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November flood: Ellijay and Chatsworth, GA

Temporary Housing on Your Lot in Ellijay and Chatsworth After the Flood

For families in Ellijay, East Ellijay, Chatsworth, Eton, and rural Gilmer and Murray counties whose home is not livable after the November 2026 flood. A furnished travel trailer on your own lot where the local rule allows it. Flood claims often do not pay for housing, so ask your adjuster first; when a carrier approves it, we bill the carrier directly.

Local rules: Murray County’s code lets the county commissioner issue temporary RV permits while a home is repaired after a governor’s emergency declaration. East Ellijay and Gilmer County bar living in an RV, and Chatsworth may allow it with a temporary special exception.

Request housingCall (214) 493-1515

Local rules on a trailer on your lot. Each city, town, and county below has the rule in plain words and, where we could read it, the code’s own words, with the official source. Where a town does not post its code online, we say so and give the number to call. We confirm the rule for your address before delivery. See the local rules.

This page is for homeowners in Ellijay, East Ellijay, Chatsworth, Eton, and rural Gilmer and Murray counties whose home is not livable after the November 4 to 5, 2026 flood. Whether a travel trailer can stay on your own lot while the house is repaired is decided by the city, or by the county outside city limits. Murray County’s code has a written path for exactly this after a governor’s emergency declaration, Chatsworth may allow it with a temporary special exception, and East Ellijay and Gilmer County bar living in an RV. The claim side matters as much: most homeowners policies do not cover flood, and the federal flood policy does not pay living expenses, so ask which policy is handling your claim and whether it pays for housing. 1st Choice Living has placed furnished travel trailers on homeowners’ own property, nationwide, since 2004. We check the local rule for your address before anything is delivered, and when a carrier approves the housing, we bill the carrier directly.

The November flood and Gilmer and Murray counties

On November 5, 2026, Georgia’s governor declared a State of Emergency for Gilmer and Murray counties, along with Fannin and Union counties. As of November 10, 2026, FEMA has not declared a disaster for this flood, so no FEMA housing help is open yet. If one is declared, households apply at DisasterAssistance.gov. Storm facts as of November 10, 2026, from official sources:

  • 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
  • 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)

Go back to a property only when local officials say it is safe. For roads, debris, water, and assistance, follow the Gilmer County Emergency Management, 455 Sunlight Road, Ellijay, 706-276-7246, the Murray County Emergency Management Agency, (706) 695-2088, and the Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency (GEMA/HS).

Recovery status as of November 10, 2026

What official county, city, and state pages, and local news where no official page said it, stated when we read them. Each line carries its date and links its source.

  • November 6, 2026. The Gilmer County Sheriff’s Office listed road closures across the county, including a bridge out at the end of Zion Hill Road and culvert washouts on roads such as Cowboy Trail, Bushy Head Road, and West Mountaintown Trail, and asked drivers to use alternate routes. Non-emergency road hazards go to Gilmer County Dispatch at 706-635-8911. Source: FOX 5 Atlanta (news)
  • November 6, 2026. Gilmer County declared a local state of emergency. Source: FOX 5 Atlanta (news)
  • November 5, 2026. Georgia’s governor declared a State of Emergency for Fannin, Gilmer, Murray, and Union counties. It runs to November 12, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. unless renewed. Source: Office of the Governor of Georgia

Not stated on an official page. No Gilmer or Murray County notice of temporary RV permits, fee waivers, or a debris schedule for this flood was found on an official page as of November 10, 2026. Ask the county emergency management agency for the latest.

Local rules on living in an RV on your lot

Whether a trailer can stay on your lot while the house is repaired is decided by your city or town, or outside city limits by the county, and by your HOA if you have one. Here is what each local code says, in plain words and then in its own words, with the link to the official page it was read on.

Unincorporated Murray County

Murray County normally bars living in an RV or camper anywhere in the unincorporated county outside a designated RV park or campground. Its emergency chapter, though, lets the county commissioner, after the governor declares a state of emergency, issue temporary permits for a trailer or RV in any zoning district while the primary dwelling is repaired. The setup must be designed by an engineer and approved by the county health department and building department; a permit lasts up to six months and may be extended six more months for continuing hardship. The governor’s November 5 declaration covers Murray County, but no notice was found that the county is issuing these permits for this flood. Ask the Murray County Building Department (706-517-1400 ext. 1231) before anyone moves in.

