Housing solutions for flood survivors

As Louisianans continue to recover from the devastating flooding in Louisiana, there are a number of housing solutions available to survivors whose homes were flooded and are now uninhabitable.

• Rental assistance is the most common form of financial assistance for temporary housing. It is usually put toward renting a house or an apartment. But survivors may also use rental assistance to rent a Recreational Vehicle.
• FEMA transitional housing assistance provides lodging to displaced survivors who need a place immediately – who need a roof over their heads. FEMA pays the hotel/motels directly; funds are not disbursed to survivors for this.  As of Sept. 4, there are more than 2,300 hotel check-ins. 

Jasmin Cedotal shows an aerial photograph on her mobile phone, taken from a helicopter, of herself and her friends on the rooftop of their residence and business in Port Vincent, La, during the flooding. (Photo by J.T. Blatty/FEMA) Download Original

• FEMA is working in coordination with HUD, the Red Cross and other voluntary agencies, to assess the individual needs of those who remain in shelters and to connect these survivors with the resources most suited for their needs. This includes the support that voluntary agencies can provide to clean out flood damage to homes (e.g., carpeting, drywall).  

Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julian Castro (white shirt) visits flood damaged properties in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. (Photo courtesy of Housing and Urban Development)

• FEMA issued a mission assignment to Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) for AmeriCorps, including FEMA Corps and AmeriCorps Disaster Response Teams.

Division K Americorp volunteer removing flood damaged sections of wall at a home in New Roads, La. (Photo by J.T. Blatty/FEMA) Download Original

• 32 AmeriCorps teams are deployed to support shelter operations, home clean-up operations, survivor call centers and disaster survivor assistance teams.
  • Eight teams are conducting muck and operations today. A total of 143 homes have been assessed for muck outs.

AmeriCorps volunteers mucking out a New Roads, La house. (Photo by J.T. Blatty/FEMA) Download Original

The state coordinated “Shelter at Home” program coordinates the repairs to homes that have sustained less than $15,000 worth of damage. As of Sept. 4, the state has received more than 17,000 applications. 

• This program is a partially FEMA-funded program, but survivors must register with the state. For information on this program, call 1-800-927-0216 or go to: ShelterAtHome.la.gov.

Contracted employees for Louisiana's Shelter at Home program remove flood damaged debris from inside of a home in East Baton Rouge Parish. (Photo by J.T. Blatty/FEMA) Download Original