Annexes 
ANNEX 1: 

Overview of Disaster Housing Programs for Federal, 

State, Tribal, and Local Government and 

Nongovernmental Organizations 

Introduction 

Disaster housing responsibilities, capabilities, and resources cross a diverse array of 

organizations that have varied missions and vested interests in providing disaster 

housing assistance. The variety of housing programs offered by different government and 

nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) presents planners with a significant challenge, as they 

need to maintain a broad knowledge base and quickly identify programs that are most 

appropriate for use following a major disaster. A program’s applicability to a given disaster 

scenario can be assessed upon identification of its intended use, funding, population served, end 

state, agencies supported, activation requirements, and authorities. Nevertheless, there are 

many similarities among programs, and distinguishing characteristics are sometimes overlooked. 

Other challenges exist when planners attempt to estimate which short-term and long-term 

housing programs available will be both efficient and cost effective for the population being 

served. It is especially difficult to define, measure, and compare ‘efficiency’ and ‘cost 

effectiveness’ in the context of disaster housing, as there are a multitude of variables involved, 

such as region, demographics, and market conditions.

Lessons learned from Hurricane Katrina identify the need to provide planners with a 

comprehensive resource of government and nongovernment programs that can be utilized 

to provide disaster housing in times of major or catastrophic events. Previous disaster 

housing efforts could have benefited from a better understanding of valuable programs across the 

entire Federal government spectrum, as opposed to within merely one agency’s authorities. This 

is important to note because one agency’s programs may not be the best suited to meet some or 

all of the housing needs following a disaster. It is also important to consider that some programs 

can be made available without a major disaster declaration. Collectively raising the level of 

awareness concerning the broad range of available programs will strengthen the baseline 

capabilities of all stakeholders, who will be able to anticipate and meet disaster housing needs 

under an all-hazards approach for diverse populations. 

By outlining the various housing programs available, each program’s relative strengths 

and weaknesses, as well as the circumstances in which each program is most useful, can 

be directly compared and assessed. A number of other conclusions can also be drawn, 

especially with respect to program funding, efficiency, and cost effectiveness. For instance, in the 

aftermath of a disaster, it is likely that planners will choose a program, or a basket of programs, 

that offers the most appropriate solution available but is not the most efficient and cost-effective 

option. The planner may find that this solution is appropriate because it incorporates a 

reasonable balance of these key factors. In general, Federal disaster housing programs are most 

January 16, 2009 

Annexes Page 2 
effective when they complement the efforts of State and local governments, who are most familiar 

with the populations they serve. The Federal government plays an important role by providing 

funds, coordination, and technical support, but State and local governments will ultimately lead 

the effort and implement many of the recovery programs. 

A broader understanding of the capabilities of each entity providing disaster housing 

assistance empowers planners to develop more effective disaster housing plans. This 

Annex aims to help planners quickly identify programs that are tailored to their communities and 

the incident for which their plan is developed. The purpose of this Annex is not to offer a “how to” 

guide for planners or a repository of “off the shelf” disaster housing plans. However, it should 

provide the building blocks for a disaster housing strategy, taking into account that most disasters 

require a unique approach consisting of multiple programs and activities that are well integrated 

to ensure seamless delivery of disaster housing assistance. Moreover, using a number of key 

considerations and measures, planners will be able to reasonably estimate which disaster 

housing programs are cost effective and efficient for the populations being served. 

Purpose 

In conjunction with sections 683(b)(1)-(3) of the Post-Katrina Emergency Management 

Reform Act (PKEMRA) Sections, FEMA is required to outline the most efficient and cost 

effective Federal programs that will best meet the short-term and long-term housing needs 

of individuals and households affected by a major disaster. The National Disaster Housing 

Strategy (NDHS) or the Strategy – Annex 1: “Overview of Disaster Housing Programs for 

Federal, State, Tribal, and Local Government and Nongovernmental Organizations” outlines 

programs from Federal agencies and NGOs that assist in providing post-disaster housing, and 

examines each program’s intended use, funding, efficiency, cost effectiveness, population 

served, end state, agencies supported, activation requirements, and authorities. This Annex will 

allow planners to quickly identify programs that are tailored to their communities and anticipate 

how and when the programs will be used. 

Program Considerations 

Each of the programs discussed in this Annex will be examined based on the factors 

outlined below. A standardized criterion ensures a level of consistency, as all programs will be 

described within the same parameters. Each program will be initially described in terms of its 

general functionality and purpose. If a program was not exclusively created for the purpose of 

disaster response, special attention will be paid to its components that are most applicable to the 

topic of this Annex. If a Federal agency does not offer any formal disaster-related housing 

programs that operate under legal authorities, the agency will be discussed with respect to its 

general support in the disaster housing response; however, the criteria below will not apply. 

 

Intended Use 

Intended use will specify the housing phase (sheltering, interim, permanent, or a combination) for 

which the program is intended. The label for each of these housing phases adheres to the 

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terminology used in the Strategy. The PKEMRA requirement, however, uses the terms ‘shortterm’ and ‘long-term.’ Designating the housing phase for which a program is intended is 

important. Disaster victims can have very different needs along different points on their path back 

to permanent housing. Therefore, as planners and responders seek resources that can assist 

victims, it is useful to understand when the program should be utilized. 

Program Funding 

A program’s funding must fall into one of the three broad categories below. The extent to which a 

program can offer assistance in times of need is heavily determined by its level of funding. For 

programs that are not fully funded, planners may have to look for additional or alternative 

resources if disaster-related needs far exceed what one particular program can provide. 

• Funding Category 1. The program is fully funded and should be able to be executed in a 

given disaster. 

• Funding Category 2. The program is funded with a set annual budget and may or may not 

be able to meet size or frequency needs. 

• Funding Category 3. The program is intermittently funded and may not be effective.

Efficiency 

Efficiency is defined as a program’s ability to move individuals and households on a path towards 

permanent, sustainable housing. With time and resources held constant, the most efficient 

program will serve the greatest population. To measure the relative efficiency of one program 

versus another, efficiency must also take into consideration:

• Time from decision to program execution. 

• Time spent in housing phase. 

• Time spent from sheltering to a housing solution that is sustainable in the long term without 

government assistance. 

• Number of inputs required to produce a desired output, if applicable. 

Efficient programs tend to share one or more of the characteristics listed below. The extent to 

which programs assessed in this Annex align with these characteristics will highlight the 

program’s degree of efficiency. 

• Methods exist to forecast and model future disaster scenarios. Calculated planning 

allows resources and funding to be quickly and sufficiently allocated once a disaster occurs.

• Key personnel and infrastructure are strategically positioned throughout the nation. 

To ensure program response is immediate, assistance must be within short reach of the most 

disaster prone regions.

• Framework is scalable and takes an all hazards approach. No two disasters are 

identical. Program organization should be flexible so that responses are timely and effective 

regardless of the type of disaster.

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• Process by which disaster-related provisions are activated requires few measures. 

Unnecessary layers of approval delays an immediate response and limits assistance when it 

may be needed the most. For example, if a Presidential disaster declaration is needed to 

activate the program’s disaster-related provisions, an efficient response will occur if this 

program can then immediately redirect its resources.

• Cumbersome registration processes are automated. If an applicant can quickly and 

conveniently input information once, and then have his information follow him throughout the 

recovery process, a greater portion of time and resources will be spent moving him towards 

permanent housing, and less will be spent on purely administrative processes.

• Communication processes among stakeholders is streamlined and fosters 

collaboration. Lines of communication must be open not only between a program and the 

population it serves, but also between the agency administering the program and other 

agencies it supports. Effective communication will reduce overlapping efforts and ensure that 

stakeholder responsibilities are delegated appropriately.

• Program responsibilities and roles are explicitly defined and carried out. If a program’s 

role is clear within the portfolio of disaster housing options, stakeholders can then easily 

determine it’s applicability for a given scenario and leverage its resources accordingly.

• Necessary program authorities are already in place. If legislation is required for additional 

program funding or broader authority, the immediate response may be inadequate.

Cost Effectiveness

Cost effectiveness is defined as the ratio of dollars spent compared to the number of individuals 

and households sheltered or housed. This takes into account how cost effective a program is for 

the entire duration of its work and for all audiences the program is intended to serve. When 

measuring the relative cost effectiveness of one program versus another, a cost-benefit analysis 

should also take into consideration: 

• Human benefits, which are harder to quantify, such as comfort or satisfaction. 

• The difference in economies of scale concerning large and small disasters. 

• How quality standards affect cost effectiveness in both the short and long terms. 

• The cost of program modifications to accommodate persons with special needs. 

Cost effective programs tend to share one of more of the characteristics listed below. The extent 

to which programs assessed in this Annex align with these characteristics will highlight the 

program’s degree of cost effectiveness.

• Funding directly meets needs of disaster victims, while operational or administrative 

costs are minimal. Funding must be productive, such that it directly facilitates the victim’s 

progression from an immediate state of sheltering to permanent housing.

• Existing government infrastructure is leveraged. When government owned property is 

available and appropriate for disaster victims, it should be utilized before turning to more 

costly alternatives.

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• Revitalization of existing property is encouraged and undertaken when possible. This 

will create a multiplier effect by creating more jobs and stimulating the local economy. 

Moreover, property values will improve and individuals will be more likely to stay in their 

communities.

• Mitigation techniques are incorporated to reduce future liability. If left unchecked, 

existing vulnerabilities in high risk areas will perpetuate costly rebuilding efforts in the long 

term.

• Controls are in place to limit the duplication of benefits and fraud. As program funds 

are limited, funding that is incorrectly distributed hurts the pool of deserving applicants who 

have not yet been served.

• Funding is ultimately distributed by those who are most familiar with an affected 

region. A program that does not take into account the unique characteristics of a community 

runs the risk of misallocating resources.

• Housing solutions meet quality standards. A program that strives for quality might be 

more costly in the short term, but adhering to these standards will ensure that properties not 

only remain safe for their residents but also able to withstand future storms.

• Private contracts are appropriately awarded; government leverages buying power. In 

the wake of a disaster, total program spending can be considerable. However, proper 

planning will ensure that contracts are awarded prudently, especially if there is strong private 

and public sector cooperation and knowledge sharing prior to a disaster.

• Volunteer assistance is efficiently utilized. Services offered through volunteer 

organizations will be maximized when its representatives work closely with public and private 

sector officials to contribute where help is needed the most.

• Recipients contribute sweat equity. Cost savings occur when program recipients 

contribute to the labor required to complete a project. Furthermore, in areas that are 

susceptible to decreasing populations in the aftermath of a disaster, sweat equity can ensure 

that a citizen maintains a strong affiliation to his community. 

Population Served 

This section describes individuals and households who are eligible to receive the provisions of 

the program and for whom the program was intended to serve. In the event funds are authorized 

by the Federal government and administered by other levels of government or nongovernment, 

the population served would be the end user or ultimate beneficiary. A program’s population 

served may be as broad as any individual or household affected by the disaster within a declared 

area, or may be more narrowly designated as a particular demographic group, such as lowincome individuals, the elderly, rural Americans, etc. Some items in this Annex do not have a 

fixed population served. In these instances, historical context is provided where possible in order 

to facilitate adapting these programs or actions on a case-by-case basis. 

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Program End State 

The program end state is the most advanced phase or state of housing in which the program can 

place applicants. For instance, if a program designed to provide interim housing includes 

provisions for the transition of applicants into permanent housing, the end state would be 

permanent housing. 

Supporting Agencies 

This section lists agencies and organizations whose efforts are supported by or work in 

conjunction with a program’s mission. As an example, there are HUD programs that provide 

housing to disaster victims who have registered for FEMA assistance. In this instance, the HUD 

program complements FEMA’s efforts, and FEMA would be listed as a supporting agency. 

Notification and Activation Procedures 

This section describes the procedures and measures that must be undertaken in order to activate 

the program’s disaster-related provisions. For example, many disaster housing programs are 

available when an area has been declared a major disaster area by the President. Other 

programs require additional mechanisms following a declaration, and some do not require any 

declaration. 

Program Authorities 

This section lists the regulations and authorities under which the program operates. For instance, 

much of the disaster assistance provided by FEMA is authorized under the Robert T. Stafford 

Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act. 

PKEMRA Identified Organizations and Their 

Programs 

A variety of PKEMRA identified organizations administer housing programs for those 

affected by disasters. While general responsibilities and roles of overarching entities were 

addressed earlier in this Annex, this section will focus on the key players within the Federal 

government and the NGO community and highlight formal programs meant to address the needs 

of individuals and households as well as other partners in the disaster housing mission. 

After a disaster strikes a community, many government and local agencies are mobilized to 

support the response efforts to help households and businesses recover from the incident. When 

disaster-caused needs are beyond the personal resources of the affected individuals and 

households, they are encouraged to seek assistance from local and State resources. If the 

disaster is of a magnitude that requires external assistance, States can request a Presidential 

declaration. After a Presidentially declared disaster, Federal housing programs may be made 

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available to the survivors and the community to begin the recovery process. Individuals that have 

suffered damage to their dwellings are encouraged to apply for these programs. 

One program will not mitigate all disaster-related challenges, and planners will have to rely on a 

variety of interdependent programs to create a comprehensive solution. In planning or recovery, 

the descriptions and criteria displayed under each program in this section will provide guidance 

as to the applicability of a program relative to a disaster type. Upon determination of relevancy, 

planners must also determine if options available will be efficient and cost effective. 

Based on the multitude of variables involved in estimation, a broad evaluation of a program’s 

efficiency and cost effectiveness will be most appropriate for the purpose of this Annex. The 

qualitative information sets a foundation for consideration, and quantitative data, when available, 

can support the planner’s assessment. It is also important to consider that relative strengths and 

weaknesses are most germane when a comparison is drawn between similar programs. For 

instance, it would be especially challenging to rate one program against another if each served a 

different population or pertained to a different housing phase. 

Programs selected for inclusion in this Annex will directly provide, or help to provide, sheltering, 

interim, or permanent housing for individuals or households affected by a major disaster. These 

programs help individuals and households return to their pre-disaster state of sustainable, selfsufficient housing. Housing programs that are not applicable to disaster relief are not generally 

included. 

Not all programs cited in the Annex are codified in a standardized form. Where applicable, a 

historical synopsis of their use is provided as a primer for possible structures based on past 

experience. Furthermore, several items are not full programs; these are better described as 

modifications to ongoing programs that can facilitate disaster response and recovery. In both 

cases, questions of their intended use, funding, efficiency, cost effectiveness, population served, 

end state, agencies supported, activation requirements, and authorities have no standard 

answers. Historical context is provided to the greatest extent possible in order to address these 

questions on a case-by-case basis. 

Agencies and organizations are listed in an order that is consistent with the PKEMRA authority. 

Programs under each agency or organization are listed in an order that is based on significance 

and applicability. 

Department of Homeland Security, Federal Emergency Management Agency 

When a disaster strikes that exceeds local, State, and tribal capabilities, the Federal 

Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is responsible for mobilizing and integrating the 

full range of Federal capabilities to meet individual and community needs for housing 

assistance. The primary mission of FEMA is to reduce the loss of life and property and protect 

the Nation from all hazards by leading and supporting the Nation in a risk-based, comprehensive 

emergency management system of preparedness, protection, response, recovery, and mitigation.

FEMA dedicates a number of its resources to disaster preparation, helping individuals and 

households determine their risk, plan for emergencies, and ultimately reduce future loss of life 

and property. It serves as the lead Federal agency for emergency management, coordinating 

response and recovery with the State under the authority of the Stafford Act. This flexible and 

Annexes Page 8 
robust authority ensures that FEMA is able to lead the Federal component of a unified Federal 

and State response. FEMA serves as the integrator of strategies and the coordinator of service 

delivery. It coordinates Federal sheltering assistance, partners with HUD to provide interim 

housing assistance, and supports HUD’s role in permanent housing. 

• Section 403 Essential Assistance. FEMA coordinates and leads Federal resources, as 

requested and authorized, to support State, local, tribal government and NGOs by providing 

assistance for emergency shelters, mass care, and emergency assistance in recovering from 

disasters. Funds are allocated from the Disaster Relief Fund for States to provide shelters in 

a designated emergency; individuals receive assistance directly from the State or through a 

State fund mechanism. Examples of shelters used include traditional congregate shelters, 

special events and conference centers, hotels and motels, tents, railroad cars, shipping 

containers, and cruise ships. Additionally, Section 403 authorizes FEMA’s Transitional 

Sheltering Assistance (TSA), which provides lodging for disaster victims by paying hotels and 

motels directly for rooms to be used by pre-qualified individuals from designated disaster 

areas. Please reference Annex 7 for full details of sheltering assistance as authorized by the 

Stafford Act. 

o Intended Use. This program is intended to support and augment State and local 

sheltering resources for the affected population.

o Program Funding. Category 1. The program is fully funded through the Disaster Relief 

Fund and should be able to be executed in a given disaster. By statute, the Federal 

share may not be less than 75 percent of the eligible costs. 

o Efficiency. Shelters can be opened before a notice event or immediately after a “nonotice” event. The most efficient response is provided when shelters are selected before 

the disaster occurs.

o Cost Effectiveness. Nongovernmental organizations provide the most cost effective 

resource because the trained staff is comprised of volunteers, food commodities are 

provided by the USDA and are therefore free to the State, and equipment and other costs 

are typically covered by donations. Facilities used by NGOs include public buildings such 

as schools, community centers, and churches that have minimum to no rental costs. 

