FEMA Short-Term Lodging
A Transition to Long-Term Solutions
Release Date: February 10, 2006
Release Number: 1603-337
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BATON ROUGE, La. -- The nations largest post-hurricane emergency housing operation is winding down its emergency sheltering housing program and continuing its efforts to transition those displaced by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita into longer-term housing solutions.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Securitys Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the state of Louisiana are implementing several programs and strategies to ensure that housing options are made available to those still in need of long-term housing.
Hotels, motels and cruise ships have been used since September to satisfy the emergency need, but those temporary programs are coming to an end as FEMA turns its focus onto helping evacuees find more appropriate longer-term housing solutions through its programs or other agency programs.
Since Hurricanes Katrina and Rita made landfall, FEMA has paid over $529 million for hotel and motel rooms. More than $6 billion in financial assistance has been provided to nearly 1.5 million households. With a peak of 85,000 rooms occupied by evacuees nationwide in one night, thousands more families used FEMAs transitional hotel program on their way to longer-term living.
The short-term lodging program was initiated as a key component of FEMAs temporary housing strategy to help individuals and families displaced by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Currently, in Louisiana, approximately 8,900 hotel and motel rooms are occupied by hurricane evacuees who contacted FEMA to receive an authorization code prior to the publicized Jan. 30, 2006, deadline. Nearly 550,000 Louisiana families have received rental assistance, and have made long-term housing arrangements.
An aggressive outreach campaign by FEMA notified evacuees in hotels and motels of the important dates associated with the authorization program.
- Feb. 13, 2006. If an evacuee got an authorization code by Jan. 30, 2006, FEMA will continue to pay for that hotel room until at least Feb. 13, 2006.
- For those who did not receive an eligibility decision on temporary housing assistance by Jan. 30, 2006, FEMA will continue to pay for that hotel room through March 1, 2006, or two weeks after receiving eligibility determination, whichever is later.
A significant part of the emergency housing effort in Louisiana took place on board three ocean-going vessels, which served as emergency sheltering for more than 3,500 evacuees, with meals provided.
On March 1, all three ships Sensation, Ecstasy, and Scotia Prince are being returned to regular service. All temporary residents aboard the ships must depart no later than midnight, Feb. 28, 2006. The ships are accepting no new residents. In addition, those who have been staying on the ships, but who have received alternative housing options, should use those options. FEMA representatives have been working with those on board to find alternative housing, and to work on longer-term housing plans. Firefighters, police officers, and other government workers have been encouraged by their superiors to leave the Ecstasy and Sensation by mid-February in advance of the deadline.
To date, more than 1,000 households aboard the Sensation and Ecstasy have been identified by FEMA to be placed in travel-trailer group sites, on their own private sites, or to receive rental assistance.
More than 750,000 Gulf Coast households have been provided housing assistance since Hurricanes Katrina and Rita made landfall. More than 35,000 families in Louisiana now live in FEMA-provided manufactured homes on individual properties, group sites, or commercial sites. Others have used the financial rental assistance from FEMA to rent apartments or other homes.
For those who have received financial rental assistance, but have been unable to find rental units within the state, FEMA will pay transportation costs for eligible evacuees currently in Louisiana who arrange long-term housing solutions in other states.
FEMA is also referring hurricane evacuees to federal housing options that have been made available through other federal agencies, including the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, the U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Housing Development, and Fannie Mae.
Individuals who are not eligible for FEMA or other federal housing assistance because they were not homeowners or renters before Hurricane Katrina or Rita may be eligible for assistance from the Department of Housing and Urban Developments (HUD) Disaster Voucher Program (DVP). These vouchers can be used in Louisiana and throughout the country. For more information on HUDs DVP program call 1-866-373-9509 or TTY 1-800-877-8339.
FEMA and Louisiana are partnering with numerous voluntary agencies including the American Red Cross, United Way, and the Council on Aging, to answer evacuees unmet needs with regard to pre-disaster homelessness, utility assistance, transportation, and various other disaster-related needs.
For more information on FEMA disaster assistance call the helpline at 1-800-621-FEMA (3362) or TTY 1-800-462-7585. The Louisiana Disaster Support line is 1-888-524-3578. The Louisiana Hurricane Short-Term Shelter Hotline is 1-866-310-7617.
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: Friday, 10-Feb-2006 10:32:47