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Housing Assistance Extended for Gulf Coast Hurricane Victims for Another 18 Months |
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The current FEMA extension ends on August 31, 2007. HUD and FEMA are also working on a plan whereby HUD would take over management of the rental housing program on behalf of FEMA beginning on September 1, 2007. Beginning in March 2008, individuals in both the rental housing and travel trailer and mobile home programs will pay a portion of the cost, which will begin at $50 per month and incrementally increase each month thereafter until the program concludes on March 1, 2009. In addition, beginning immediately, FEMA will allow residents of its mobile homes and travel trailers to purchase their dwellings at a fair and equitable price. Seniors and the disabled whose primary source of income is Supplemental Security Income (SSI) or other fixed income that make them eligible to receive assistance under existing HUD programs will be protected. HUD will actively work to transition these individuals into its properties or programs for seniors and the disabled. "The overwhelming scale of this human tragedy has meant that families have been displaced for an unprecedented period of time. "This extension allows FEMA and our partners to be responsive in developing innovative, flexible and compassionate solutions to help disaster victims get back on their feet," said Administrator Paulison. Under the proposed parameters of the FEMA-HUD Disaster Housing Assistance Program (DHAP), local public housing agencies (PHAs) would administer the program under Stafford Act authority. The Office of the Federal Coordinator for Gulf Coast Rebuilding coordinates the Federal rebuilding efforts by working with state and local officials to focus on a set of prioritized, integrated and long-term initiatives to rebuild the region.
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