Governmental organizations incur expenses on factors such as staff, equipment, 

insurance, training, commodities, and contracts.

o Population Served. Individuals via State and local government reimbursements in 

declared areas. This also includes persons with special needs, medical needs, 

disabilities, and households with pets. Assistance under this program is available to a 

broad population and not subject to eligibility or demographic restrictions.

o Program End State. General population sheltering will be provided for disaster victims, 

many of whom will have continuing need for interim and permanent housing. 

o Supporting Agencies. USDA, State, local, and tribal governments, and NGOs.

o Notification and Activation Procedures. Federal reimbursement for emergency 

sheltering is only available to States when the President declares an emergency or a 

major disaster.

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o Program Authorities. Section 403 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and 

Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5170b), Public Law 93-288, 42 U.S.C. 5121 et 

seq.; Executive Order 12148; Reorganization Plan No. 3, 1978.

o Further Information. http://www.fema.gov/about/stafact.shtm

Section 408 Federal Assistance to Individuals and Households - Housing Assistance 

Provision. Section 408 of the Stafford Act authorizes FEMA to assist affected individuals 

and households within Presidentially declared counties and/or parishes to address disasterrelated housing and other necessary expenses that cannot be met through other forms of 

disaster assistance, insurance, or through other means. Four types of housing assistance 

are provided under Section 408 of the Stafford Act. To begin, temporary housing assistance 

is provided, either financially, through the provision of funds which allow disaster victims to 

rent a housing unit, or directly, where disaster victims are provided with rental properties 

acquired by government purchase or lease. FEMA may also provide financial assistance for 

the repair of owner-occupied primary residences that sustained damage by a major disaster. 

This is intended to return the primary residence to a safe, sanitary, and functional condition, 

not to the pre-disaster condition. FEMA may additionally provide financial assistance for the 

replacement of owner occupied primary residences destroyed by a major disaster. Finally, 

financial or direct assistance to individuals or households may be provided to construct 

permanent or semi-permanent housing. Please reference Annex 7 for full details regarding 

this assistance, including eligibility requirements and application procedures. 

o Intended Use. This program is primarily intended for interim housing with some 

sheltering and permanent housing applications. 

o Program Funding. Funding Category 1. The program is fully funded and should be 

able to be executed in a given disaster. Funds are allocated from the President's 

Disaster Relief Fund for use in a Presidentially declared emergency or major disaster 

area that is designated for Individual Assistance. The housing provision of the Individuals 

and Households Program is 100 percent Federally funded. 

o Efficiency. Section 408 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency 

Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5174) programs are especially efficient when key personnel 

and infrastructure are strategically positioned and ready for deployment. Following a 

major disaster declaration designated for Individual Assistance, temporary housing, 

replacement, and repair assistance will be automatically available to eligible applicants. 

Individuals and households may apply for assistance via telephone, internet, or in-person 

and their information follows them through the recovery process. In general, the level of 

efficiency regarding Section 408 rental assistance is highly dependent on the availability 

of housing stock within the area. 

Direct assistance is less efficient because it requires an additional activation mechanism. 

The State, in coordination with the State-Led Housing Solutions Task Force, must submit 

a formal request to the FEMA Administrator. Direct assistance will be provided in areas 

subject to extreme resource scarcity; however, any property associated with a Special 

Flood Hazard Area (SFHA) presents numerous challenges. 

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Program efficiency is further enhanced as methods are applied to forecast and model 

program needs and capabilities, given decades of historical data. 

o Cost Effectiveness. Section 408 programs are cost effective when funds are paid 

directly to applicants, or in some cases housing providers, with significant controls in 

place to limit duplication of benefits and fraud. Contracts for inspection services that play 

a key role in determining eligibility are competitively awarded and in place for activation 

as disaster activity requires. Contracts are also competitively awarded for the production 

of temporary housing units, which are provided to applicants under the direct assistance 

provision, and for technical assistance and operational support to the program. 

The direct assistance provisions of Section 408 are considerably less cost effective than 

others due to the operational costs associated with purchasing, storing, installing, 

maintaining, and deactivating temporary housing units. 

o Population Served. Section 408 offers assistance to eligible individuals and households 

whose primary residences are located in a Presidentially declared major disaster area 

where Individual Assistance is designated. 

o Program End State. Though not the program’s primary intention, residents who wish to 

remain in FEMA-provided temporary housing units longer than the 18-month period, 

would be tenants in permanent housing. 

o Supporting Agencies. Small Business Administration (SBA) and State governments. 

o Notification and Activation Procedures. The Housing Provision of IHP is available 

when the President declares a major disaster and designates Individual Assistance for a 

specific county/parish. All Presidential disaster declarations are published in the Federal 

Register. Once declared, individuals and households can apply for assistance with 

FEMA via a toll-free number, online, or by visiting a disaster recovery center. 

o Program Authorities. Section 408 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and 

Emergency Assistance Act, as amended; 44 CFR 206.110-117. 

o Further Information. http://www.fema.gov/media/fact_sheets/individual-assistance.shtm

• National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). This program enables individuals to purchase 

insurance against losses from physical damage or loss of buildings and/or contents. The 

NFIP makes Federally backed flood insurance available to homeowners, renters, and 

business owners in these communities. Flood insurance is designed to provide an alternative 

to disaster assistance to reduce the escalating costs of repairing damage to buildings and 

their contents caused by floods, mudflow, or flood-related erosion. In addition to providing 

flood insurance and reducing flood damages through floodplain management regulations, the 

NFIP identifies and maps the Nation's floodplains. Mapping flood hazards creates broadbased awareness of the flood hazards and provides the data needed for floodplain 

management programs and to actuarially rate new construction for flood insurance. 

o Intended Use. The program is proactive in nature and not applicable to the three stages 

of post-disaster recovery – sheltering, interim housing, and permanent housing. 

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o Program Funding. Funding Category 1. The program is fully funded and should be 

able to be executed in a given disaster. It is funded by policyholders and is backed by 

the Federal government.

o Efficiency. The program’s overall level of efficiency is contingent upon the accuracy of 

its methods to determine premium targets. NFIP aims to be self-supporting, paying 

losses and operating expenses out of policyholder premiums. Successfully managing 

risk allows resources and funding to be quickly and sufficiently allocated when a disaster 

occurs. However, calculating appropriate premium targets is a challenging task in 

dealing with high-severity, low-frequency events such as floods, hurricanes, and 

earthquakes, which do not lend themselves to traditional actuarial pricing techniques. 

Results vary dramatically from year to year and average results have little predictive 

value even when gathered over a long period of time. For example, the NFIP has paid 

more in flood losses from the single event of Hurricane Katrina than it has paid for all 

other events since its inception in 1968. 

In the past, the NFIP has used the historical average loss year as a benchmark. 

However, the 2005 Gulf Coast hurricanes were so destructive that its losses would have 

distorted the data used to determine future benchmarks. In recent rate reviews, NFIP 

has opted for an interim benchmark that gives a special weight to the 2005 results, 

attempting to reflect these events without allowing them to overwhelm the pre-Katrina 

experience of the program. The NFIP and its contracted partner are currently in the 

process of determining a new, suitable benchmark that appropriately reflects Katrina and 

other potential large events.

o Cost Effectiveness. One of the NFIP’s primary objectives it to guide development away 

from high flood risk areas. NFIP regulations minimize the damage of structures built in a 

Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA) by requiring them not to cause obstructions to the 

natural flow of floodwaters. Also, as a condition of community participation in the NFIP, 

those structures build within SFHAs must adhere to strict floodplain management 

regulations enforced by the community. Furthermore, the Coastal Barrier Resources Act 

(CBRA) of 1982 relies on the NFIP to discourage building in fragile coastal areas by 

prohibiting the sale of flood insurance in designated CBRA areas. While the NFIP does 

not prohibit property owners from building in these areas, any Federal financial 

assistance, including Federally backed flood insurance, is prohibited. 

The NFIP will be sustainable and self-supporting if losses and operating expenses are 

offset by premiums. FEMA determines a target level premium as part of its annual rate 

review. For periods when losses exceed the accumulated surplus, the NFIP has 

borrowing authority with the U.S. Treasury that can be drawn upon in order to pay those 

losses. However, given current annual revenue, it is unlikely that the National Flood 

Insurance Fund will be able to meet future interest payments on its rising debt, and 

therefore increases in NFIP’s borrowing authority will be necessary. 

As for the individual, the premium for an NFIP policy, averaging $520 a year in 2008, can 

be less expensive than the monthly payments on a Federal disaster loan. In an effort to 

increase the number of insured properties and thus limit future Federal payments to the 

Annexes Page 12 
uninsured, an individual who is uninsured and receives Federal disaster assistance after 

a flood must purchase flood insurance to remain eligible for future disaster relief. 

 

o Population Served. Homeowners, renters, and business owners. 

o Program End State. Payments provided through insurance claims can help victims 

return to permanent housing. 

o Supporting Agencies. States and private sector. 

o Notification and Activation Procedures. This program is continually active. 

o Program Authorities. National Flood Insurance Act of 1968, 42 U.S.C. 4001 et seq. 

o Further Information. http://www.fema.gov/business/nfip/. 

• Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP). This program takes a percentage of the 

Federal money spent on recovering from a disaster and uses it for projects that reduce future 

risk. Grants are provided to States and local governments, who implement long-term hazard 

mitigation measures that will reduce the loss of life and property due to natural disasters. By 

law, FEMA can contribute 15 or 20 percent of a disaster’s cost to this grant program. How 

this money is used is up to the State, which will prioritize mitigation programs with input from 

local communities. After Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, FEMA, the Louisiana Recovery 

Authority, and the Governor's Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness 

announced HMGP funding to elevate or reconstruct approximately 600 flood-prone properties 

throughout the State of Louisiana. 

o Intended Use. The program is proactive in nature and not applicable to the three stages 

of post-disaster recovery – sheltering, interim housing, and permanent housing. 

o Program Funding. Funding Category 3. This program is intermittently funded. As 

noted above, funds are limited to a percentage of a disaster’s cost and may not fully 

mitigate future disaster-related damage.

o Efficiency. Efficient implementation of the HMGP is derived from the State and local 

hazard mitigation plans that must be submitted and approved by FEMA prior to receiving 

a grant or subgrant. These plans, which are based on public participation, must identify 

the hazards and risks to the built environment, which serve as the justification for the 

specific mitigation projects funded by the program. These plans must also contain a work 

plan outlining the responsible organization(s) and staff that will carry out the HMGP 

projects. Planning in the pre-disaster period provides the framework on which postdisaster actions are carried out, resulting in faster delivery of assistance. 

o Cost Effectiveness. A Congressionally-mandated study conducted for FEMA revealed 

that mitigation saves society an average of $4 for every dollar spent. Such defensive, 

preventative mitigation measures learned and implemented by Louisianans will contribute 

to a national floodplain management plan that saves taxpayers an estimated $1.1 billion 

per year by preventing flood damages.

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o Population Served. States and communities, as well as individuals in some cases via 

local or tribal governments. Additionally, residents and property owners in the affected 

community may be eligible, in the event States can insure municipal structures. 

o Program End State. Not applicable. 

o Supporting Agencies. States. 

o Notification and Activation Procedures. This program is activated after a Presidentialdeclaration of a major disaster or emergency under the Stafford Act, designated for 

hazard mitigation assistance. Homeowners do not apply to FEMA for assistance; an 

application is prepared by local officials with input from the community. The State 

receives and reviews the application and submits those deemed appropriate to FEMA for 

review and approval. FEMA reviews the applications to ensure they follow the program 

rules, are environmentally sound, and are a cost-effective use of funds. 

o Program Authorities. Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance 

Act, Section 404, 42 U.S.C. 5170c. 

o Further Information. http://www.fema.gov/government/grant/hmgp/. 

• Cora C. Brown Fund. This Fund was made possible by a bequest of funds from the late 

Cora C. Brown of Kansas City, Missouri, who left a portion of her estate to the United States 

for helping victims of natural disasters not caused by or attributed to war. Money from this 

fund may only be used to provide for disaster-related needs that have not been and will not 

be met by other assistance programs or insurance. The fund is not intended to replace or 

supersede these programs. 

o Intended Use. Funds may be used to assist disaster victims with remaining unmet 

disaster-related needs associated with any phase of housing. 

o Program Funding. Funding Category 2. The program is funded with a set annual 

budget and may or may not be able to meet size or frequency needs. The fund is limited 

to the initial endowment plus accrued interest, and this assistance program will cease 

when the fund is used up. 

o Efficiency. The Cora Brown Fund is a source of funds for disaster-related unmet needs 

that may not be considered efficient in that it does not serve a large population at one 

time. In fact, it is focused on meeting individual’s disaster-related unmet needs that 

cannot be met in any other manner. However, because it is a rare program that is 

available to assist extreme hardship cases it is efficient in that it does move these clients 

on to a path towards permanent sustainable housing albeit one client at a time. 

o Cost Effectiveness. The Cora Brown Fund is a cost effective program that is based on 

a free donated source of financial assistance to meet verified unmet needs of disaster 

affected clients. Internal controls that govern the application process are standard 

practices that can be readily applied to a case producing verifiable results and include 

minimal operational or administrative costs. These internal controls include the 

identification of disaster-related unmet needs and the review for duplication of benefits 

Annexes Page 14 
through the long term recovery committee and FEMA client information verification 

processes. 

o Population Served. Individuals and households affected by a Presidentially declared 

disaster in need of disaster-related home repair and rebuilding, disaster-related unmet 

needs, and other services which alleviate human suffering and promote the well being of 

disaster victims. 

o Program End State. Permanent housing. 

o Supporting Agencies. None. 

o Notification and Activation Procedures. The Cora Brown Fund is only available when 

the President declares that a major disaster or emergency exists under the Act. 

Applicants must live in areas designated as eligible for Federal disaster assistance 

through notice in the Federal Register. Activation will be at the discretion of the Assistant 

Associate Director, Office of Disaster Assistance Programs, FEMA. 

o Program Authorities. Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance 

Act, Public Law 93-288, as amended, 42 U.S.C. 5121 et seq. 

o Further Information. http://www.federalgrantswire.com/cora-brown-fund.html. 

Department of Housing and Urban Development 

The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) is responsible for offering 

disaster housing assistance using flexibilities allowed under its existing multi-family and 

single-family housing programs and through its disaster housing programs. It is the 

Federal expert on providing permanent housing assistance for low-income families and is 

uniquely positioned to assist those affected by a disaster. HUD’s overall mission is to increase 

homeownership, support community development, and increase access to affordable housing 

free from discrimination. Immediately after a disaster, HUD will survey the entire HUD-assisted 

inventory to assess the availability of vacant units and vouchers for temporary housing for 

displaced families. It will also provide guidance to HUD field offices, owners, agents, and 

residents in multi-family housing regarding any established policies. 

 

HUD’s national network of Public Housing Agencies (PHAs) provide over a million units of 

subsidized housing and approximately two million housing vouchers to low-income families. 

Through this network, additional Federal funds can be funneled through PHAs who assist 

disaster-affected families. The PHA network gives HUD the ability to efficiently mobilize a 

housing response to large-scale disasters. Moreover, using flexibilities allowed under its existing 

authorities, HUD can provide waivers to facilitate the provision of temporary housing assistance. 

For example, it can provide PHAs with additional time to submit tenant verification, flexibilities in 

assessments and cost limitations, and waivers to increase the flexibility of existing grant 

programs. 

Through its Federal Housing Administration (FHA), mortgage insurance is provided on loans 

made by FHA-approved lenders through the United States and its territories. It protects lenders 

Annexes Page 15 
against losses as a result of homeowners defaulting on their mortgage loans, thus encouraging 

lenders to make mortgage credit available to borrowers who would not otherwise qualify for 

conventional loans on affordable terms. In response to major disasters, HUD may instruct 

servicers to temporarily halt foreclosure on homes with FHA-insured mortgages and explore all 

available loss mitigation options. The foreclosure relief provides servicers with additional time to 

confirm the mortgagor’s intention and ability to repair the home, resume regular mortgage 

payments, and retain ownership. 

As a sister agency to the FHA, the Government National Mortgage Association, or Ginnie Mae, is 

a U.S. government-owned corporation within HUD that provides guarantees on mortgage-backed 

securities backed by Federally insured or guaranteed loans. After a major disaster, it issues a 

memo, encouraging single-family, manufactured housing, and multi-family Ginnie Mae issuers to 

provide forbearance to mortgagors in areas affected by a Presidential disaster declaration. 

• Community Development Block Grants (CDBG) for Disaster Recovery Assistance. 

HUD’s CDBG program funds local community development activities such as affordable 

housing, economic revitalization, public services, and infrastructure restoration. CDBG funds 

are allocated to more than 1,200 local and State governments on a formula basis. The 

CDBG framework is often utilized as a distribution mechanism for disaster recovery funds 

made available by Congressional supplemental appropriations. These flexible grants help 

cities, counties, and States recover from Presidentially declared disasters. Because the 

Federal government provides disaster relief primarily through FEMA to meet emergency, 

short-term recovery needs, the most appropriate use of CDBG funds is generally for longer 

term needs such as economic redevelopment of affected areas. 

Congress may appropriate emergency supplemental funding for the CDBG program as 

disaster recovery grants to rebuild the affected areas and bring crucial seed money to 

stimulate the recovery process. CDBG Disaster Recovery grants have the capacity to fund a 

broader range of recovery activities than most other Federal programs, and thus help 

communities and neighborhoods that might not otherwise recover due to limits on other 

resources. 

