Floridians Urged To Seek Housing
Release Date: October 23, 2004
Release Number: 1539-227
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ORLANDO, Fla. -- Floridians who have been forced from their homes by the hurricanes are encouraged to look for temporary housing, disaster officials said, especially if they have received checks from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to use for rent.
Rental assistance is provided based on fair market price for a one bedroom unit as determined by the Department of Housing and Urban Development. If a family needs a larger unit, they could qualify for additional rental assistance.
“Floridians should use that rental money to find housing as quickly as possible and take charge of their situation,” said Bill Carwile, federal coordinating officer. “The whole purpose of these grants is to give a hand up, get people into safe housing and let them resume normal lives.”
Whenever possible, people should use the assistance money to find their own housing that will be suitable for the long term. Some people may find that suitable rentals are not available in their immediate area, and may choose to make a temporary move into safe housing elsewhere until something closer is available.
“More assistance money may be available if your home is not yet repaired or there is a continuing need,” said Craig Fugate, state coordinating officer.
Federal, state and local agencies have also launched a series of new approaches to meet the housing problems spawned by four hurricanes this year. The goal is to get every eligible Floridian into safe, sanitary housing by Thanksgiving.
Housing Hotline One of the principal tools is a Florida Hurricane Housing Hotline to help hurricane victims who are still without housing. The toll-free Hotline, 1-888-472-1727, is open from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. (Eastern time) seven days a week. Floridians in areas with no other housing available can call the number to get help with emergency housing. The operator will need to know your name, your FEMA case number if you have one, your situation, and how you can be contacted.
The Florida Hurricane Housing Hotline is a special number, separate from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) disaster registration line. The Housing Hotline is set up solely to identify Floridians who still need housing and have no other alternatives.
In addition to the hotline, strike teams are working with construction experts and local leaders throughout Florida to meet housing needs with rental housing, travel trailers and mobile homes. The teams are staffed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the State Emergency Response Team (SERT), U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, U.S. Forest Service, the Department of Housing and Urban Development, and contracted technical assistants.
Group Sites Sites for travel trailers and mobile homes are being developed in the hardest-hit counties on the Atlantic and Gulf coasts and in the Panhandle of Florida. Potential sites include existing mobile home parks, city parks, airports, a housing authority site, county fairgrounds, and a junior college.
Direct County Action Floridians who need housing can call their county administration offices to get on the local housing list. County officials gather the names and addresses of people who need emergency housing and, after inspecting the sites, pass them along to FEMA and SERT for action, a process that speeds up the response time. FEMA and SERT will take housing units directly to private sites for hookup. County lists are cross-checked with people who have registered at the Florida Hurricane Housing Hotline to avoid duplication.
Callouts A Florida firm made 25,000 calls to disaster applicants – people who had called the registration line, 1-800-621-FEMA (3362). The firm identified some 4,000 people who still needed housing and turned over the names to the housing program.
Pre-positioning Immediately after Hurricane Charley, FEMA ordered and pre-positioned 8,000 travel trailers and mobile homes in nearby staging areas to meet the anticipated need. More units are being purchased and trucked into Florida, and eventually FEMA will have several thousand housing units available.
More than 2,000 temporary housing units have been leased and occupied, and the leasing rate continues to increase at well over 150 a day.
“This year’s disasters have left Florida with many problems to solve,” Fugate said. “The need for safe and temporary housing is at the top of the list, and the state and federal disaster teams are breaking new ground to meet that need.”
On March 1, 2003, FEMA became part of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. FEMA’s continuing mission within the new department is to lead the effort to prepare the nation for all hazards and effectively manage federal response and recovery efforts following any national incident. FEMA also initiates proactive mitigation activities, trains first responders, and manages the National Flood Insurance Program and the U.S. Fire Administration.
Last Modified: Monday, 25-Oct-2004 09:56:18