FEMA Temporary Housing Occupants Must Have Housing Plan

March 27, 2006, BILOXI , Miss. -- Occupants of travel trailers and mobile homes provided by the Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) are required to show they are making an effort to move into permanent housing at the earliest possible opportunity.

Every 60 to 90 days, depending on individual circumstances, FEMA and the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) will ask occupants of temporary housing units to demonstrate they have continued housing needs. In order to retain occupancy in a temporary housing unit, occupants must develop and pursue permanent housing plans.

Families in FEMA-provided travel trailers or mobile homes should accept the first offer of adequate, alternate housing when it becomes available. Renters need to contact their previous landlords to find out if they will be permitted to move back into their former units and homeowners should follow up with contractors on the progress of repair/rebuilding work.

“The units FEMA brought in to ease Mississippi’s housing shortage after Hurricane Katrina provide renters and homeowners with safe, sanitary and functional places to live while repairs are made on their permanent homes,” said Nick Russo, federal coordinating officer for the Mississippi disaster recovery. “Our continuing goal is to help people get into more permanent housing arrangements.”

FEMA officials also encourage people to update contact information immediately should they move or change telephone numbers so they can receive important correspondence or calls about temporary housing and other disaster assistance.

Mississippi residents registered for disaster aid with FEMA may check their application online to ensure their address and phone numbers are current in the system by going to www.fema.gov and using their unique pin numbers. Applicants also may call the FEMA helpline at 1- 800-621-FEMA (3362) or (TTY) 1-800-462-7585 for the speech- or hearing-impaired. Lines are open from 5 a.m. to 11 p.m. (CST) seven days a week until further notice.

Families who need information about available housing resources can call the FEMA Housing Locator Service at 1- 800-762-8740 or (TTY) 1-800-462-7585 for the speech- or hearing-impaired , between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. CST daily.

FEMA and other agencies have partnered to provide additional information about available housing resources through the Mississippi Disaster Housing Referrals Web site at www.msdisasterhousing.org and the Disaster Housing Resources Online Web site at www.dhronline.com . The websites offer listings of available housing throughout the United States for individuals and families displaced by Katrina.

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.

Contact Information

Carl Suchocki

Disaster Response & Recovery

Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)

Contact via E-mail