 

Alternatively, communities may elect to reprogram previously awarded grants and use their 

CDBG funds for emergency short-term assistance, assuming such activities are not funded 

by FEMA or SBA. HUD may offer assistance by expediting grant awards for grantees that 

have approaching program start dates, permitting grantees to change their program start 

dates to an earlier date, or waiving regulatory and statutory program requirements to increase 

the flexibility of the funds. 

As a provision of the CDBG program, Section 108 Loan Guarantees offer another source of 

assistance for the redevelopment of affected areas. This allows communities to borrow up to 

five times their most recent CDBG allocation in Federally guaranteed loans large enough to 

pursue physical and economic revitalization projects that can renew entire neighborhoods. 

Such public investment is often needed to inspire private economic activity, providing the 

initial resources or simply the confidence that private firms and individuals may need to invest 

in distressed areas. Section 108 loans are not risk-free, however; local governments 

borrowing funds guaranteed by Section 108 must pledge their current and future CDBG 

allocations to cover the loan amount as security for the loan. 

Annexes Page 16 
o Intended Use. Permanent housing and other community development and economic 

revitalization activities. 

o Program Funding. Funding Category 3. The program is intermittently funded 

specifically after disasters and may not be effective without additional or supplemental 

funding. While States, entitled cities, and urban counties receive annual CDBG 

allocations, that they may choose to use for disaster recovery, additional funding for 

disaster recovery is available only from supplemental appropriations. HUD determines 

the amount of each regular CBDG annual grant by using a statutory formula comprised of 

several measures of community need, including the extent of poverty, population, 

housing overcrowding, age of housing, and population growth lag in relationship to other 

metropolitan areas. CDBG Disaster Recovery Assistance is allocated based on 

measures of unmet recovery needs and other factors that may be indicated by 

appropriations statutes. States may carry out activities directly or distribute funds to units 

of local government. 

o Efficiency. Grantees may designate funds from existing or future grants to address 

damage in a Presidentially declared disaster area; additionally, they may request the 

Secretary to suspend provisions of law or regulation for the purpose of making funds 

available for such activities. According to HUD, submitting disaster suspension requests 

directly to HUD field offices, as opposed to headquarters, will expedite the forwarding of 

reviews and recommendations regarding such requests. Utilizing an existing grant 

distribution program is far more efficient than creating a separate entity that would 

duplicate existing efforts to evaluate recipients and distribute funds. 

o Cost Effectiveness. The existing CDBG framework supports activities that benefit lowand moderate-income people, the prevention or elimination of slums or blight, or other 

community development activities to address an urgent threat to health or safety for 

which other funding is not available. Block grants are designed to offer recipients 

flexibility in their use. This characteristic may be effective particularly in disaster area. 

The CDBG program receives continual oversight at the Federal level. 

o Population Served. States, and in some appropriations, entitlement communities, within 

Presidentially declared disaster areas are the direct recipients of the funds. States and 

entitlement communities must spend at least 70 percent of their funds for activities that 

benefit low- and moderate-income persons; however, HUD may be able to extend the 

length of time that the recipient has to meet this requirement if needed to accommodate 

emergency activities that would not principally benefit such persons. Otherwise, HUD 

may modify this requirement. 

o Program End State. Permanent housing. 

o Supporting Agencies. FEMA and SBA. 

o Notification and Activation Procedures. Supplemental appropriations to the CDBG 

program for disaster recovery are made by Congress. A Presidential disaster declaration 

is usually followed by an evaluation by Congress of disaster response and recovery 

needs. Supplemental funds may then be appropriated to HUD for allocation. HUD 

notifies Congress and potential recipients of the allocations, and invites submission of 

action plans describing the proposed use of funds. Alternatively, with respect to the 

Annexes Page 17 
reprogramming of existing CDBG funds for use in a disaster recovery environment, 

grantees should evaluate their current CDBG allocations and communicate their requests 

for reprogramming to HUD. 

o Program Authorities. 42 U.S.C. 5301 et seq., Title I of the Housing and Community 

Development Act of 1974, as amended; P.L. 109-148, the Department of Defense, 

Emergency Supplemental Appropriation to Address Hurricanes in the Gulf of Mexico, and 

Pandemic Influenza Act, 2006; P.L. 109-234, Emergency Supplemental Appropriations 

Act for Defense, The Global War on Terror, and Hurricane Recovery, 2006; P.L. 110-116, 

Further Continuing Appropriations, 2008, P.L. 110-252, Supplemental Appropriations Act, 

2008, P.L. 110-329, Consolidated Security, Disaster Assistance, and Continuing 

Appropriations Act, 2009, and other supplemental appropriations. 

o Further Information. http://www.hud.gov/offices/cpd/communitydevelopment/programs/. 

• HOME Investment Partnerships Program. This program provides formula grants to States 

and localities to fund a wide range of activities that build, buy, and/or rehabilitate affordable 

housing or provide direct rental assistance to low-income people. The objectives are to offer 

decent affordable housing to lower-income households, expand the capacity of non-profit 

housing providers, strengthen the ability of State and local governments to provide affordable 

housing, and leverage private-sector participation. Much like CDBG funds, HUD may 

suspend a number of HOME regulatory requirements to facilitate the use of HOME funds for 

disaster recovery. 

In addition, the American Dream Downpayment Initiative (ADDI) provides funds that are 

administered under this program. ADDI aims to increase the homeownership rate, especially 

among lower-income and minority households, and to revitalize and stabilize communities. 

ADDI will help first time homebuyers with the biggest hurdles to homeownership, including 

down payment and closing costs. 

o Intended Use. Permanent housing. 

o Program Funding. Funding Category 2. The program is funded with a set annual 

budget and may or may not be able to meet size or frequency needs. HOME funds are 

awarded annually as formula grants to participating jurisdictions. HUD establishes 

HOME Investment Trust Funds for each grantee, providing a line of credit that the 

jurisdiction may draw upon as needed. When a primary jurisdiction accepts HOME 

funds, it must incur a 25 percent matching obligation for HOME funds it expends. 

Additionally, 15 percent of the funds expended by primary jurisdictions must benefit 

activities for housing owned, developed, or sponsored by community housing 

development organizations. 

o Efficiency. Similar to CDBG funds, the use of an existing grantee base and funds 

distribution framework is the most efficient method for delivering disaster recovery 

funding. The local reprogramming of funds on hand (or relaxing statutory/regulatory 

requirements relaxed) to repair or replace housing for low-income households damaged 

in a disaster can be accomplished more readily than having to develop new sources of 

funding, associated rules, and the processing of awards. 

Annexes Page 18 
o Cost Effectiveness. The HOME program is a well-established mechanism for 

constructing or rehabilitating affordable rental housing and for providing Tenant-Based 

Rental Assistance to low-income households. The program is subject to routine 

oversight by Congress. Specifically, the authority available to states and localities under 

HOME to reprogram funds on hand to support housing for low-income households

impacted by disaster is far more cost-effective than having to replicate that funding. HUD 

will assess program accomplishments using certain measures, including:

 Total years of affordability provided for low-income households residing in units 

produced from the investment of HOME funds;

 Number of low-income households that have purchased homes through the HOME or 

the American Dream Downpayment Assistance Initiative, a set-aside under HOME;

 Number of newly constructed or rehabilitated rental units for low-income households;

and 

 Number of existing low-income homeowner units rehabilitated. 

o Population Served. The eligibility of households for HOME assistance varies with the 

nature of the funded activity. For rental housing and rental assistance, at least 90 

percent of benefiting families must have incomes that are no more than 60 percent of the 

HUD-adjusted median family income for the area. In rental projects with five or more 

assisted units, at least 20% of the units must be occupied by families with incomes that 

do not exceed 50% of the HUD-adjusted median. 

o Program End State. Permanent housing. 

o Supporting Agencies. None. 

o Notification and Activation Procedures. The HOME Investment Partnerships Program 

is a standing program. As with the reprogramming of CDBG funds and relaxation of 

statutory and regulatory requirements for use in a disaster recovery environment, States 

should evaluate their current allocations and communicate their requests for 

reprogramming to HUD for consideration. 

o Program Authorities. HOME is authorized under Title II of the Cranston-Gonzalez 

National Affordable Housing Act, as amended. Program regulations are at 24 CFR Part 

92. 

o Further Information. http://www.hud.gov/offices/cpd/affordablehousing/programs/home/

• Reprogramming of Public Housing Funds. Public Housing Authorities may, with HUD 

approval, reprogram Public Housing Capital Funds to address damage to public housing 

property caused by the disaster. The funds help public housing agencies (PHAs) correct 

physical, management, or operating deficiencies and keep units in the housing stock safe 

and desirable homes for low-income families. 

o Intended Use. Permanent housing. 

o Program Funding. Funding Category 2. These programs are funded with a set annual 

budget and may or may not be able to meet size or frequency needs.

Annexes Page 19 
o Efficiency. As is the case with the reprogramming of CDBG and HOME funds, the 

aforementioned benefits in those programs apply here as well. This item does not 

represent a free-standing disaster program, but rather a reconfiguration of pre-allocated 

resources. Questions of efficiency with this measure are routinely addressed as part of 

its ongoing operations. 

o Cost Effectiveness. As this is a reprogramming of funds, there is no need for 

supplemental funding from HUD or Congress. Redirecting or modifying existing funding 

is a cost-effective and expedient method to deliver aid to a community. The cost 

effectiveness of the Capital Fund program is subject to oversight at the Congressional 

level. Specific measures of cost effectiveness include: 

 Incidence of program errors and improper payments in HUD's rental housing 

assistance programs. 

 Decrease in the proportion of active participants who have been in HUD's housing 

assistance programs for longer than a given period of time. 

 The annual Federal cost of public housing per occupied unit remains less than the 

Federal cost of voucher per occupied unit. 

 Increase in the proportion of those who graduate from HUD's public housing and 

Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) programs. 

o Population Served. Capital funds are used to make improvements that benefit public 

housing residents, who are predominantly families and elderly persons with incomes 

below 50 percent of the HUD-adjusted median income in their area. 

o Program End State. Permanent housing. 

o Supporting Agencies. None. 

o Notification and Activation Procedures. The reprogramming of PHA funds must be 

determined on a case-by-case basis, and Public Housing Authorities interested in utilizing 

this tool as a component of disaster response and recovery must coordinate with HUD to 

determine its potential relevance in a given disaster area. There is no standard template, 

as it is not a formal program; however, it is an action that HUD may take to financially 

facilitate disaster recovery. 

o Program Authorities. The Capital Fund is authorized under the Housing Act of 1937, as 

amended (42. U.S.C. 1437g(d)). It is regulated by 24 CFR Parts 905 and 968. 

o Further Information. http://www.hud.gov/info/disasterresources_dev.cfm. 

• FHA Mortgage Insurance for Disaster Victims – Section 203(h). HUD's Section 203(h) 

program provides FHA insurance to disaster victims who have lost their homes and are 

facing the daunting task of rebuilding or buying another home. Borrowers are eligible for 100 

percent financing. This program provides mortgage insurance to protect lenders against the 

risk of default on mortgages to qualified disaster victims. Insured mortgages may be used to 

finance the purchase or reconstruction of a one-family home that will be the principal 

residence of the homeowner. 

Annexes Page 20 
o Intended Use. Permanent housing. 

o Program Funding. Funding Category 1. The program is fully funded and should be 

able to be executed in a given disaster. FHA mortgage insurance is not free to 

borrowers, however. Mortgagees collect from the borrowers an upfront insurance 

premium (which may be financed) at the time of purchase, as well as monthly premiums 

that are not financed, but instead are added to the regular mortgage payment.

o Efficiency. As a standing disaster insurance program with broad application for disasterimpacted housing, the program requirements allow HUD to efficiently address a need to 

protect against defaults on impacted assets. Qualification requirements are easy to 

assess, and it averts the need for lenders to contend with property-by-property issues of 

mortgage security. Provisions of the Section 203(h) program ensure efficiency by 

outlining program requirements that support disaster victims but also protect lenders. 

o Cost Effectiveness. FHA programs can be extremely beneficial as a means to increase 

homeownership among moderate-income families and offer a cushioning effect for local 

housing markets in times of rising interest rates, downturns in the economy, or postdisaster recovery. Without the cost advantage FHA derives from the Federal guarantee, 

it is unlikely that private mortgage insurance providers would be interested in insuring the 

types of loans currently insured by FHA. Nevertheless, overall program costs will be 

driven by the effectiveness of FHA’s underwriting policies. More conservative guidelines 

will undoubtedly decrease the risk of default, though guidelines that are too conservative 

defeat the purpose of the program, and thus underwriters must operate with a proper 

balance in mind. Factors associated with higher default and loss rates may include 

increases in the front-end ratio, which indicates what portion of an individual’s income is 

used to make mortgage payments, the note rate, and the loan to value ratio, which 

weighs the mortgage amount against the appraised value of the property. 

o Population Served. Individuals whose homes are located in the Presidentially declared 

area and were destroyed or damaged to such an extent that reconstruction or 

replacement is necessary. 

o Program End State. Permanent housing. 

o Supporting Agencies. FHA-approved lending institutions, such as banks, mortgage 

companies, and savings and loan associations. 

o Notification and Activation Procedures. Anyone whose home has been destroyed or 

severely damaged in a Presidentially declared disaster area is eligible to apply for 

mortgage insurance under this program. A borrower’s application for mortgage insurance 

must be submitted to the lender within one year of the President’s declaration of the 

disaster. Applications are made through an FHA-approved lending institution, which 

make their requests through a provision known as "Direct Endorsement," authorizing 

them to consider applications without submitting paperwork to HUD. Mortgage insurance 

processing and administration for this and other FHA single-family mortgage insurance 

products are handled through HUD's Homeownership Centers. 

o Program Authorities. Section 203, National Housing Act (12 U.S.C. 1709, 1715(b)). 

Annexes Page 21 
o Further Information. http://www.hud.gov/offices/hsg/sfh/ins/203h-dft.cfm. 

• FHA Rehabilitation Mortgage Insurance – Section 203(k). HUD's Section 203(k) loan 

program helps those who have lost their homes by insuring a single, long-term, fixed or 

adjustable rate loan that can cover both the acquisition and rehabilitation of a property that is 

at least a year old. Section 203(k) is one of many FHA programs that insure mortgage loans, 

and thus encourage lenders to make mortgage credit available to borrowers who would not 

otherwise qualify for conventional loans on affordable terms. It can be a valuable tool for 

promoting the revitalization of a community after a disaster occurs. 

o Intended Use. Permanent housing. 

o Program Funding. Funding Category 1. The program is fully funded and should be 

able to be executed in a given disaster. The cost of the rehabilitation must be at least 

$5,000, but the total value of the property must still fall within the FHA mortgage limit for 

the area.

o Efficiency. When a homebuyer wants to purchase a house in need of repair or 

modernization, the homebuyer usually has to obtain financing first to purchase the 

dwelling, additional financing to do the rehabilitation construction, and a permanent 

mortgage when the work is completed to pay off the interim loans with a permanent 

mortgage. Often the interim financing (the acquisition and construction loans) involves 

relatively high interest rates and relatively short amortization periods. The Section 203(k) 

program was designed to address this situation. The borrower can get one mortgage 

loan at a long-term fixed (or adjustable) rate to finance both the acquisition and the 

rehabilitation of the property. To provide funds for the rehabilitation, the mortgage 

amount is based on the projected value of the property when the work is completed, 

taking into account the cost of the work. 

o Cost Effectiveness. This program encourages the rehabilitation of existing damaged 

structures rather than the construction of new properties. Reclamation of damaged 

materials and resources is a cost-effective method for restoring communities as 

compared to complete demolition and reconstruction. The standard 203(k) program also 

supports the elimination of health and safety hazards and calls for cost-effective energy 

improvements to the existing structure. 

o Population Served. All persons who can make the monthly mortgage payments are 

eligible to apply. Cooperative units are not eligible; individual condominium units may be 

insured if they are in projects that have been approved by FHA or the Department of 

Veterans Affairs, or meet certain Fannie Mae guidelines. 

o Program End State. Permanent housing. 

o Supporting Agencies. FHA approved lending institutions, which include many banks, 

savings and loan associations, and mortgage companies. 

Annexes Page 22 
o Notification and Activation Procedures. Applicants follow the standard application 

procedure for Section 203 (k) mortgage insurance. No other activation or notification 

must take place for this program to apply to a disaster recovery environment. 

o Program Authorities. Section 101(c) (1) of the Housing and Community Development 

Amendments of 1978 (P.L. 95557) amends Section 203(k) of the National Housing Act 

(NHA). Chapter II of Title 24 of the Code of Federal Regulations under Section 203.50 

and Sections 203.440 through 203.494. 

o Further Information. http://www.hud.gov/offices/hsg/sfh/203k/203kmenu.cfm. 