“Upon the declaration of a state of emergency by the governor, or upon the determination by the county commissioner, or his designee, of the existence of an emergency or disaster, the county commissioner, his designee or the emergency interim successor may issue temporary mobile home, trailer, recreational vehicle or other temporary dwelling structures or parks in any zoning district while the primary dwelling is being repaired, provided that such temporary dwellings or parks are designed by an engineer and the plans are approved by the county health department and county building and inspections department. The temporary permit shall not exceed six months in duration.” Source: Murray County Code, Sec. 20-86, Temporary dwellings, and Sec. 38-154

City of Chatsworth

Chatsworth bars overnight use of an RV except as its manufactured home and RV rules allow. Those rules let an occupied RV be placed temporarily on an occupied lot when the applicant shows it is essential to prepare a construction project, for up to six months at a time, renewable in six-month steps, with a temporary special exception from the Zoning Board of Appeals plus a building permit and a temporary location permit. The rule is not written for storms, and whether a family repairing its own house qualifies is the city’s call. Ask the Land Use and Development office (706-422-3011) before anyone moves in.

“Manufactured homes and occupied Recreational vehicles may be temporarily placed on an individual vacant or occupied lot where the applicant shows it is essential to provide for the preparation of a construction project, to provide security or night watchmen quarters or to allow temporary parking or storage of an unoccupied manufactured home on other than a sales lot or inventory area. [...] In such cases, temporary placement of manufactured homes and Recreational vehicles may be allowed for a period up to six months, renewable in increments of six months, provided temporary special exception approval is granted by the Zoning Board of Appeals, a building permit and temporary location permit are properly issued by the Administrator, and where cooking, sleeping, and waste disposal facilities are to be used, the unit placement is developed consistent with the other applicable provisions of these regulations.” Source: Chatsworth Code of Ordinances, Appendix A (Zoning), Art. XII, Sec. B.3(a) and (b), Temporary Location Provisions

City of Eton

Eton’s zoning ordinance is not posted online, so its RV rule could not be read. No storm or rebuilding exception was found. Call Eton City Hall at (706) 695-2652 before anyone moves in.

Source: City of Eton, official website (no code posted)

Unincorporated Gilmer County

Gilmer County’s code says campers, travel trailers, RVs, and motor homes may not be used as a dwelling in any zoning district except the ORL (Outdoor Recreational Lodging) district. The code has no exception for living in an RV while a house is repaired, and no post-flood exception was found. Ask Gilmer County Planning and Zoning (706-635-3406) before anyone moves in.

“Non-dwelling structures shall not be used as a dwelling in any zoning district except for ORL. Non-dwelling structures include but are not limited to: campers, travel trailers, recreational vehicles, motor homes, storage buildings, buses, and any other structure not built in accordance with the International Building Code.” Source: Gilmer County Code of Ordinances, Sec. 66-46, Non-dwelling structures (Res. No. 23-167, Dec. 14, 2023)

City of Ellijay

Ellijay’s zoning code has no rule that speaks to a family living in an RV or travel trailer on its own lot. Its definition of a dwelling lists buildings, manufactured homes, and industrialized homes, not RVs; it allows a travel trailer to be stored on a lot outside the required front yard. Temporary buildings are allowed for up to one year pending completion of a permanent building, but the code does not say an RV counts as one. No storm or rebuilding exception was found. Ask Ellijay Code Enforcement (706-972-4141) before anyone moves in.

“Dwelling. A building which is designed or used exclusively for residential purposes, including single-family and multifamily residential buildings, rooming and boarding houses, fraternities, sororities, dormitories, manufactured homes, and industrialized homes but not including hotels and motels.” Source: Ellijay Code of Ordinances, Appendix A (Zoning), Sec. 3.3, Definitions

City of East Ellijay

East Ellijay’s zoning ordinance says travel trailers and RVs parked or stored on a residential lot may not be used for living, sleeping, or housekeeping. No storm or rebuilding exception was found. Call East Ellijay City Hall (706-276-3111) before anyone moves in.

