Statement on Status of Cameron Parish
Release Date: November 18, 2008
Release Number: FNF-08-085
Federal Emergency Management Agency Administrator R. David Paulison met today with Senator Mary Landrieu and Congressman Charles Boustany to discuss temporary housing options for disaster victims of hurricanes Gustav and Ike, specifically those in Cameron Parish.
FEMA is committed to working with State and Parish officials to identify the best available options for facilitating the recovery of Cameron Parish. FEMA cannot legally place temporary housing units in a coastal high hazard area delineated by best available floodplain data.
Administrator Paulison discussed with Senator Landrieu and Congressman Boustany the need to be flexible in maximizing federal resources and funding for areas impacted by hurricanes Gustav and Ike within FEMAs legal authorities. Placing housing units in identified high-risk areas would not only violate FEMA legal authorities, it also would disregard a basic tenet of agency policy: "nothing is more important than assuring the health and safety of disaster victims."
Administrator Paulison also discussed other available options for housing and encouraged Senator Landrieu and Congressman Boustany to support FEMAs responsibility to provide safe, suitable and habitable temporary housing.
FEMA continues to casework each eligible family in Cameron Parish to ensure they are receiving and able to take advantage of the benefits offered under the Individuals and Households Program. To date, FEMA has provided the following assistance to families within Cameron Parish:
- $6.9 million in grants to families.
- 788 households have been provided with rental assistance. Thus far, FEMA has referred 264 families in Cameron Parish to HUD for enrollment in the DHAP program.
- 107 households have received the maximum grant FEMA can offer, under law, of $28,800. The average payout for approved families in Cameron Parish is $7,169.33.
- FEMA has housed 160 families in hotels through our Transitional Sheltering Assistance Program.
Currently there are 57 identified eligible applicants for direct housing in Cameron Parish. FEMA has inspected 29 of the proposed sites for these eligible applicants and determined that the site is approved for placement of temporary housing unit. FEMA continues to work with the remaining 28 applicants to locate feasible sites for placement of a temporary housing unit.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency coordinates the federal government's role in preparing for, preventing, mitigating the effects of, responding to and recovering from all domestic disasters, whether natural or man-made, including acts of terror.
Last Modified: Tuesday, 18-Nov-2008 18:56:21