• Loss Mitigation Program. This program incorporates a process to avoid foreclosures, 

where borrowers who have been unable to make loan payments and are in danger of 

defaulting on their loans are assisted by lenders. The program is meant to minimize the 

foreclosure impact on the FHA insurance funds and homeowners themselves. Lenders have 

the option of offering borrowers a number of FHA-approved options for avoiding foreclosure, 

including special forbearance, mortgage modifications, partial FHA insurance claims, preforeclosure sale of property, and a deed-in-lieu of foreclosure, wherein the borrower deeds 

the housing back to the lender. 

o Intended Use. Permanent housing. 

o Program Funding. Funding Category 2. The program is funded with a set annual 

budget and may or may not be able to meet size or frequency needs. 

o Efficiency. Offering disaster victims the ability to pause mortgage obligations in the 

aftermath of a disaster facilitates a focus on community-wide recovery and 

reconstruction. At the discretion of HUD, these measures usually occur quickly in the 

aftermath of a disaster as a help to households whose properties are damaged or 

destroyed. Forbearances typically span up to 180 days; however, this is not a strict 

upper limit.

o Cost Effectiveness. Foreclosure is not only a costly experience for the family losing a 

home, but can be a lengthy and expensive procedure for the loan investor, the servicer, 

and any insuring agency that is also involved. Contrary to popularly held beliefs, 

mortgage market participants lose money on nearly all foreclosures. The least costly 

workout options are those that keep borrowers in their homes, and the next best are 

those that assist borrowers in getting out of the now burdensome financial responsibilities 

of homeownership in a less costly manner than foreclosure, such as implementing 

advance claims, forbearance plans, or loan modifications. 

o Population Served. Homebuyers who have an FHA insured mortgage via direct 

assistance from their lenders. 

o Program End State. Permanent housing. 

o Supporting Agencies. FEMA and State agencies. 

o Notification and Activation Procedures. Eligible FHA mortgagees receive notification 

of forbearance or other measures from HUD; HUD also dispatches letters to other 

Annexes Page 23 
lenders encouraging them to follow suit with similar measures for their borrowers. 

Activation of this measure is at the discretion of the Secretary. 

o Program Authorities. 24 CFR, Section 203.501. 

o Further Information. http://www.hud.gov/offices/hsg/sfh/nsc/lmmltrs.cfm. 

• HUD-Owned Homes. If necessary, HUD can sell or lease homes it owns at a discount to 

evacuees displaced by disasters. The homes are sold at a discount from their fair market 

value and HUD funds a repair and maintenance escrow equal to a percentage of the 

discounted purchase price to help pay for any repairs that may be needed to fix the home 

and to pay delinquent utility accounts. HUD will also pay up to a certain percentage of the 

discounted sales price toward reasonable and customary closing costs for the buyer. The 

buyer must typically purchase the property with an FHA mortgage or with all cash. 

o Intended Use. Interim and permanent housing. 

o Program Funding. Funding Category 2. The program is funded with a set annual 

budget and may or may not be able to meet size or frequency needs. 

o Efficiency. This program makes use of existing Federal housing stock. There is 

inherent efficiency in dispensing surplus foreclosure stock owned by HUD while fulfilling 

its mission in long-term disaster housing recovery. 

o Cost Effectiveness. As an alternative to long-term interim housing, this program 

facilitates the placement of disaster households into permanent housing. This program 

simultaneously offers victims the ability to regain a permanent residence at a discounted 

cost and allows HUD a method to dispense its stock of foreclosure properties. Given that 

many disaster victims whose residences are completely destroyed will relocate, this 

program offers them a financial advantage to regain a state of permanent residency. 

o Population Served. Individuals and households who have been displaced long-term by 

a Presidentially declared disaster. 

o Program End State. Permanent housing. 

o Supporting Agencies. FEMA, HUD Marketing and Management Contractors, and 

Mortgage Banking Industry. 

o Notification and Activation Procedures. There is no standard format for the 

implementation of this program, but precedent exists. In the aftermath of the 2006 Gulf 

Coast hurricanes, this program was put into effect by HUD and was known as the 

“Hurricane Evacuee Sales Program.” Details on notification and activation of this 

program in a disaster are handled on a case-by-case basis. 

o Program Authorities. Section 203, National Housing Act (12 U.S.C. 1709, 1715(b)). 

Program regulations are in 24 CFR Part 203. 

o Further Information. http://www.hud.gov/homes/homesforsale.cfm. 

Annexes Page 24 
Department of Agriculture 

The Department of Agriculture (USDA) is responsible for providing emergency housing 

loans, grants, and other forms of relief to individuals and households living in rural 

America. In providing disaster assistance, USDA is a support agency under the National 

Response Framework for ESF #6 – Mass Care, Emergency Assistance, Housing, and Human 

Services and is a primary agency for ESF #14 – Long-Term Community Recovery. Title V of the 

Housing Act of 1949, as amended, authorizes USDA and its Rural Housing Service (RHS) to 

administer various programs to provide housing assistance opportunities to rural Americans. 

When disasters occur, the USDA can leverage its existing housing programs and adjust 

provisions as needed to assist residents in the affected areas, including those who are already in 

various USDA rural housing programs. In general, the USDA housing assistance programs listed 

below are only available if funds from FEMA, SBA, other agencies, or insurers are inadequate to 

meet the housing needs of affected rural residents. Assistance is available to homeowners and 

homebuyers, apartment dwellers, and multi-family property owners. 

USDA housing programs fall under one of two broad categories: Single-Family or Multi-Family. 

Sections 502 and 504 below pertain to the purchase or repair of single-family housing, while the 

remaining programs assist owners and tenants of multi-family housing. 

In addition to the provisions described beneath each loan or grant program below, Rural 

Americans who participate in the Section 514 or 515 multi-family housing programs and are made 

homeless as a result of a Presidentially declared disaster are eligible for occupancy nationwide 

as “displaced tenants” at any USDA-financed multi-family housing project. They are given a letter 

of priority eligibility (LOPE), moving the disaster victims to the top of waiting lists for vacancies in 

other properties. The LOPE is good for 120 days, after which the family may remain on the 

waiting list but without priority. An expedited placement process waives maximum income limits, 

security deposits, and credit checks, streamlines month-to-month leasing procedures, and 

institutes telephone background checks. 

• Section 502 Direct Loan and Loan Guarantee Programs. The Section 502 direct loan 

program is intended to provide qualified applicants the opportunity to acquire, build, 

rehabilitate, improve, or relocate dwellings in rural areas. Borrowers may either obtain direct 

loans from USDA or obtain loans from private lenders that are guaranteed by USDA. 

Borrowers whose homes have been damaged by the disaster may be eligible for a new 

Section 502 loan to pay for the necessary repairs. 

Section 502 borrowers are eligible for a six-month moratorium on mortgage payments if 

properties are in areas designated as disasters by the President and if the owners provide 

verification that the property damage was a direct result of the disaster. If necessary, the 

moratorium may be extended, but the moratorium may not exceed two years. Upon 

resumption of scheduled payments, the loan is to be re-amortized to include the amount 

deferred with the possibility of flexible terms. After adjusting for any interest rate subsidy 

available to the borrower, all or part of the interest accrued during the moratorium may be 

forgiven to the extent that the new mortgage payment would exceed the borrower’s ability to 

pay. For Section 502 guaranteed loans, the USDA has no direct control over the actions of 

Annexes Page 25 
lenders who participate in its housing programs, but it will ask lenders to cease foreclosures 

and offer payment forbearance to borrowers in Presidentially declared disaster areas. 

o Intended Use. Permanent housing. 

o Program Funding. Funding Category 3. The program is intermittently funded and may 

not be effective. 

o Efficiency. USDA Rural Development (RD) maintains oversight of loan processing 

functions for approved borrowers of direct loans and ensures that processes are 

streamlined and at pace with industry standards. In terms of USDA RD guaranteed loan 

programs, most loan processing functions have been delegated to approved lenders, 

who must adhere to RD requirements and guidelines. RD requirements ensure that 

these processes are also streamlined and at pace with industry standards. 

o Cost Effectiveness. When USDA RD loan funds are utilized, there are standard 

underwriter requirements for the borrower and viability of the loan to ensure cost 

effectiveness. 

o Population Served. Very low and low-income applicants located in rural areas of 

approximately 10,000 but not in excess of 20,000 if not contained within a Metropolitan 

Statistical Area. Very low-income is defined as below 50 percent of the area median 

income (AMI); low-income is between 50 and 80 percent of AMI. Borrowers must have 

the means to repay the loan, but be unable to secure reasonable credit terms elsewhere. 

Borrowers with income of up to 115% of the area median may obtain USDA-guaranteed 

loans from private lenders. Guaranteed Section 502 loans may only be used to purchase 

existing dwellings or to construct new homes. Priority is given to first-time homebuyers, 

and USDA may require that borrowers complete a homeownership counseling program. 

o Program End State. Permanent housing. 

o Supporting Agencies. None. 

o Notification and Activation Procedures. A Presidentially declared disaster will activate 

the special provisions of this program. 

o Program Authorities. Title V, Housing Act of 1949 as amended. Disaster assistance is 

authorized in Section 541. 

o Further Information. http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/rhs/sfh/brief_rhguar.htm. 

• Section 504 Home Repair Loan and Grant Program. The Section 504 loan and grant 

program targets individuals and households with even lower incomes than those assisted by 

Section 502. Eligible rural homeowners use the Section 504 direct loans to repair their 

homes, while the proceeds must be used to remove identified health and safety hazards or to 

remodel the dwellings to make them accessible and usable for household members with 

disabilities. Loans are limited to $20,000, set with a 1% interest rate, and may be repaid over 

a 20-year period. For homeowners 62 and over who cannot repay a loan, grant funds are 

available for needed repairs. Section 504 borrowers affected by a Presidentially declared 

Annexes Page 26 
disaster are also eligible for the same mortgage payment moratoriums and/or potential 

forbearances as Section 502 borrowers and may be eligible for new Section 504 loans to pay 

for damage caused by the disaster.

o Intended Use. Permanent housing. 

o Program Funding. Funding Category 3. The program is intermittently funded and may 

not be effective. 

o Efficiency. USDA RD maintains oversight of loan processing functions for approved 

borrowers of direct loans and ensures that processes are streamlined and at pace with 

industry standards. 

o Cost Effectiveness. When USDA RD loan funds are utilized, there are standard 

underwriter requirements for the borrower and viability of the loan to ensure cost 

effectiveness. 

o Population Served. Rural areas with a population of approximately 10,000, or that is not 

contained within a Metropolitan Statistical Area with a population between 10,000 and 

20,000 serving individuals with a very low-income. Very low-income is defined as 

50 percent of the area median income (AMI) or less. 

o Program End State. Permanent housing. 

o Supporting Agencies. None. 

o Notification and Activation Procedures. A Presidentially declared disaster will activate 

the special provisions of this program. 

o Program Authorities. Title V, Housing Act of 1949 as amended. Disaster assistance is 

authorized in Section 541. 

o Further Information. http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/ia/rhs504.html. 

• Sections 514 and 516 Farm Labor Housing Loans and Grants. Both of these multi-family 

housing programs are meant to assist the development of housing for farm workers. Under 

Section 514, USDA is authorized to make direct loans for the construction of housing. Except 

for State and local public agencies or political subdivisions, the applicants must be unable to 

obtain financing from other sources that would enable the housing to be affordable by the 

target population. In contrast, Section 516 authorizes grants of up to 90% of the 

development cost to nonprofit organizations and public bodies seeking to construct housing. 

Applicants must demonstrate a “pressing need” in the area for housing and show there is 

reasonable doubt that it can be provided without the grant. The remaining 10% of the 

development cost may come from the applicant’s own resources, from other sources, or from 

Section 514 loans (a lot of this information found in CRS Report for Congress). 

Owners of Section 514 properties in disaster areas are to be given a 90-day moratorium on 

mortgage payments. In order to qualify, applicants must have properties in areas designated 

as disasters by the President and provide verification that the damage to the property was a 

Annexes Page 27 
direct result of the disaster. At the end of the moratorium, the loan may be re-amortized, 

refinanced, or subject to a work-out plan between the borrower and USDA. 

o Intended Use. Permanent housing. 

o Program Funding. Funding Category 3. The program is intermittently funded and may 

not be effective. 

o Efficiency. USDA RD maintains oversight of loan processing functions for approved 

borrowers of direct loans and ensures that processes are streamlined and at pace with 

industry standards. 

o Cost Effectiveness. When USDA RD loan funds are utilized, there are standard 

underwriter requirements for the borrower and viability of the loan to ensure cost 

effectiveness. 

o Population Served. These programs are designed to benefit rural farmers, while eligible 

tenants are domestic farm laborers who receive a substantial portion of their income from 

farm labor and are citizens or legally admitted for permanent residence. Legally admitted 

temporary laborers, such as H-2A workers, are not eligible. Retired or disabled farm 

laborers may remain as tenants if initially eligible. 

o Program End State. Permanent housing. 

o Supporting Agencies. None. 

o Notification and Activation Procedures. A Presidentially declared disaster will activate 

the special provisions of this program. 

o Program Authorities. Housing Act of 1949, as amended, Sections 514 and 516, Public 

Laws 89-117 and 89-754, 42 U.S.C. 1484 and 1486. 

o Further Information. http://www.ruralhome.org/manager/uploads/RD514.516.pdf. 

• Section 515 Rural Rental Housing Loan Program. Rural rental housing loans enable 

developers to provide multi-family housing for the elderly, individuals with a disability, and 

families who cannot afford the purchase price and maintenance costs of their own homes. 

Except for public agencies, all borrowers must demonstrate that financial assistance from 

other sources will not enable the borrower to provide the housing at terms that are affordable 

to the target population. Grants are provided to public nonprofit organizations to assist rental 

property owners and co-ops with the repair and rehabilitation of their units. 

Owners of Section 515 properties are subject to the same loan flexibility as owners of Section 

514 properties, as described above. 

o Intended Use. Permanent housing. 

o Program Funding. Funding Category 3. The program is intermittently funded and may 

not be effective. 

Annexes Page 28 
o Efficiency. USDA RD maintains oversight of loan processing functions for approved 

borrowers of direct loans and ensures that processes are streamlined and at pace with 

industry standards. 

o Cost Effectiveness. When USDA RD loan funds are utilized, there are standard 

underwriter requirements for the borrower and viability of the loan to ensure cost 

effectiveness. 

o Population Served. Rural Americans with very low-, low-, and moderate-income 

families, the elderly, and persons with disabilities. Very low-income is defined as below 

50 percent of the area median income (AMI); low-income is between 50 and 80 percent 

of AMI; moderate income is capped at $5,500 above the low-income limit. Those living in 

substandard housing are given first priority for tenancy. When rental assistance is used, 

top priority is given to very low-income households. 

o Program End State. Permanent housing. 

o Supporting Agencies. None. 

o Notification and Activation Procedures. A Presidentially declared disaster will activate 

the special provisions of this program. 

o Program Authorities. Housing Act of 1949, as amended, Sections 515 and 521, Public 

Law 102-550, 42 U.S.C. 1485, 1490a. 

o Further Information. http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/rhs/mfh/brief_mfh_rrh.htm. 

• Section 521 Rural Rental Assistance Program. Under this program, USDA is authorized 

to make rental assistance payments to owners of rental housing to enable eligible tenants to 

pay no more than 30% of their income in rent. The rental assistance payments, which are to 

be made directly to the property owners, are to make up the difference between the tenants’ 

payments and the USDA-approved rent for the units. Owners must agree to operate the 

property on a limited profit or nonprofit basis. For residents receiving Section 521 rental 

assistance in units made uninhabitable by a Presidentially declared disaster, USDA permits 

the transfer of the rental assistance to another eligible Section 514 or Section 515 apartment 

complex. The transfer must be agreed to by all parties and be designed such that residents 

(and their rental assistance) return to the original complex and unit after the property has 

been restored. If the tenant chooses to stay instead of returning to the original complex, the 

tenant will not be assured rental assistance, and the owner would charge an appropriate rent 

based on any subsidy available to that property. 

o Intended Use. The disaster-related provisions of this program support interim housing 

efforts, while the program as a whole can help tenants achieve permanent housing. 

o Program Funding. Funding Category 3. These programs are intermittently funded and 

may not be effective. 

Annexes Page 29 
o Population Served. Any very low and low-income individuals with disabilities or elderly 

persons who are unable to pay the approved rental rate for an eligible Rural Housing 

Service rental assistance unit within 30 percent of their adjusted monthly income. 

o Program End State. Permanent housing. 

o Supporting Agencies. None. 

o Notification and Activation Procedures. A Presidentially declared disaster will activate 

the special provisions of this program. 

o Program Authorities. Housing Act of 1949, as amended, Section 521, Public Laws 90-

448 and 93-128, 42 U.S.C. 1490a. 

o Further Information. http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/rhs/mfh/indiv_mfh.htm. 

• Section 538 Rural Rental Housing Guaranteed Loans. Under this program, borrowers 

may obtain loans from private lenders to finance multi-family housing in rural areas, and 

USDA guarantees to pay for the lender losses in case of borrower default. Section 538 

guaranteed loans may be used for the development costs of housing that consist of five or 

more adequate dwelling units and remains available to targeted population served for the 

period of the loan. Similar to Section 502 loans, the USDA will send letters to lenders holding 

Section 538 loans, suggesting that the lenders offer similar forbearance to borrowers in 

disaster areas. 

o Intended Use. Permanent housing. 

o Program Funding. Funding Category 3. These programs are intermittently funded and 

may not be effective. 

o Efficiency. Most loan processing functions for USDA RD guaranteed loan programs 

have been delegated to approved lenders, who must adhere to RD requirements and 

guidelines. RD requirements ensure that these processes are also streamlined and at 

pace with industry standards. 

o Cost Effectiveness. When USDA RD loan funds are utilized, there are standard 

underwriter requirements for the borrower and viability of the loan to ensure cost 

effectiveness. 

o Population Served. Housing units are available to renters whose income at time of 

occupancy does not exceed 115% of the median income of the area. 

o Program End State. Permanent housing. 

o Supporting Agencies. None. 

o Notification and Activation Procedures. A Presidentially declared disaster will activate 

the special provisions of this program. 