“No such equipment shall be used for living, sleeping, or housekeeping purposes when parked or stored on a residential lot, or in any location not approved for such uses.” Source: Zoning Ordinance of East Ellijay, Georgia, Sec. 803, Parking, Storage, or Use of Boats and Recreational Vehicles

Where a code bars living in an RV, ask the office whether a hardship or emergency permit is possible before you rule it out; Murray County’s code has one written for exactly this.

Rules here were read on official city, town, and county pages, and their official code hosts, on November 10, 2026 and can change during a recovery. We confirm the rule for your address before delivery.

Permit and planning offices

Septic and health

Georgia’s on-site sewage rules say repairs, replacement, or additions to an existing septic system must be permitted and inspected by the county health department, so get an Environmental Health permit before hooking an RV to a home’s septic tank. Gilmer County’s code also says no utility, including sewerage, may be connected to a recreational vehicle without the county building inspector’s written approval and the county environmental health department’s permit. In Murray County, call Environmental Health at 706-517-1400 ext. 1371. Source: Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. R. 511-3-1-.03(2)(c), General Requirements for On-Site Sewage Management Systems (via Cornell LII)

Power utilities

  • Amicalola EMC: The co-op says it serves parts of 10 counties, including Gilmer and Murray. Source
  • North Georgia EMC: Listed by Murray County among the electric companies serving the county, phone 706-259-9441. Source
  • Georgia Power: Listed by Murray County among the electric companies serving the county. Source

If a trailer is not allowed at your address

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 instead. Our guide to arranging your own temporary housing covers the questions to ask and the receipts to keep.

Who pays for housing after a flood

Often no policy does, so ask before you plan around one. 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 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)

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

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

Ask your agent or adjuster which policy is handling the claim and whether it pays for housing. When a carrier does approve housing, here is 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 flood claim steps, from FloodSmart, are on our Georgia and Tennessee flooding page. This is general information, not legal or coverage advice. Your policy and your adjuster decide what is covered. 1st Choice Living is independent of every insurer and of FEMA.

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 in Ellijay and Chatsworth. 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.

Crew housing and base camps in Gilmer and Murray counties

For restoration, debris, tree, utility, and response crews working in Ellijay, East Ellijay, Chatsworth, Eton, and rural Gilmer and Murray counties. 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 and workforce housing.

What the local codes say about crew trailers. Chatsworth allows an occupied RV for a construction project with a temporary special exception, while Gilmer and Murray counties bar living in RVs outside designated districts or parks.

City of Ellijay

Ellijay allows temporary buildings in any district only with construction work or pending completion of a permanent building, for up to one year, removed when the building is done. The code does not say workers may live in them or in RVs at a job site. Ask Ellijay Code Enforcement (706-972-4141) before crews stay on site.

“Temporary buildings shall not be permitted in any district except when they are used in conjunction with construction work or pending completion of a permanent building. Such building shall be used for a period not to exceed one year and shall be removed when the construction of the permanent building is completed.” Source: Ellijay Code of Ordinances, Appendix A (Zoning), Sec. 4.2-4, Temporary buildings

City of East Ellijay

East Ellijay’s building inspector may issue a temporary certificate for a contractor’s office and equipment sheds on the job property for up to one year. Nothing in the ordinance lets workers sleep there, and RVs on residential lots may not be used for living or sleeping. Call City Hall before crews stay on site.

“Contractor's office and equipment sheds, in any district, for a period of one (1) year, provided that such office be placed on the property to which it is appurtenant.” Source: Zoning Ordinance of East Ellijay, Georgia, Sec. 806.1(e), Temporary Uses

Unincorporated Gilmer County

Gilmer County lets manufactured homes or other temporary structures serve as a construction office for a licensed contractor, under a temporary permit renewable every six months. Living in campers, travel trailers, or RVs is barred outside the ORL district, so the code does not allow crews to live in RVs at a job site. Ask Planning and Zoning (706-635-3406) about crew housing.

