen. A lease may not match the repair schedule, and the rental may be farther from your neighborhood, your kids’ school, and your job than you want to be.
A travel trailer on your own property. A furnished unit delivered, leveled, and connected on your own lot. You stay next to the repairs, so you are there when the adjuster and the contractor show up. It needs room on the lot and a local rule that allows a temporary RV during repairs, which several codes here do not, so we check first. If it is not the right fit for your property, we will tell you.

Arranging your own temporary housing

If no policy pays for housing, you can still arrange a trailer on your lot yourself: the request form takes a request straight from a family. If a carrier is involved, our guide to arranging your own temporary housing covers the questions to ask your adjuster and the receipts to keep.

How a trailer on your lot works

Local rules for your address checked before delivery.
A furnished travel trailer with a kitchen, a bathroom, real beds, and heat and air, delivered, leveled, and set up on your property.
Utilities connected by licensed, insured contractors from our preferred vendor network, planned around what is actually working at the property.
Site conditions documented at setup and again at takedown.
Direct billing to your carrier for the housing it approves.
One named contact from the first call to the day the unit leaves.

The full walkthrough is on our on-site RV housing page, and our after a flood guide covers the dry-out and the questions to ask your adjuster.

Already working with a temporary housing company?

We work with any temporary housing company. If one is handling your housing, ask them to place you with 1st Choice Living for a trailer on your own lot. They send us the placement, we deliver, set up, and service the trailer, and the billing runs through them or straight to your carrier, whichever way their program works. Housing companies can see how we work as their on-site vendor.

Local rules by state

Georgia. Inside city limits the city decides, and in unincorporated areas the county does. Of the codes we read, East Ellijay and Gilmer County bar living in an RV, and Chatsworth may allow an occupied RV with a temporary special exception. Murray County’s emergency chapter lets the county commissioner issue temporary RV permits while a home is repaired after a governor’s emergency declaration. McCaysville, Morganton, and Eton do not post their codes online, so call City Hall there.

Tennessee. Ducktown and Benton bar living in an RV outside a campground or a permitted park. Copperhill keeps its zoning ordinance at City Hall, and we found no county zoning in rural Polk County.

In both states, lots in a mapped flood zone carry their own RV rules: Blue Ridge, Fannin County, and Polk County say an RV placed there must, among other options, be on the site fewer than 180 days in a row or stay licensed and road-ready. A trailer hooked to a home’s septic system needs the health or environment office’s permit first. Each area page quotes the rules and names the offices to call.

Flood pages by area

Each area page quotes the local code on living in an RV on your lot for every city, town, and county we checked, with the official source, or says plainly where we could not read one. It also lists the permit offices, county emergency management, power utilities, septic rules, crew trailer rules, and dated recovery lines.

Georgia: McCaysville, Blue Ridge, and Fannin County, Ellijay, Chatsworth, Gilmer County, and Murray County
Tennessee: Copperhill, Ducktown, Benton, and Polk County

Union County is under Georgia’s emergency order too but does not have an area page. There, check with the city or county planning office before a trailer is placed, and follow the Union County EMA, (706) 439-6091 for local updates. We confirm the rule for your address before delivery.

Crew housing and base camps

Restoration, debris, tree, utility, and response crews need somewhere to sleep near the work. We deliver travel trailers to the job site and set them up and connect them the same way we do on a family’s lot. For a larger response, we build turnkey base camps: sleeper and bunk trailers, furnished RV trailers, shower, restroom, laundry, kitchen, dining, and office units, set up, serviced, and billed on one invoice. See disaster relief base camps, sleeper and bunkhouse trailers, and workforce housing. Each area page lists what the local codes say about trailers on a job site.

For adjusters and housing companies

If you are handling files from the November flood, send the placement the way you would any other: the property address, the household size, the claim number, the approved housing limit, and where to send invoices. We check the local rule, confirm the site can take a unit, and schedule delivery with the family. Start at for adjusters and carriers or for housing companies. Independent adjusters on these claims: see for independent adjusters.

More help after the flood

Travel trailers for families and crews after the Georgia and Tennessee flood from Temporary RV Living.
Drone documentation after the Georgia and Tennessee flood from LossMap, to record the property before cleanup.
Housewares for temporary housing from Temporary Housewares.

Frequently asked questions

Will insurance pay for a travel trailer on my property after the flood?

Often it will not. FEMA says most homeowners insurance does not cover flood damage, and the Georgia and Tennessee insurance regulators say the same. The federal flood policy does not pay additional living expenses or loss of use. Ask your agent or adjuster which policy is handling the claim and whether it pays for housing. When a carrier does approve housing, we bill the carrier directly.

Does flood insurance pay for temporary housing?

The federal flood policy, the Standard Flood Insurance Policy, does not pay additional living expenses while a home is repaired or cannot be lived in, and it excludes loss of use. If another policy is on the claim, ask your adjuster whether it pays for housing.

Can I live in a travel trailer on my own lot in north Georgia or Polk County while the house is repaired?

It depends on your city or town, or the county outside city limits. Several codes we read bar living in an RV outside a park or campground, a few towns do not post their code online, and Murray County has a written path during repairs after a governor’s emergency declaration. Each area page quotes the code for every city and county we checked, with the source.

What if the local rule does not allow a trailer on my lot?

Then a trailer on your lot is not the answer, and we will tell you so. Ask the planning office what it does allow during repairs, and ask your adjuster whether any policy on the claim pays for a hotel or a furnished rental. Our guide to arranging your own temporary housing covers the questions to ask and the receipts to keep.

Is FEMA help available for this flood?

Not as of November 10, 2026: no FEMA emergency or major disaster declaration covers this flood, so no FEMA housing help is open. The City of Copperhill says joint damage assessments with FEMA are set for November 10 in Tennessee and November 11 in Georgia. If a disaster is declared, households apply at DisasterAssistance.gov, and FEMA decides what its own help covers. 1st Choice Living is independent of FEMA and of every insurer.

A temporary housing company is handling my housing. Can I still get a trailer from you?

Yes. We work with any temporary housing company. Ask the company handling your housing to place you with 1st Choice Living for a trailer on your own lot. They send us the placement, we deliver, set up, and service the trailer, and the billing runs the way their program is set up.

I am an adjuster or a housing company. How do I send a placement?

Call us or send the request form with the property address, how many people are in the household, the claim number, the approved housing limit, and where to send invoices. From there we check the local rule on a temporary RV at that address, confirm the site can take a unit, and schedule delivery with the family. You get one named contact from the first call to pickup.

Can you house the crews working the flood recovery?

Yes. We deliver travel trailers to the job site, and for a larger response we build turnkey base camps: sleeper and bunk trailers, furnished RV trailers, shower, restroom, laundry, kitchen, dining, and office units, set up, serviced, and billed on one invoice. Each area page lists what the local codes say about trailers on a job site.

Stay on your lot while the house is repaired

Call or send the request form. One named contact, local rules checked before delivery, and direct billing to your carrier when it approves the housing.