Annexes Page 30 
o Program Authorities. Housing Act of 1949, as amended, Section 538, Public Law 106-

569, 42 U.S.C. 1490p-2. 

o Further Information. 

http://www.ruralhome.org/pubs/guides/section538/adescriptionofgrrhp.htm. 

Department of Veterans Affairs 

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is primarily responsible for providing disaster 

assistance to veterans, certain dependents, and beneficiaries of veterans who participate 

in its loan program. In addition to special provisions under its home loan program as discussed 

below, the Department leverages other resources to offer housing solutions in times of need, and 

beneficiaries are not always limited to Veterans. As stated in the National Response 

Framework’s ESF #6 – Mass Care, Emergency Assistance, Housing, and Human Services, the 

VA assigns representatives to FEMA Disaster Assistance Centers to counsel eligible disaster 

victims on VA housing, and may assign single-family and multiple housing units for the purpose of 

providing interim housing options to eligible disaster victims. The units may also be used by a 

State when it administers the Temporary Housing Assistance program on FEMA's behalf. Upon 

request during declared emergencies, VA may make its properties available to provide space for 

the establishment of shelters. Moreover, VA may work with HUD to transfer VA properties to 

local urban homesteading agencies for use in a HUD-approved local urban homesteading 

program. 

• VA Home Loans. This program assists veterans, certain service personnel (including certain 

Reservists and Guard members), and certain unmarried surviving spouses of veterans, in 

obtaining credit for the purchase, construction, or improvement of homes on more liberal 

terms than are generally available to non-veterans. Any home loan closed prior to the date of 

the declared disaster is eligible for a VA guaranty without regard to the disaster. VA 

encourages holders of guaranteed loans in disaster areas to extend all possible forbearance 

to borrowers who, through no fault of their own, are in financial distress. Although the loan 

holder is ultimately responsible for determining when to initiate foreclosure and for completing 

termination action, VA requests that holders establish a 90-day moratorium from the date of 

the declared disaster on initiating new foreclosures in the disaster areas. The exception to 

this is if a default is clearly insoluble and there is no likelihood of reinstatement during the 

period of moratorium or when a foreclosure sale was already scheduled prior to the disaster. 

It is the loan holder’s responsibility to inspect damage to properties, counsel borrowers 

concerning assistance that may be available to them, and provide the applicable Regional 

Loan Center with a report that outlines the findings and actions for each damaged property. 

o Intended Use. Permanent housing* 

*Although the primary use for VA’s home loan program is permanent housing, VA may 

use properties acquired under the housing loan program as interim housing for disaster 

victims. 

o Program Funding. Funding Category 1. The guaranteed loan program is fully funded 

and should be able to be executed in a given disaster. VA funding fees also are collected 

on VA guaranteed home loans, helping to defray costs of the programs, such as paying 

Annexes Page 31 
claims on loans that do not perform*. In some instances, it is necessary for Congress to 

provide a subsidy to VA. 

*Any VA-action that is not benefit-related, such as providing interim housing or interim 

housing counseling, is subject to Funding Category 2. The program may or may not be 

able to meet size or frequency needs. 

o Efficiency. VA has delegated most of the loan processing functions to private lenders 

who must adhere to VA credit guidelines. However, VA provides extensive oversight and 

ensures the processes are streamlined and at pace with industry standards. 

o Cost Effectiveness. The intent of the home loan guaranty program is to assist veterans 

in obtaining home loans for properties for themselves and their families. It is possible 

that veterans who are displaced by a natural disaster may use this program to find new 

living accommodations. However, this is such a collateral aspect of the purpose of the 

VA home loan guaranty program, that VA collects no data measuring its use or cost 

effectiveness under those circumstances. 

o Population Served. Veterans, service personnel, and unmarried surviving spouses of 

veterans. 

o Program End State. Permanent housing. 

o Supporting Agencies. None. 

o Notification and Activation Procedures. The Secretary may initiate the special 

initiatives and provisions discussed above when the President declares a major disaster. 

o Program Authorities. The VA home loan benefits are administered under the authority 

of 38 U.S.C. Chapter 37. 

o Further Information. 

http://www.homeloans.va.gov/docs/va_policy_regarding_natural_disasters.pdf

Department of Health and Human Services 

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) supports disaster housing activities 

primarily through its roles and responsibilities under the National Response Framework’s

ESF # 6. The agency does not directly place affected individuals and households into housing 

facilities after a disaster, but it plays an integral role in facilitating the housing recovery process 

through the administration of wrap-around services, human services programs, and grants to 

impacted areas. In addition to the block grants described below, HHS resources can be 

particularly helpful in caring for special needs populations, including children and elderly persons. 

HHS programs focusing on these populations are discussed in greater detail in Annex 3. 

 

• Community Services Block Grants (CSBG). Funding is provided through block grants to 

50 States, the District of Columbia, six territories, and 66 Native American tribes, who then 

distribute CSBG monies to Community Action Agencies (CAAs) and other organizations 

serving low-income populations. Grant amounts are determined by a formula based on each 

Annexes Page 32 
State’s and Indian tribe’s poverty population. Stakeholders work together to assess 

community needs and determine the kind of activities and services that will best serve the 

intended population. State, territories, and tribal governments provide guidance, ensure local 

managerial accountability, and encourage innovative responses to both persistent problems 

and new challenges. CAAs have the authority to design programs that assist people seeking 

affordable housing, including case management for the homeless, advice on securing rental 

assistance, or help with the process of becoming a homeowner. 

States, territories, and tribal governments directly affected by the 2005 Gulf Coast 

Hurricanes, or indirectly affected as a result of providing services to displaced individuals, 

were covered by waivers or special provisions that modified the terms and conditions of their 

CSBG grant awards in order to redirect resources for disaster recovery. 

o Intended Use. Permanent housing. 

o Program Funding. Funding Category 2. The program is funded with a set annual 

budget and may or may not be able to meet size or frequency needs. A disaster 

occurring late in the Federal fiscal year may present challenges because States often 

expend or obligate all of their funds for the year by this time. Funding for disaster 

recovery would then be inadequate.

o Efficiency. The efficiency of grant operations is largely determined by States and 

Community Action Agencies (CAAs) who oversee and administer the funds. States are 

encouraged to streamline the eligibility determination process while taking into account 

any required disaster-related modifications. Individuals who receive CSBG-funded 

services must qualify as low-income, though in disaster situations consideration is made 

to individuals who may not have been low-income prior to the disaster, but whose income 

was severely affected by the disaster. Moreover, there are approximately 1,000 CAAs 

nationwide who leverage their strong relationships in the community to present services 

to low-income individuals and families affected by the disaster. They will efficiently 

contribute to the overall recovery mission when supporting Federal, State and local relief 

efforts with timely response and dedicated availability. 

o Cost Effectiveness. The Community Services Network is uniquely positioned to 

reach out to displaced families, particularly those Community Action Agencies 

(CAAs) who have facilities and can provide services for displaced families. 

Local CSBG Program Directors at the local level are quick to respond to 

displaced individuals, families and children by providing physical resources such 

as kitchens, bed space and showers as well as professional assets to include 

physicians, social workers, mental health personnel and community workers. 

Local CAAs often maintain a large volunteer service population of churches, civic 

groups and individuals who actively participate in their community recovery 

efforts. Although CSBG often supports and coordinates with the Department of 

Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture 

(USDA), the CSBG legislation, CSBG Act, Public Law 105-285 Section 

678(a)&(2), does not directly support the purchase or permanent improvement to 

real property without a waiver approved by the HHS Secretary. Waivers are 

Annexes Page 33 
generally granted when human suffering and destruction of property caused by 

natural disasters have been identified. 

o Population Served. This grant program allows States to determine populations to be 

served within statutory limits. States make grants to qualified locally-based nonprofit 

community antipoverty agencies and other eligible entities which provide services to lowincome individuals and families. The official poverty line, as established by the Secretary 

of Health and Human Services, is used as a criterion of eligibility in the Community 

Services Block Grant program. When a State determines that it serves the objectives of 

the block grant, it may revise the income limit, not to exceed 125 percent of the official 

poverty line. 

o Program End State. Permanent housing. 

o Supporting Agencies. While CSBG program does not directly support other Federal 

agency's post-disaster efforts, it does augment and fill-in gaps for activities and services 

provided by local and State levels. 

o Notification and Activation Procedures. To direct funds to people specifically affected 

by a disaster, the program has the authority to exercise policy flexibility and provide 

expedited waivers for CSBG agencies who can promote the repair, renovation, 

and construction of housing. A Presidential disaster declaration is not necessarily 

required. 

o Program Authorities. Community Opportunities, Accountability, Training, and 

Educational Services Act of 1998, Title II, Section 201 and Sections 671-thru 679; Public 

Laws 97-35, 103-252, Public Laws 106-554 and 98-502. 

o Further Information. http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/ocs/csbg/. 

• Social Services Block Grants (SSBG). These block grants are highly flexible and 

distributed to 50 States, the District of Columbia, and five territories and insular areas for the 

provision of social services directed towards achieving economic self-sufficiency, preventing 

abuse, preventing or reducing inappropriate institutionalization, and securing referral for 

institutional care. Under the program, each State has the flexibility to determine which social 

services will be provided, the eligibility limits to receive services, and how funds are 

distributed among various services within the State. However, States are to ensure that their 

eligibility criterion complies with Federal requirements for the SSBG program and that 

services are provided only to qualified individuals (often based on income). Funding may go 

towards housing services that assist individuals or families in locating, obtaining, or retaining 

suitable housing. 

After major disasters, supplemental appropriations can be authorized. For instance, the 

Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2006, also known as the Emergency 

Supplemental Appropriations Act, provided $550 million in additional SSBG funding to 

address the social and health services of individuals affected by the 2005 Gulf Coast 

Hurricanes. States affected could use the one-time supplemental allotment to provide 

Annexes Page 34 
services in any of the 29 SSBG service categories. States who were most significantly 

impacted by the hurricanes received the largest SSBG supplemental allocations. 

 

o Intended Use. Permanent housing. 

o Program Funding. Funding Category 2. The program is funded with a set annual 

budget and may or may not be able to meet size or frequency needs.

o Efficiency. SSBG is a flexible source of funds allocated to States to assist with the 

provision of social services to adults and children. This flexibility allows for a more 

efficient disbursement, in contrast to a process burdened by numerous restrictions. And 

according to HHS, States can more easily use SSBG funds to fill gaps in social services 

than other Federal funding streams. 

o Cost Effectiveness. Various methods are in place to ensure that funds are being used 

appropriately. States are required to submit a pre-expenditure report each year, 

describing how they intend to use the SSBG funds, the type of activities to be supported, 

and the categories and characteristics of individuals to be served. The report is 

transmitted to HHS and made public within the State. The State is required to revise the 

report throughout the year as necessary to reflect substantial changes. After the end of 

the fiscal year, each State must submit a post-expenditure report, describing the activities 

actually carried out, and explaining the extent to which funds were spent in a manner 

consistent with the pre-expenditure report. Additionally, the Office of Community 

Services has implemented an accountability measure that is designed to decrease the 

percentage of SSBG funds identified as administrative costs by States to nine percent or 

less. 

o Population Served. Under Title XX, each eligible jurisdiction determines the services 

that will be provided and the individuals that will be eligible to receive services. The goal 

is to enable each State to furnish social services best suited to the needs of the 

individuals residing in the State. 

o Program End State. Permanent housing. 

o Supporting Agencies. The SSBG program does not directly support the post-disaster 

efforts of other Federal agencies. At the State level, SSBG funds are frequently 

coordinated with programs funded by other Federal, State, and local sources. 

o Notification and Activation Procedures. As noted in the description above, when a 

supplemental appropriations bill is passed, SSBG funds are then directed to meet the 

needs of people affected by a disaster. 

o Program Authorities. Social Security Act, Title XX, as amended; Omnibus Budget 

Reconciliation Act of 1981, as amended, Public Law 97-35; Jobs Training Bill, Public Law 

98-8; Public Law 98-473; Medicaid and Medicare Patient and Program Act of 1987; 

Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1987, Public Law 100-203; Family Support Act of 

1988, Public Law 100-485; Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1993, Public Law 103-

66; 42 U.S.C. 1397 ET seq. 

Annexes Page 35 
o Further Information. http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/ocs/ssbg/. 

Department of the Interior/Bureau of Indian Affairs 

The Department of the Interior is responsible for the protection of property and mitigation 

of damages and impacts to the Department, individuals, and surrounding communities in 

preparation for or in support of response and recovery from a disaster. This includes 

rescue, evacuation, emergency medical treatment, emergency debris removal, and restoration of 

essential public services. DOI is also able to assist in the safeguarding, collecting, and 

distributing of food and essential supplies. When disasters affect land held in trust by the United 

States for American Indians, Indian tribes, and Alaska Natives, the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) 

supports the Federal response as a partner through various mechanisms and authorities. BIA 

provides resources and staff in response to tribal government requests for assistance. However, 

with respect to the topic of this Annex, BIA does not maintain an emergency or disaster housing

program. Any tribal government requests for housing are referred to and coordinated by HUD. 

One HUD program that particularly benefits Native Americans and tribal areas is the Indian 

Community Development Block Grant (ICDBG) Imminent Threat (IT) fund, which is discussed in 

detail in Annex 3. 

Small Business Administration 

The Small Business Administration (SBA) is generally known for its financial support of 

small business, but it is also responsible for assisting homeowners and business owners 

with the repair and/or replacement of disaster damaged real property by providing direct 

low-interest, long-term loans. As a signatory to the National Response Framework, the SBA is 

a part of the Federal government’s single comprehensive approach to domestic incident 

management to prevent, prepare for, respond to, and recover from major disasters, terrorist 

attacks, and other emergencies. It has one Primary Mission Essential Function (PMEF), which is 

to collect and disseminate disaster-related information from declared disasters and be prepared 

to process disaster loan applications. The SBA has a comprehensive Continuity of Operations 

Plan (COOP), which ensures it will be able to perform this essential function even in the event of 

a disaster that adversely impacts SBA’s operations. Through its Office of Disaster Assistance 

(ODA), the SBA will provide affordable, timely, and accessible financial assistance to eligible 

homeowners, renters, non-profits, and non-farm businesses following a disaster. 

• Home Disaster Loans. The SBA offers low-interest, fixed-rate loans to disaster victims, 

enabling them to repair or replace property damaged or destroyed in declared disasters. 

These low-interest rates and long repayment terms make recovery possible for many 

individuals and households. 

o Intended Use. Permanent housing, which is accomplished by restoring pre-disaster 

housing rather than acquiring new permanent housing. 

o Program Funding. Funding Category 2. The program’s annual funding is based on a 

ten-year average disaster loan volume, excluding extraordinary events. .

o Efficiency. Like many organizations, SBA garnered a number of lessons learned after 

the 2005 Gulf Coast hurricanes. The cumulative damage of the storms was so extensive 

that the sheer number of disaster loan applications overwhelmed SBA’s capacity to 

Annexes Page 36 
process them. As a result, SBA made efforts to improve the level of efficiency at which it 

operates. In general, extensive pre-disaster planning allows SBA to position resources 

more effectively. For example, a new disaster scalability preparedness tool analyzes 

various potential application volume scenarios. By having strategic information on hand 

before a disaster occurs, the speed of SBA’s response will dramatically increase. 

SBA’s Disaster Credit Management System (DCMS) now has an expanded capacity that 

supports a greater number of concurrent users, thereby maximizing output. And to ease 

the overall processing burden on the system, SBA uses new tools to refer applicants to 

grant providers more quickly. This lessens work for each applicant, reduces the volume 

of files pending a decision, minimizes the aging of such files, and provides funds to 

disaster victims more quickly. 

In order to further enhance its capabilities after a major disaster, the Office of Disaster 

Assistance expanded its pool of Active and Ready Reserves and now has the ability to 

mobilize private sector contractors to assist with loan processing and loan closing 

activities as needed. 

Lastly, an efficient SBA response will occur with integrated teams of case managers, 

attorneys, loan experts, and other support staff working collaboratively. A borrower is 

first assigned to the case manager, who serves as the primary point of contact and offers 

personalized assistance and clarification of outstanding issues. The team’s goal is to 

limit confusion, errors, and duplicative work that would waste time and resources later in 

the process. 

o Cost Effectiveness. Tangible benefits are realized by borrowers who receive loans that 

facilitate the housing recovery process. However, in order to maintain a sustainable 

program, SBA must be proactive about managing resources and controlling foreseeable 

operating costs. 

SBA regularly incorporates historical data to increase the accuracy of its pre-disaster 

planning. In addition, it uses forecasting and modeling tools to predict loan volume and 

the corresponding resources needed for loan processing as soon as a disaster occurs. 

There are three models. The Internal Demand Forecast Model estimates the dollar 

amount of disaster assistance loans that will be made based on information available at 

time the disaster occurs. The Internal Resource Requirements Model forecasts staffing 

levels necessary for SBA to handle a wide range of disaster events. Finally, SBA 

leverages FEMA’s HAZUS Model, which aids the decision-making process by projecting 

the impact of a disaster, including potential financial losses. HAZUS also helps SBA 

integrate with the operations of FEMA and other Federal, State, and local governmental 

organizations that use the program for their emergency response. 

o Population Served. Homeowners, renters, non-profit organizations, and non-farm 

business owners. 

o Program End State. Permanent housing. 

o Supporting Agencies. SBA disaster loans often support and complement the efforts of 

FEMA’s Individuals and Households program. 

