FEMA Approves Extension On Houston Housing
Release Date: June 13, 2006
Release Number: 1606-220
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AUSTIN, Texas -- The U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced today that funding for the City of Houston 's voucher program for hurricane evacuees will be extended 15 calendar days, effectively giving hurricane evacuees until July 31 to transition to FEMA's program for individuals or find alternative solutions.
"FEMA is committed to continuing Section 403 assistance for evacuees whose eligibility has not yet been determined," E.C. "Butch" Smith, director of FEMA's Texas Transitional Recovery Office in Austin, wrote Houston officials in a June 9 letter notifying them of the extension and providing updated data on evacuee eligibility. "This letter authorizes an extension of 15 days to provide the required notifications for the enclosed list of eligible and ineligible evacuees, which effectively extends the 403 funding for this list only until July 31."
"We understand that the recovery process is nerve-wracking, but we have made significant progress toward moving the vast majority of disaster survivors into FEMA's longer-term housing program. This extension will allow that process to continue," Smith said in announcing the extension.
Utilizing creative approaches such as the multi-agency Joint Hurricane Housing Task Force, FEMA is working with the City of Houston to insure that all disaster survivors receive fair treatment. Alternatives to FEMA's housing program may involve working with faith-based or community voluntary organizations or with other federal, state and local government agencies.
FEMA has been paying for Houston 's sheltering under the 403 Public Assistance section of Public Law 93-288, the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act. The law provides funding for two types of FEMA assistance, Public Assistance under Section 403 for public agencies and Individual Assistance under Section 408 for individuals and households.
Funding under 403 can be used for sheltering disaster victims but it is designed as a short-term emergency measure immediately after disaster strikes. However, the double whammy of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita presented a special situation, requiring compassionate and creative solutions, after thousands of evacuees took refuge in hotel rooms and apartments.
Section 408 is standard program of assistance for individuals affected by disasters and has specific eligibility requirements for applicants, such as proving residence in the disaster area. These requirements are the same for disaster victims in all disasters declared under the Stafford Act and are not related to requirements for public agencies reimbursed under Section 403.
More than half a million disaster survivors from Katrina and Rita are already on the 408 program. FEMA's goal is to transition all eligible evacuees currently being provided for under the 403 Public assistance into 408 assistance, where responsibility for evacuee recovery shifts from the public agency to the individual.
Evacuees with unmet needs such as housing, health care or child care can call the state referral number, 2-1-1 , to get appropriate referrals to agencies in local geographic regions.
Evacuees with questions on their assistance may call the FEMA helpline at 1-800-621-FEMA (1-800-621-3362) or TTY 1-800-462-7585.
FEMA manages federal response and recovery efforts following any national incident. FEMA also initiates mitigation activities, works with state and local emergency managers, and manages the National Flood Insurance Program. FEMA became part of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security on March 1, 2003.
Last Modified: Wednesday, 14-Jun-2006 11:31:03