“Manufactured homes or other temporary structures may be used as temporary offices in any district for the purpose of a construction office for a licensed architect/engineer/contractor or as a sales office for a functional residential/commercial/industrial development project. The building official shall issue a temporary permit that is renewable in six month increments.” Source: Gilmer County Code of Ordinances, Sec. 62-129, Use of temporary structures

City of Chatsworth

Chatsworth allows temporary buildings with construction work for up to one year, and its RV rules allow an occupied RV on a lot for a construction project or for security or night watchmen quarters, up to six months at a time, with a Zoning Board of Appeals temporary special exception, a building permit, and a temporary location permit. Ask the Land Use and Development office (706-422-3011) before crews stay on site.

“Temporary buildings other than provided herein shall not be allowed in any district except that temporary buildings used in conjunction with construction work or pending completion of a permanent building for a period not to exceed one (1) year may be permitted in any district but shall be removed when the construction has been substantially completed.” Source: Chatsworth Code of Ordinances, Appendix A (Zoning), Art. III, Sec. J, Use and Construction of Temporary Buildings

City of Eton

We did not find a rule on an official page. Check with the local planning or zoning office before a trailer is placed, and ask whether a permit is needed and how long a temporary unit may stay.

Unincorporated Murray County

Murray County allows RV occupancy only in a designated RV park or campground, so the code does not allow crews to live in RVs on a job-site parcel. A new RV park needs a special or conditional use permit from the county land use planning commission and a building permit. Ask the Murray County Planning and Development office (706-517-1400 ext. 1208).

“No recreational vehicle, camper, or tent (see definitions) shall be placed on any parcel or tract of land for the purpose of occupancy within the unincorporated areas of the county. Occupancy of these units will only be allowed in a designated recreational vehicle park or campground.” Source: Murray County Code, Sec. 38-154, Prohibition on RVs or campers within unincorporated areas of county (Amend. of 9-3-2024)

Ask the building or planning office for the site before delivery, with the address and how long the crew expects to stay.

What we need to start

  • The property address and whether it is inside city or town limits.
  • How many people are in the household.
  • Your claim number and your adjuster’s name and contact, if a carrier is involved.
  • Whether a carrier has approved housing, and its limit, if your adjuster has told you.

From there we check the local rule for that address, confirm the lot can take a unit, and plan setup around what is safe and working at the property. Adjusters and housing companies can send a placement through for adjusters and carriers or for housing companies.

Ask about a trailer on your Ellijay and Chatsworth 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) 493-1515Request housing

More on the November flood

Frequently asked questions

Can I live in a travel trailer on my lot in Murray County while my house is repaired?

Normally not outside an RV park, but Murray County’s emergency chapter lets the county commissioner issue a temporary permit for a trailer or RV in any zoning district while the primary dwelling is repaired, after the governor declares an emergency. The setup needs an engineer’s design and health and building department approval, for up to six months plus six more. Ask the Murray County Building Department (706-517-1400 ext. 1231).

What are the rules in Ellijay, East Ellijay, and Gilmer County?

East Ellijay says RVs on a residential lot may not be used for living or sleeping, and Gilmer County bars using an RV as a dwelling outside the ORL district. Ellijay’s code names no rule either way. We found no storm or rebuilding exception in any of them, so call the office before anyone moves in.

What does Chatsworth allow?

Chatsworth lets an occupied RV be placed temporarily on an occupied lot when it is essential to prepare a construction project, for up to six months at a time, with a Zoning Board of Appeals temporary special exception and permits. Whether a family repairing its own house qualifies is the city’s call. Ask Land Use and Development at (706) 422-3011.

Will insurance pay for housing while my Ellijay or Chatsworth home is repaired after the flood?

Often it will not. FEMA says most homeowners insurance does not cover flood damage, and Georgia’s Office of Commissioner of Insurance and Safety Fire says most homeowners policies do not cover floods. The federal flood policy, the Standard Flood Insurance 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.

Can I get FEMA help with housing after the flood in Gilmer or Murray County?

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.

Stay on your lot while the house is repaired

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

Call (214) 493-1515Request housing

Sources, checked November 10, 2026