Annexes Page 37 
o Notification and Activation Procedures. Disaster assistance loans are possible upon 

a disaster declaration for Individual Assistance (IA) made by the President or a 

declaration made by the SBA Administrator. SBA publishes the availability of assistance 

in the Federal Register. The published notice identifies the kinds of assistance available, 

the date and nature of the disaster, and the deadline and location for filing loan 

applications. 

o Program Authorities. Small Business Act of 1953, Section 7(b)(1), as amended, Public 

Law 85-536, 15 U.S.C. 636(B)(1); Disaster Relief Act of 1970, Sections 231, 234, 235 

and 237, Public Law 91-606, 42 U.S.C. 4401; Public Laws 93-24, 94-305, 95-89, 96-302, 

97-35, 98-166, 98-270, 99-272, 99-349, 100-590, 102-27, 102-395, and 103-75. 

o Further Information. http://www.sba.gov/services/disasterassistance/. 

Department of Defense/U.S. Army Corps of Engineers 

The United States Army Corps of Engineers may be tasked with providing housing 

inspection, construction, or installation services as part of their lead role in Emergency 

Support Function (ESF) #3 – Public Works and Engineering. The USACE sheltering and 

interim housing support follows the direction of FEMA through Mission Assignments. With 

regards to sheltering, the USACE focuses on the planning of base camps mass care shelter site 

inspections, and construction of temporary shelter facilities. As for interim housing, USACE may 

be mission assigned to support FEMA’s Direct Housing Operations (DHOPS) with QA support of 

haul and install missions and construction management for community sites. USACE may be 

mission assigned to perform haul and install operations or design, construction, and/or 

decommissioning of community sites utilizing USACE contracts. 

USACE can also conduct or provide technical assistance on the expedited repair of damaged 

homes, to include temporary roofing or other repairs that facilitate reoccupation of minimally 

damaged structures. Through Pre-scripted Mission Assignments, USACE will activate and 

deploy the Temporary Roofing Planning and Response Team (PRT), as directed by FEMA, and 

implement the Advanced Contracting Initiative (ACI). USACE will coordinate the roofing activities 

of all organizations performing portions of the roofing mission, including the National Guard and 

voluntary organizations. This may include supplies, equipment, materials, and logistics support 

necessary to provide temporary roofing to homes. 

In accordance with Joint Federal Travel Regulations, the Department of Defense ensures that 

military families, including those living on bases, have appropriate housing upon evacuation. 

They are authorized to select an alternate safe haven within the continental United States and 

receive safe haven benefits. Safe haven benefits include travel costs, actual costs of lodging, 

and allowances for meals and incidentals. Any additional housing provisions are at the discretion 

of the specific base or area officer. 

General Services Administration 

The GSA is responsible for providing essential products and services needed to help 

prevent, prepare for, and respond to emergency housing situations. Its assistance to relief 

Annexes Page 38 
workers and victims of disaster includes food, shelter, cleaning supplies, comfort kits, first aid, 

clothing, personal items, emergency transportation, home repair, household items, and medical 

supplies. GSA can utilize the ‘GSAAdvantage! Disaster Relief’ section of its online shopping and 

ordering system, GSAAdvantage!, to provide Federal, State, and local agencies access to the 

acquisition of supplies and equipment needed to support requirements for disaster housing relief 

and emergency preparedness. 

• Federal Supply Schedules – Disaster Recovery Purchasing. Federal Supply Schedules 

provide State and local governments with the ability to purchase products and services that 

facilitate recovery from major disasters and help individuals and households return to 

permanent housing. The Transportation, Delivery and Relocation Solutions (TDRS) 

Schedule 48, which is available through GSA’s Multiple Award Schedules program, offers an 

array of solutions to assist in meeting the emergency response for transportation 

requirements. The TDRS Schedule offers three unique products and services to 

accommodate the Strategy’s Interim Housing Program for Transportation Assistance. The 

first is Ground Transportation Services (GTS), which is available for activities such as shuttle 

transportation between and among buildings, transportation to community services, driver 

services, or airport transport within or between cities. The second is the Rental Supplemental 

Vehicle Program (RSVP), which supplements Federal fleets and/or official government 

business vehicular needs for travel purposes other than temporary duty. Typical rental 

requirements include transportation support for national disasters and/or continuity of 

operations tests training associated with supporting these events. Lastly, the Travel Services 

Solutions (TSS) Schedule 599 offers its Air Charter Services, which can be used for domestic 

transportation needs relating to emergencies. These sources must provide accessible 

transportation to serve individuals with disabilities. 

o Intended Use. This program supports sheltering and interim housing efforts. 

o Program Funding. Funding Category 1. The program is fully funded and should be 

able to be executed in a given disaster. The ordering agency is responsible for funding, 

which is obligated at the time the order is placed. Payment of services is between the 

ordering agency and the vendor. 

o Efficiency. Section 833 of the John Warner National Defense Authorization Act for fiscal 

year 2007 was amended to give State and local governments the authority to use Federal 

Supply Schedules for the purchase of products and services that will facilitate recovery 

from events including major disasters. This reduces ordering time and allows products 

and services to be delivered with shorter lead times. 

o Cost Effectiveness. State and local government entities are encouraged to use GSA's 

Schedule Ordering Procedures to ensure the benefit of best value from GSA Schedule 

contractors. These products and services can be delivered immediately with prequalified prices and from pre-qualified companies. Government entities will experience 

tangible benefits and save money by eliminating unnecessary negotiations and 

overpriced contracts. 

o Population Served. The following agencies and activities named may use contracts 

established under GSA Schedules: All Federal agencies and activities in the executive, 

Annexes Page 39 
legislative and judicial branches, government contractors authorized in writing by a 

Federal agency pursuant to 48 CFR 51.1, mixed ownership government corporations (as 

defined in the Government Corporation Control Act), the government of the District of 

Columbia, and other activities and organizations authorized by statute or regulation to 

use GSA as a source of supply (e.g., State and local governments under Section 833 

Disaster Recovery of the Defense Authorization Act for FY 2007 amended 40 U.S.C. 

502). 

o Program End State. This program assists relief workers and disaster victims through 

the interim phase of housing. 

o Supporting Agencies. General Services Administration’s (FSA) Federal Acquisition 

Service. 

o Notification and Activation Procedures. When products and services are required, 

ordering agencies have direct access to the Multiple Award Schedule program. Ordering 

activities will follow the streamlined ordering procedures in the Federal Acquisition 

Regulation (FAR) 8.405 when ordering Schedule contract items and services. The 

applicable products and services will be identified in Schedule publications and 

contractors' Schedule pricelists. 

o Program Authorities. 40 U.S.C. 501-611, 1301-1315; 50 App. U.S.C. 1622(d); 16 

U.S.C. 667b-d; 42 U.S.C. 11411; 42 U.S.C. 3020d; Executive Order 12999, April 17, 

1996. 

o Further Information. 

http://www.gsa.gov/Portal/gsa/ep/contentView.do?contentId=22466&contentType=GSA_

BASIC. 

• Emergency Lodging Blanket Purchase Agreement. GSA has established a Blanket 

Purchase Agreement (BPA) with Corporate Lodging Consultants, Inc. (CLC) to assist Federal 

agencies with emergency lodging accommodations. Emergency Lodging is designed to 

secure accommodations for disaster victims and emergency support personnel. Services 

available include property location and availability, reservation and booking support, check-in 

support, on-site lodging coordinator, vendor management and support, rate negotiation, 

subcontracting management, invoice analysis, audit, payment processing, reconciliation, 

management information, and reporting. 

o Intended Use. Interim housing. 

o Program Funding. Funding Category 1. The program is fully funded and should be 

able to be executed in a given disaster. The ordering agency is responsible for funding. 

Funds are obligated at the time the order is placed. Payment of services is made direct 

between the ordering agency and the vendor. 

o Efficiency. Commercial Lodging Consultants (CLC) maintains contracts with hotels in all 

50 States and U.S. territories to ensure readiness for a potential disaster. They are on 

alert and ready to mobilize as soon as FEMA activates the program in any disaster 

location. The amount of time it takes from the point of the program’s activation until 

Annexes Page 40 
execution depends on how quickly evacuees register in the system. Hotels advise CLC 

electronically of their readiness and availability in receiving evacuees into the hotels. 

Time spent in lodging is contingent on the disaster’s severity, as assessed by FEMA, and 

will last until evacuees can be moved to more suitable permanent housing environments, 

such as apartments or the evacuees’ homes. FEMA, at the request of the State, will 

activate its transitional sheltering initiative to allow eligible evacuees to stay in hotels or 

motels until it is safe for them to return home. This assistance is intended to provide 

evacuees with an extended sheltering environment until their neighborhoods are 

accessible or until their own properties are habitable again. The initial period of 

assistance is from 1 to 30 days, and then FEMA evaluates the need and extends the time 

of assistance as circumstances indicate. 

o Cost Effectiveness. During the disaster housing response and when evacuees are 

often most in need, hotel costs are contained and controlled through CLC, who has 

negotiated prices with the hotels and has established a direct billing relationship for room 

and tax. Meals, other incidental charges, and any damages to room caused by the guest 

are the responsibility of the hotel guest. CLC will check bills for inaccuracies and ensures 

that it contains only allowable charges; CLC then invoices FEMA. Upon receipt of 

payment from FEMA, CLC will pay the hotel and keep rich management report data and 

an audit trail detail to support the emergency purchases. This process eliminates 

overcharges or misuse of the program. The program offers tangible benefits, as hotel 

rooms provides evacuees with privacy as well as facilities for showering and other 

everyday amenities. It also accommodates persons with disabilities. 

o Population Served. This BPA is designed to assist Federal agencies when lodging 

accommodations are required as a result of an emergency and/or disaster. A victim can 

either be a Federal employee or citizen who has been displaced from their home by 

some disaster or emergency and, as a result, requires emergency lodging. Specific 

determinations of victim or emergency support personnel status will be determined by the 

ordering agency. 

o Program End State. The end state occurs when evacuees must check out of the hotel 

and return to permanent housing. If necessary, the hotel stay can be extended past the 

end state of interim lodging for evacuees who require additional services due to a lack of 

facilities at home. Eventually, they can be moved into longer term facilities such as 

apartments, condos, or extended stay facilities, which provide a more normal way of 

family life and reduces the daily costs of lodging. If no facilities are available within the 

local area, evacuees will be transported to the closest facility possible. 

o Supporting Agencies. General Services Administration’s (FSA) Federal Acquisition 

Service. 

o Notification and Activation Procedures. Ordering activities should contact GSA to be 

added to the BPA for emergency lodging services. Once added to the BPA by GSA, 

ordering agencies place their order directly with the vendor for required services. 

Annexes Page 41 
o Program Authorities. 40 U.S.C. 501-611, 1301-1315; 50 App. U.S.C. 1622(d); 16 

U.S.C. 667b-d; 42 U.S.C. 11411; 42 U.S.C. 3020d; Executive Order 12999, April 17, 

1996. 

Further Information. 

http://www.gsa.gov/Portal/gsa/ep/channelView.do?pageTypeId=17110&channelPage=%

2Fep%2Fchannel%2FgsaOverview.jsp&channelId=-24536

and www.gsa.gov/lodging. 

o 

• Donation of Federal Surplus Personal Property. The program transfers surplus property 

to State and local governments for use in Presidentially declared emergencies or major 

disasters. With the proper authority, GSA may have the flexibility to provide these assets 

without screening for other Federal or donation requests, allowing the expeditious use of 

property in the areas most affected by a disaster. 

o Intended Use. Sheltering and interim housing. 

o Program Funding. Funding Category 2. The program is funded with a set annual 

budget and may or may not be able to meet size or frequency needs based on availability 

of property or equipment for donation. Appropriations support this Federal Acquisition 

Service effort to transfer property to the States for donation. 

o Efficiency. When a Presidential disaster is declared and impacted States identify needs, 

screening is done in GSA's automated disposal system, GSAXcess®. Based on the 

devastation, GSA can expedite screening for any property in GSAXcess® and process it 

for donation to the State requested.

o Cost Effectiveness. Under the Title 40 provisions, when GSA makes surplus property 

available for donation purposes, it is required to work through a State Agency for Surplus 

Property (SASP) established in each State. The SASP is responsible under the law for 

making eligibility determinations for organizations wishing to participate in the surplus 

property donation program. If and when eligibility is established, the SASP is also 

responsible for assisting intended recipients with locating and acquiring needed surplus 

property. It is cost effective for the government to disburse unused but still useful 

property, as opposed to purchasing and distributing new property that would serve a 

similar purpose. The SASP’s role can produce additional benefits, as they may be more 

familiar with the needs of the State’s local communities. 

o Population Served. Eligible recipients include State and local government agencies, 

municipal activities, and specified non-profit organizations. Included are State and local 

emergency services, law enforcement and first responders, and providers of assistance 

to the impoverished and homeless. 

o Program End State. Donations of property and equipment continue until all excess or 

surplus is exhausted. 

o Supporting Agencies. State Agencies for Surplus Property (SASPs), established in 

each State, territory, and the District of Columbia. 

Annexes Page 42 
o Notification and Activation Procedures. None – this is an ongoing program that can 

“elevate” its performance in responding to disaster situations. SASPs regularly screen 

available excess/surplus property in GSAXcess® for donation. Response to disaster 

situations may expedite their requests and impact the types of property requested, but 

this still operates under an existing, ongoing program. 

o Program Authorities. 40 U.S.C. 549, 41 CFR 102-37. 

o Further Information. 

http://www.gsa.gov/Portal/gsa/ep/contentView.do?contentType=GSA_OVERVIEW&conte

ntId=10055. 

Department of the Treasury/Internal Revenue Service (IRS) 

Special tax law provisions may help taxpayers recover financially from the impact of a 

disaster, especially when the President declares their location to be a major disaster area. 

Depending on the circumstances, the IRS may grant additional time to file returns and pay taxes. 

Both individuals and businesses in a Presidentially declared disaster area can get a faster refund 

by claiming losses related to the disaster on the tax return for the previous year, usually by filing 

an amended return. In addition, in the wake of a major disaster, the IRS can permit the claim of 

additional exemptions for homeowners or renters who provide housing in their main homes to 

qualifying displaced individuals. 

The Federal income tax laws also contain a number of credits designed to provide a long-term 

financial incentive to increase the supply of low-income housing. Congress or the Secretary of 

the Treasury may, at their discretion, extend these credits to persons who are assisting in with the 

long-term response to housing demands created by a disaster. For instance, administered by 

IRS and State tax credit allocation agencies, the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit Program 

(LIHTC) provides developers and investors with eligible affordable housing developments, a 

dollar-for-dollar reduction in their Federal taxes. In the wake of Hurricane Katrina, the

Department of the Treasury participated in outreach events to help taxpayers take advantage of 

KETRA and the GO Zone Act, which were new laws that altered the tax code for disaster victims 

and made it easier for individuals and companies to engage in charity to benefit those affected by 

the hurricanes. These provisions do not apply in all federal disasters. 

As of August 2008, the IRS has conducted 101 outreach events to assist and educate small 

business taxpayers and practitioners on the IRS administrative tax relief as well as legislative 

relief. 17 events focused on the new safe harbor valuation methods for computing casualty 

losses. 14 of these events were conducted with HUD and the Louisiana and Mississippi bankers 

associations to promote GO Zone Tax Incentives for investment opportunities. 

Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac 

In addition to providing liquidity and stability to the housing finance system, Fannie Mae 

and Freddie Mac can offer assistance in the days following a major disaster through 

mortgage payment relief to affected homeowners and helping lenders re-establish their 

operations. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac may offer liberal forbearance policies for affected 

Annexes Page 43 
homeowners, loan workouts for homeowners who wished to stay in their homes, and underwriting 

flexibilities to make it easier for families to qualify for new mortgages or refinance their existing 

mortgages. However, disaster-related assistance generally applies only to mortgages that the 

corporations own. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac support Federal agencies such as HUD, FEMA, 

and SBA as well as State and local agencies and non-profit organizations, as needed and as 

requested. 

A Presidential-declaration of a major disaster or emergency accompanied by the authorization of 

FEMA Individual Assistance indicates that the losses sustained by individuals and households in 

the affected areas may be severe enough for Freddie Mac to consider special efforts to help in 

recovery efforts. In the absence of Presidential action, however, it may intervene if local 

conditions, as reported by local authorities or on-site mortgage sellers or servicers, justify 

involvement. Freddie Mac absorbs the cost of special mortgage relief measures and special 

housing assistance as a normal cost of doing business, albeit under extraordinary circumstances 

generated by a disaster. 

Depending on the circumstances, Freddie Mac may engage in additional forms of housing 

assistance, including freezing foreclosure actions in affected areas with the intent of minimizing 

the additional displacement of people, particularly in the midst of what can be a chaotic postdisaster recovery environment. Moreover, it may facilitate the release of insurance proceeds, 

such as increasing the amount of insurance proceeds that may initially be disbursed to the 

borrower. Freddie Mac may also direct loan servicers to not report delinquencies to credit 

repositories, thereby ensuring that borrowers without access to mail or other forms of 

communication are not penalized for failing to make their mortgage payments. 

 

Lastly, Freddie Mac may donate single-family homes and apartment buildings through its real 

estate-owned properties and also employee time to help build shelters and assist homeowners. 

 

Corporation for National and Community Service 

The Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) is an independent agency of 

the United States government whose mission is to “support the American culture of 

citizenship, service, and responsibility.” The Corporation is the nation’s largest grant maker 

supporting service and volunteering. CNCS delivers several programs that are designed to help 

communities address poverty, the environment, education, and other unmet human needs. 

Leveraging its resources, the Corporation can be instrumental in meeting the housing needs of 

individuals and households in the wake of a disaster. 

In 2007, CNCS and National VOAD completed a memorandum of understanding, as many State 

and local VOADs had benefited from CNCS programs for staff to assist in the formation, 

implementation, and continued activity of VOAD organizations. The formal agreement 

acknowledges the current working relationships between CNCS programs and VOAD members 

and gives both National VOAD and CNCS a foundation for future endeavors and mutual activities 

and support. 

In 2008, CNCS and FEMA updated their 1999 memorandum of understanding recognizing the 

contributions of the many and varied programs across all CNCS divisions, and providing a 

mechanism for FEMA to fund disaster activities of these programs.

Annexes Page 44 
• CNCS Programs. The AmeriCorps program is split into three main divisions, including 

AmeriCorps State and National, Volunteers in Service to America (VISTA), and National 

Civilian Community Corps (NCCC). AmeriCorps National provides grants directly to national 

public and service programs, Indian tribes, and consortia formed across two or more States. 

AmeriCorps State works with Governor-appointed State Service Commissions to provide 

grants to public and nonprofit organizations that sponsor service programs around the 

country. AmeriCorps NCCC is a full-time, team-based residential program for men and 

women age 18-24. AmeriCorps VISTA provides full-time members to create and expand 

programs that ultimately bring low-income individuals and communities out of poverty. CNCS 

offers two additional programs that could offer disaster housing assistance. Learn and Serve 

America provides grants to schools, higher education institutions, and community-based 

organizations that engage students, their teachers, and others in service to meet community 

needs. And Senior Corps offers a network of programs that tap the rich experience, skills 

and talents of older citizens to meet community challenges. 

o Intended Use. Sheltering, interim housing, and permanent housing. 

o Program Funding. Funding Category 2 and 3. Some programs have a set budget, but 

may not have funding for disaster work, and others are intermittently funded. 

o Efficiency. National Service can respond quickly to most requests for assistance as 

programs operate in every State. Local programs can quickly respond for short-term 

assignments and there are many national programs that respond equipped with 

transportation, equipment, and training. 

o Cost Effectiveness. Most responding programs are partially funded through CNCS 

grants (average is 74% CNCS funding), carry a low overall cost, and do not expend full 

Federal per diem rates for travel. Members will stay in shelters, gymnasiums, or other 

low-cost housing, and typically require less than half of daily meal per diem. Most 

programs work 6 days per week and 10 hour days on disaster assignment and are not 

hourly so they do not incur overtime costs. 

 

o Population Served. General population affected by disaster. 

o Program End State. Permanent housing. 

o Supporting Agencies. CNCS is supported by hundreds of grantees, including American 

Red Cross, Habitat for Humanity, and Hands On Network. 

o Notification and Activation Procedures. CNCS can be activated by contacting the 

Office of Emergency Management (OEM) at OEM@cns.gov. For requests requiring 

additional funding, OEM will provide cost detail based on assignment and available 

resources. 

o Program Authorities. The National and Community Service Act of 1990, 42 U.S.C. 

12651g(b); Executive Order 12148, as amended; and 44 CFR Part 206. 

o Further Information. http://www.nationalservice.org/ 

Annexes Page 45 
American Red Cross 

The American Red Cross (Red Cross) utilizes a nationwide system of disaster planning, 

preparedness, and response to assist with post-disaster housing crises. Red Cross 

chapters form the most immediate response when a disaster occurs. If the disaster is so large 

that it exceeds the capacity of a chapter and its community, the Red Cross activates its broader 

network of people and resources available through its national headquarters structure. Red 

Cross relief services are provided to minimize the immediate, disaster-caused suffering of people 

affected by a disaster through the provision of services that includes sheltering (individual or 

congregate temporary shelters). The American Red Cross serves as a support agency for ESF 

#6 – Mass Care, Housing and Human Services. 

• Disaster Service Program. The Red Cross delivers disaster housing assistance in three 

main forms: Mass Care, Rental Assistance, and Emergency Housing Repair, depending on 

the size and scale of the disaster and considering other resources available to disaster 

victims. Mass Care assists emergency managers and other sheltering partners to identify 

and manage emergency shelters for those affected by disaster. The Red Cross, with local 

governments, opens and operates shelters before a disaster, during disaster evacuations, 

and after a disaster occurs. Rental Assistance identifies and supports assistance for the 

short-term housing needs of disaster survivors. It collects data on housing resources 

potentially available within the impacted area, coordinates temporary housing resources 

needed to support sheltering shortfall, and provides rental assistance. Lastly, Emergency 

Housing Repair provides funding to disaster survivors for emergency home repairs. 

o Intended Use. Sheltering, interim, and permanent. 

o Program Funding. Funding Category 3. These programs are intermittently funded and 

may not be effective. Red Cross services are primarily funded by private contributions. 

o Efficiency. The Red Cross opens evacuation shelters in advance of incidents to provide 

safe haven for those potentially impacted by disaster. In most instances, shelters remain 

open for a relatively short period of time – typically closing within a week – as disaster 

victims return to their homes or into more stable interim housing

o While the goal remains to move people from shelters to more stable housing, in very 

large events shelters may be open for extended periods of time, depending on damage to 

local infrastructure and other available housing stock. Evacuation shelters and longerterm general congregate shelters vary in standards and amenities. The Red Cross 

maintains a nationwide inventory of sheltering supplies enabling the organization to 

shelter upwards of 500,000 individuals. Shelter facilities typically consist of public 

buildings, such as local elementary and high school gymnasiums and convention centers. 

Additionally, the Red Cross partners locally with faith and civic groups, providing these 

non-traditional disaster responders with training and resources to enhance local 

sheltering operations. 

Annexes Page 46 
o Cost Effectiveness. The Red Cross endeavors to make congregate sheltering as 

comfortable as possible for disaster victims. Together with its partners, the Red Cross 

offers health and mental health assessments, referrals and casework, feeding operations 

and “safe spaces” for children. Red Cross volunteers staff shelters and provide counsel 

and emotional support to shelter residents. Additionally, Red Cross partners are invited 

to shelters to provide referral information on assistance, including FEMA personnel, who 

help clients register for FEMA and other Federal assistance.

o Population Served. General population affected by disaster. 

o Supporting Agencies. FEMA. 

o Program End State. Permanent housing. 

o Notification and Activation Procedures. American Red Cross chapters continually 

work to be prepared to respond when a disaster threatens or strikes. When a disaster is 

so large that it exceeds the affected chapter's capacity to respond, all of the resources of 

the organization – including those of the affected and supporting units within the affected 

State(s) and of national headquarters – combine to ensure that needed disaster services 

are provided to meet the needs of those affected. 

o Program Authorities. U.S. Congress, act of January 5, 1905, as amended, 36 U.S.C.; 

Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act of 1988 (PL. 93-288 as 

amended) Sec. 30 (b) (3). 

o Further Information. http://www.redcross.org/services/disaster/.

National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster 

National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (National VOAD) is the forum where 

organizations share knowledge and resources throughout the disaster cycle—preparation, 

response and recovery—to help disaster survivors and their communities. Members of 

National VOAD form a coalition of nonprofit organizations that respond to disasters as part of 

their overall mission. Each member has its own specific area of expertise, but together they 

foster more effective service by providing convening mechanisms and outreach for all people and 

organizations involved in disasters. 

• National VOAD Member Contributions. Members provide critical services to disaster 

victims, including a range of skilled and unskilled volunteer labor to clean up, repair, and 

rebuild homes. They may also provide funding for utilities or rental assistance, and assist 

individuals regardless of race, creed, gender, or age. National VOAD members, working with 

FEMA’s Voluntary Agency Liaisons (VALs), actively promote the formation of Long Term 

Recovery Organizations (LTROs) in communities after major disasters. These LTROs, which 

include leadership from the faith community, local government, and local non-profit 

organizations, take responsibility for helping those most in need return to permanent, safe 

and secure housing. Working with National VOAD members, the LTRO provides disaster 

case management, prioritizes the unmet needs in the community, raises additional funds 

needed to meet those needs, and attracts volunteers to carry out the work.

Annexes Page 47 
o Intended Use. The members of National 

VOAD involved in housing generally assist with 

sheltering and permanent housing repair and 

construction. The American Red Cross and the 

Salvation Army, with support from a number of 

other National VOAD members, are the primary 

providers of sheltering services. 

National VOAD Members Providing 

Disaster Housing Assistance 

American Baptist Men 

Brethren Disaster Ministries 

Catholic Charities USA, Disaster Response Office 

Christian Disaster Response 

Christian Reform World Relief Committee 

Church World Service 

City Team Ministries 

Episcopal Relief and Development 

Friends Disaster Service 

Habitat for Humanity 

Lutheran Disaster Response 

Mennonite Disaster Service 

National Emergency Response Team 

Nazarene Disaster Service 

Presbyterian Disaster Assistance 

Samaritan’s Purse 

Southern Baptist Disaster Relief 

United Church of Christ 

United Jewish Communities 

United Methodist Committee on Relief 

United Way of America 

o Program Funding. Funding Category 3. 

These programs are intermittently funded and 

may not be effective without additional or 

supplemental funding. Materials are generally 

acquired using FEMA Individual Assistance 

money, insurance, donated materials, or 

through other grants or donations made to the 

long term recovery effort. Specialized teams 

who work on homes are volunteers or 

sometimes funded through donations from 

sponsoring constituents. Frequently, LTROs 

are in need of additional funding for construction 

materials and/or administrative expenses. 

Funding is most limited in years with weak 

economies, which can affect costs of living and 

philanthropic priorities. 

o Efficiency. The National VOAD response is most efficient when adequate funding is 

available. Adequate funding allows workers to begin rebuilding communities more 

quickly; if adequate funding is not available, time is lost while organizations are forced to 

raise funds for materials, travel, and supplies. The speed at which funds are provided to 

repair homes can expedite the rebuilding of lives, the stimulation of the local economy, 

and the decline of properties waiting for repairs. Funding can also be allocated to 

expenses for skilled laborers, who may not be able to afford travel costs or time off from 

work, but who are willing to volunteer their time on site and leverage their experience and 

talent to accelerate project lead times. Although beyond control of the organization, the 

number of disasters in a given year can also determine how efficient the National VOAD 

response is. The supply of funds is available to National VOAD programs is finite, and a 

year with fewer disasters allows more funds to be allocated to each disaster response. 

Furthermore, an efficient response is delivered when National VOAD understands the 

overall capacity of its member organizations. There are numerous members, but work 

can be efficiently delegated with limited duplication of resources when there is a thorough 

understanding of membership capabilities. 

o Cost Effectiveness. National VOAD delivers cost effective disaster housing assistance 

because its member organizations benefit the affected population using volunteer labor. 

Not only is the volunteer labor at no cost, but many volunteers also pay for their own 

travel expenses. Additionally, organizations continuously raise funds that are used to 

purchase construction materials and cover other costs associated with long term 

recovery. Benefits associated the long term sustainability of communities will be greatest 

Annexes Page 48 
when labor pools include highly skilled workers who lower the probability of future 

housing repairs and when adequate support staff is available to deliver wrap-around 

services. 

o Population Served. National VOAD members are expected to focus on disaster victims 

who have the greatest need for assistance. This is dictated by the National VOAD 

mission and donor consensus. Several National VOAD members do place special 

emphasis on segments of those in need, such as individuals with disabilities and the 

elderly. In contrast, LTROs do not provide assistance to homeowners with adequate 

insurance or other sufficient resources. 

o Program End State. Permanent housing. 

o Supporting Agencies. FEMA, through its Voluntary Agency Liaisons. 

o Notification and Activation Procedures. Each organization will have its own activation 

standards, though National VOAD members generally respond when there are needs 

and most do not require a Presidential-disaster declaration. Nevertheless, the 

declaration can serve as a guide to indicate where resources are most needed. An 

exception involves communities that have a high density of supporting member 

constituencies. In these cases, the VOAD member will likely provide help even if there is 

no declaration. 

 

o Program Authorities. National VOAD members are expected to comply with all 

regulations pertinent to the laws of the communities in which they serve. 

o Further Information. http://www.nvoad.org/. 

Other Matters Concerning the Cooperative Effort to 

Provide Housing Assistance during a Major Disaster 

While each agency and organization plays distinct roles in disaster recovery, a number of 

interdependencies also exist in order to ensure comprehensive solutions are provided to 

those most in need. The section below cites specific examples of cooperate efforts to provide 

housing assistance during a major disaster. These initiatives primarily use tools such as 

Interagency Agreements (IAA), Pre-Scripted Mission Assignments (PSMA), Contracts, or 

Memorandums of Understanding (MOU) to partner with other government entities. As the lead 

Federal agency for emergency management, FEMA is often in a position to coordinate with other 

agencies for housing response and recovery. 

• Disaster Housing Assistance Program. The Federal Emergency Management Agency 

(FEMA) and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development signed an Interagency 

Agreement on July 26, 2006, under which HUD administered a pilot program to provide 

temporary long-term housing rental assistance and case management for Katrina/Rita 

households. HUD administers the Disaster Housing Assistance Program (DHAP) through its 

Public Housing Agencies for eligible Katrina/Rita households who were receiving rental 

Annexes Page 49 
assistance from FEMA. Evacuees register through FEMA for Federal disaster assistance. 

When FEMA determines that they are eligible, displaced families decide where they would 

like to move. Upon arriving in their new community, the evacuated family meets the local 

public housing authority that helps them find a suitable place to live. Families are given a 

rental subsidy based on 100 percent of Fair Market Rent in that community. Eligible families 

included displaced public housing residents, Section 8 voucher holders, other HUD-assisted 

households, and pre-disaster homeless individuals who were directly affected by the 

hurricane. Additionally, individuals had to be eligible for FEMA IHP assistance in order to be 

referred to DHAP. Families initially contribute $50 toward their rent. Every month thereafter, 

the family portion of the rent increases in increments of $50 through the end date of the 

program. HUD and FEMA recently announced a similar initiative for families displaced by 

Hurricane Ike.

The DHAP format for addressing the temporary long-term housing needs of displaced 

disaster households has come into practice as a standard methodology for FEMA/HUDcoordinated housing efforts. However, a “standard DHAP” does not exist; as such, questions 

of population served, cost effectiveness, efficiency, etc. cannot be outlined specifically. As a 

corollary to this, a disaster area cannot request an “activation” of a DHAP per se; “DHAP” is a 

label given to an increasingly standard model for fulfilling temporary long-term disaster 

housing needs. States and localities should acquaint themselves with historical formats for a 

DHAP in order to determine its potential disaster response program in their areas. 

• Operation Blue Roof. This program is funded through FEMA for all counties that have been 

declared by FEMA for the Individual Assistance program, and it is managed by the U.S. Army 

Corps of Engineers (Corps). As a program authorized for the disaster recovery, Corps 

contractors install plastic sheeting as a temporary solution that allows individuals to remain in 

their residence until they can make more permanent repairs. Residents must first sign a 

Right of Entry (ROE) form, which allows crews to come onto private property to install the 

free temporary roofing. The program is for primary residences or permanently occupied 

rental properties with less than 50 percent structural damage, while vacation rental properties 

are not eligible for the program. Once the blue roof is installed, the structure must be 

habitable. 

• Utilization of Government Owned Homes. Homes owned by USDA, HUD, and VA can be 

made available to displaced victims of disasters. For example, after the 2005 disasters in the 

Gulf Coast, an Interagency Agreement (IAA) was signed between HUD and FEMA. The IAA 

set forth the conditions and protocol for the transfer of HUD Real Estate Owned (REO) 

properties held off the market and made available to FEMA for displaced families. This 

agreement identified and made available 5,600 single-family (HUD owned) homes within a 

500-mile radius of the Gulf Coast.

• Online Housing Databases. Online databases help planners and recovery workers identify 

available housing in times need. Three examples include the National Shelter System (NSS), 

the National Housing Locator System (NHLS), and the Housing Portal. 

FEMA works with Federal, State, and voluntary partners to build a robust system for 

evacuation, sheltering, and housing that involves national planning and includes national 

standards. A key initiative is FEMA's collaboration with the American Red Cross to 

Annexes Page 50 
implement the National Shelter System (NSS). The NSS is a database that lists and provides 

key information on more than 46,500 shelters across the country, to include sheltering type 

and capacity. Outreach and training to Federal, State, and local authorities using the system 

is on-going, and the data is continuously verified and updated.

HUD’s National Housing Locator System (NHLS) combines Federal housing resources with 

three commercial apartment locators and housing Web sites to offer one platform that allows 

housing agency personnel and emergency responders immediate accessibility to available 

rental housing resources nationwide. Using housing information from various Internet and 

government data providers, the NHLS allows users to set a number of search criteria to 

locate available housing in a one-stop forum. Search criteria include the desired location by 

city and zip code, price range, acceptance of housing vouchers, accessibility, assisted and 

elderly accommodations, and number of bedrooms. Once the criterion is set, a rapid search 

is conducted nationwide with designated partners, and the information about available 

housing is presented in a report format. In most cases, housing photos and contact 

information are also provided. Launched in January 2006, the NHLS has found particular 

applicability as a tool in past instances of DHAP. 

FEMA’s Housing Portal consolidates rental resources for evacuees identified by Federal 

agencies, private organizations, and individuals. Utilizing HUD’s National Housing Locator 

System (NHLS), FEMA provides housing information in a consolidated format accessible to 

disaster survivors and FEMA housing staff. This program allows housing caseworkers to 

provide rental resources in the NHLS to the public and permits public access to the NHLS via 

the internet. The Housing Portal also provides FEMA staff the ability to pull reports on 

housing resource availability and to enter additional housing resources identified during the 

course of disaster operations. 

 

• Federal Government and Private Sector Working Together. After Hurricane Katrina, HUD 

worked with Home Depot in cities across the Gulf to conduct workshops for homeowners on 

hurricane preparedness. The goal was to increase homeowners’ understanding regarding 

do-it-yourself repairs or contract repairs. In addition, HUD released “Tech Sets” on storm 

resistant roofing and wind resistant openings for use by homeowners, builders, and 

community officials.

• Engaging University Groups in Disaster Relief. On November 1, 2005, HUD and the 

Corporation National and Community Service, launched the Universities Rebuilding America 

Partnership (URAP) at Louisiana State University. The new program offers resources and 

support to engage college and university students, faculty and staff in helping rebuild the Gulf 

Coast Region. 

References 

Annexes Page 51 
Additional documents and sources were used to develop this Annex and can provide 

further information on the topics discussed herein. 

• Stafford Act, 42 USC §5170b, 5174 Sec. 403 and 408 respectively. 

• The Code of Federal Regulations, 44 CFR 206.110-117.

 

Annexes Page 52 
ANNEX 2: 

Methods to House Disaster Victims Where 

Employment and the Resources They Need for 

Living Are Available 

Introduction 

Providing victims of a major disaster with housing, employment, and essential resources 

is a critical part of the recovery effort. This Annex will identify methods to provide housing for 

disaster victims that will promote self-sufficiency as well as outline programs that connect 

relocated disaster victims to job training and employment opportunities. 

Providing housing solutions, employment, essential and social services, and other critical 

resources for displaced disaster victims in areas far from their previous residence is a challenging 

task. Without a solution and plan, dependence on government, nongovernmental organizations 

(NGO), and private sector assistance can be prolonged, thus impeding the recovery of individuals 

and communities. A well-devised plan must establish proper communication between the entities 

offering assistance and the disaster victims. Creating a public messaging strategy is essential to 

facilitate the connection of information and the needed resources with disaster victims. 

As a catastrophic event, the 2005 Gulf Coast disasters strained housing assistance 

capabilities, and highlighted the complexity of disaster housing. Due to the overwhelming 

post-disaster housing assistance need, in many cases, an emphasis was placed on providing 

some form of housing to disaster victims without adequate consideration for employment and 

other essential resources. In some instances, displaced families were provided with housing 

throughout the United States and many lived for an extended period of time in temporary housing 

that was not within reasonable commuting distance of their pre-disaster jobs. In addition to 

disaster-related needs, families living in unfamiliar locations without adequate transportation 

options were disconnected from resources and services that had been available to them prior to 

the disaster. This Annex is intended to address hazards of all sizes, scopes, and scales. 

This experience suggests that new post-disaster housing standards needed to be refined. 

Returning disaster victims to their pre-disaster level of self-sufficiency requires more than just 

adequate temporary housing. Successful implementation of a broader housing solution includes 

facilitating access to employment, services, and resources. This Annex acknowledges the 

comprehensive needs of disaster victims that extend beyond housing. Baseline requirements 

must be established for reconnecting disaster victims with essential services as well as delivering 

new resources to address their disaster-related needs. In July of 2008, the National Advisory 

Council (NAC) established a Wrap-Around Service Task Force to identify additional baseline 

requirements for consideration when developing interim housing plans. The Task Force is in the 

process of finalizing its recommendations. 

Annexes Page 53 
Two methods have been identified to house disaster victims in areas where employment and 

other essential resources are available. The first method will facilitate access to job placement or 

training resources, and other essential services near the impacted area of disaster victims. The 

second method will, in the event of relocation, facilitate access to job placement or training 

resources and other essential services in or near the host community of the displaced individual. 

Housing approaches should include the use of existing housing stocks, and may necessitate the 

deployment of factory-built housing units when existing resources are exhausted or otherwise 

unavailable. 

Programs and methods included in this Annex directly provide, or help to provide, 

sheltering, interim, or permanent housing, employment, and/or resources needed for living 

for individuals or households affected by a major disaster. These programs help individuals 

and households find self-sustainable housing, employment, and other essential services needed 

to return to their pre-disaster state of living. 

Purpose 

In conjunction with sections 683(b)(1)-(3) of the Post-Katrina Emergency Management 

Reform Act (PKEMRA), this Annex is intended to present planners with both an operating 

framework and a sample array of methods to provide an appropriate level of assistance to 

disaster victims, incorporating governmental, non-governmental, and private sectors. This 

approach is intended to address hazards of all types and to provide disaster victims with housing 

in locations where employment and other essential resources are available and accessible. 

This Annex will present planners with key considerations for determining adequate temporary 

housing to support the overall recovery effort. The Annex will also explore employment options 

for mass relocations during disasters and also consider long-term housing options when 

relocating disaster victims. In addition, this Annex will explore and consider methods for 

additional necessary services. 

Assessing Requirements for Housing and Essential 

Services 

Connecting disaster victims with housing solutions while either the repair or replacement 

of their pre-disaster homes is in progress is one of the most demanding facets of disaster 

housing. Housing options vary widely depending on the nature of the event. Planners must 

assess a full range of housing options that are available and determine which will best meet the 

needs of the disaster victims, and provided housing must be decent, safe, and sanitary, and, if 

needed, accessible to people with disabilities. Connecting disaster victims with appropriate 

housing can be most efficiently executed when planners are aware of the various housing options 

and methods.

Annexes Page 54 
Needs Assessment for Housing Options 

A thorough assessment of an affected community’s housing needs is a critical first step in 

disaster recovery. To assess the housing needs of an affected community, a State-Led 

Housing Solutions Task Force (SHSTF), and potentially a Mission Planning Team (MPT) will be 

invited to convene at the Joint Field Office (JFO) when the impact of a disaster makes it 

necessary to provide temporary or permanent housing options. These teams will utilize scoping 

tools and consider data from various sources including the Census Bureau, Preliminary Damage 

Assessments (PDA), shelters, and directly from eligible applicants. The team will compare the 

estimated needs of available resources. 

Outreach to applicants can further identify those in need of housing assistance and identify 

potential accessibility needs. A multi-agency Housing Portal collects information on available 

housing resources. If resources within the affected area are unable to fully address the housing 

needs of the community, alternatives must be explored. Disaster victims may be required to 

relocate outside their pre-disaster communities to seek available opportunities for resources and 

employment. However, it should be recognized that this may impede the community’s ability to 

rebuild. These additional solutions include rental resources beyond the affected area, immediate 

repair assistance to render damaged dwellings habitable while repairs are made, repair and 

rehabilitation of existing rental housing in the affected area, utilization of transitional shelters, and 

the use of temporary housing units. These options culminate into the following three scenarios: 

• Disaster victims move into areas able to accommodate them with all the required services. 

• Disaster victims move into unaffected areas that require enhancement of resources to handle 

the influx of disaster victims. 

• Disaster victims return to the affected area, and services and resources must be augmented 

to sufficiently accommodate their return.

Where damage levels and rental resources permit, it is most often in the best interest of the 

disaster victim to remain in the affected community, within the normal commuting area or within a 

reasonable commuting distance of work and school. The advantages of using rental resources to 

achieve this goal are twofold; the disaster victim retains a sense of continuity in an area where 

they may have the most community ties and the affected community benefits by maintaining their 

citizenship base along with the financial benefits of keeping consumer dollars at home. 

FEMA’s financial assistance places the responsibility for locating housing and negotiating with 

potential landlords in the hands of the applicant, and FEMA offers to assist applicants in locating 

housing units through the Housing portal and Helpline. FEMA provides funds based on the HUD 

Fair Market Rent (FMR) for the locality where the applicant is currently living. The applicant is 

then expected to locate a housing resource and take responsibility for signing a lease. 

Applicants’ holding primary responsibility of housing empowers them to take responsibility for 

their own housing needs. Additionally, applicants will then be responsible for their own housing 

matters, including items such as lease, security deposit, utilities, etc. Disadvantages from this 

method may exist, especially for disaster victims with special needs or low to very low-income 

levels as these applicants may have difficulty locating resources which meet their needs. 

Additionally, applicants may not have the financial resources to assume rent payment after rental 

assistance discontinues or the available finances for the upfront rent costs, such as a security 

deposit. 

Annexes Page 55 
When rental resources are unavailable in the affected area, the SHSTF will determine if 

temporary housing units (e.g., modular homes, manufactured homes, etc.) will be used, and, 

subsequent, if these units will be clustered and which types of units and sites will be used. 

However, all other commercial and private housing options must be exhausted before a factorybuilt housing solution is considered. 

 

If housing needs are unable to be addressed with commercial and private sites, factory-built 

housing may be placed in community site configurations that provide emergency sheltering to 

either renters or homeowners. Manufactured homes are generally used to satisfy temporary 

housing needs and are typically placed on commercial pads or in community sites developed 

expressly for this purpose. A factory-built housing mission may include placing units on private 

sites to enable homeowners to remain on their properties while they repair or rebuild their 

permanent residences. Factory-built housing units can also be placed in existing commercial 

temporary housing sites. However, some areas may have limited resources available outside of 

the site, potentially reducing availability by destroying vital infrastructure. 

Determining the Required Essential and Social Services 

Critical services represent the basic requisite resources that should be available and 

accessible in an area when considering temporary and permanent housing options. These 

critical services include power, water, sewer and wastewater treatment, communications, 

emergency medical care, fire protection/emergency services, and access to food. 

In addition to the critical services outlined above, wrap-around services, infrastructure and 

additional essential services to address disaster-related needs must be considered. Planners 

and disaster recovery providers increasingly acknowledge that housing disaster victims in areas 

located near employment opportunities and social services can assist individuals and households 

in returning to self-sustainability. Determining the types of social services that assist disaster 

victims in their recovery must consider both individual and community needs. Identifying services 

available prior to the disaster can provide insight into post-disaster needs. Accessibility to 

common community services, such as childcare, healthcare, job training, and job placement 

facilitates their return to normal life. The following approaches may be used to ensure that 

disaster victims in temporary and potentially permanent housing have access to these resources: 

• Individuals and households may be housed in established communities where resources are 

available. 

• Individuals and households can be housed in available rental resources or temporary housing 

units in the affected area during the rebuilding process. 

• Following a catastrophic event, a “Host State” concept may be utilized as appropriate, 

whereby entire communities are relocated and existing resources are augmented to 

accommodate the incoming population. 

If vital infrastructure is intact or able to be rapidly restored, disaster victims may also be housed in 

available rental resources or in temporary housing units placed in the affected area during the 

rebuilding process. In particular, the restoration of utility infrastructure must be coordinated and 

prioritized to support the timely, facilitated return of displaced households. A lack of operating 

utility infrastructure may hamper or impede the recovery process and potentially cause health and 

Annexes Page 56 
safety issues. This may also impede the ability of affected residents to stay in their homes or on 

their properties. 

In some cases, critical and community services may not have returned. In this scenario, it is 

essential that services be reestablished, and disaster victims connected to these services, as 

soon as possible. The need for additional services may be magnified if an incident’s recovery 

requires the development of community sites. Annex 4 will further describe resource 

requirements, and site placement of community sites. Planners should work closely with service 

providers to create a plan for reestablishing services that may have been disrupted by the 

disaster. 

Connecting Individuals to Resources 

Disaster victims can be connected with the most appropriate and effective housing 

options once the needs of communities and individuals are assessed in conjunction with 

availability of resources. When individuals and households relocate to established 

communities where resources are available, the critical component is connecting them to existing 

resources, and addressing other needs that may have been a direct result of the disaster. This 

can be accomplished by working with disaster victims that have been relocated, such as in the 

case management process. 

Disaster Case Management 

Disaster case management begins immediately after the disaster and continues through 

the recovery phase. Disaster case management is the process of organizing and providing a 

timely coordinated approach to assess disaster-related needs as well as existing healthcare, 

mental health and human services needs that may adversely impact an individual’s recovery if 

not addressed. Disaster case management facilitates the delivery of appropriate resources and 

services, works with a client to implement a recovery plan and advocates for the client’s needs to 

assist him or her in returning to a pre-disaster status while respecting human dignity. If 

necessary, disaster case management helps transition the client with pre-existing needs to 

existing case management providers after disaster related needs are addressed. This is 

facilitated through the provision of a single point of contact for disaster assistance applicants who 

need a wide variety of services that may be provided by many different organizations. 

The purpose of disaster case management is to rapidly return individuals and families who have 

survived a disaster to a state of self-sufficiency. This is accomplished by ensuring that each 

individual has access to a case manager who will take information about the individual’s situation 

and then serve as his or her advocate and help him or her organize and access the disaster 

related resources, human services, healthcare and mental health care that will help him or her 

achieve pre-disaster levels of functioning and equilibrium. The service is particularly critical in 

situations where large-scale deaths, injuries or personal property damage have occurred. 

To accomplish this, case managers meet with individuals and households and complete an 

assessment. The purpose of the assessment is to identify what the impact of the disaster event 

was on individuals and households, what assistance has been received, and what they perceive 

Annexes Page 57 
as their immediate and ongoing disaster related needs. To ensure a client’s return to selfsufficiency, it is essential to address unmet disaster-cased needs as well as healthcare, mental 

health, and human services needs that may impede recovery if not addressed. The assessment 

process provides the case manager with the opportunity to help the individuals and households 

pinpoint specific goals for their recovery and begin to organize the steps needed to attain each 

goal. This process results in a disaster recovery plan that is specific to an individual or 

household’s needs. 

The recovery plan is a written document that becomes the road map for recovery. Each goal is 

listed, the steps to meet the goal are detailed, and the responsibilities and timeframes for 

accomplishing the steps are assigned. The goals are linked with the client’s disaster-cased 

needs and any healthcare, mental health, and human services needs that may impede recovery. 

Throughout the case management process, the disaster case manager advocates for resources 

necessary to accomplish the goals of clients. This advocacy is critical to a client’s return to selfsufficiency. 

Disaster case managers have a responsibility to be aware of resources in the community. 

Resources are identified and categorized through various means. Common practices for 

resource management include using case management software databases for input of 

information and working with local information and referral providers. Networking with other case 

managers, case management supervisors, and also Federal, State, and local agency 

representatives will provide additional resource information.

Coordinated Assistance Network 

Collecting and utilizing available data can facilitate a more efficient way to connect 

disaster victims with essential resources. The Coordinated Assistance Network (CAN) is a 

client information storage platform that stores, tracks, coordinates and facilitates easy access to 

clients’ information among partner agencies via the Internet. If coordination of services and case 

management assistance is required, CAN allows participating agencies full access to clients’ 

disaster information and tracks their recovery efforts. Additionally, CAN provides a separate 

function of resource tracking and works closely with the 211 system in the areas where 211 is 

active. 

During various pilot programs, CAN played a vital role in linking clients to services available from 

agencies in the community that have the capacity to provide them. More importantly, CAN 

prevents the duplication of benefits and limits paper trails while maintaining confidentiality and 

integrity of clients’ information. CAN is designed with the flexibility to meet the specific needs of 

its users in a disaster, obtaining client information from the FEMA’s National Emergency 

Management Information System (NEMIS) (while still preserving the applicant’s confidential 

information under the Privacy Act), the American Red Cross Client Assistance System (CAS), 

and from participating agencies through partnership agreements and in compliance with Privacy 

Act regulations. CAN’s data input fields can be modified to capture specific information from 

clients living in FEMA temporary housing units so that clients can be transferred to agencies with 

services matching their needs. CAN will continue to play an important role in the disaster case 

management field. 

Direct Housing Recertification 

Annexes Page 58 
Coordination with FEMA Direct Housing recertification can also help expedite household 

recovery and achievement of permanent housing for disaster victims. Efficient delivery of 

services to disaster victims begins with efficient planning and maximization of resources. Under 

FEMA policy, the recertification field staff works directly with applicants housed in FEMA units as 

they progress toward implementing their permanent housing plan. This frequent contact 

contributes to a greater understanding of the household’s needs and current situation, and 

provides opportunities to connect applicants with essential services based on their unique needs. 

Case management should work alongside the certification coordinators to provide assessment of 

and recommendations for clients. Through coordination with the State case management 

services, recertification caseworkers may be able to provide more effective guidance for the 

applicant’s household recovery and achievement of permanent housing. 

Goodwill Industries International 

Goodwill Industries International (GII) is one of the world's largest nonprofit networks of 

education, training, and career service providers for people with disadvantages and disabilities. 

GII enhances the dignity and quality of life of individuals, families, and communities by eliminating 

barriers to opportunity and helping people in need reach their fullest potential through the power 

of work. To directly address the challenging conditions that prevent individuals from succeeding 

in the workplace and hold families back from achieving financial stability, GII has deployed ten 

family strengthening strategies that equip organizations, individuals, and households to succeed. 

These strategies describe the multiple approaches Goodwill chooses to deploy to support families 

in their communities based on their mission, the goals of the organization, the needs of the 

people served, and the strengths and challenges of the local community. The strategies include 

support for low-wage employees; cultivation of community partnerships to gain access to valuable 

support services; youth and adult education, training, and career support; and financial education 

and asset building activities.

Goodwill may provide wrap-around services and connections to community resources for job 

seekers so that they can stabilize their families as they identify employment opportunities. GII 

strives to ensure that personal and family needs or other difficulties are not providing barriers to 

employment. Professionals at local Goodwills are available to help connect disaster victims with 

childcare, transportation, counseling, life skills programs for people with disabilities, and 

numerous other services. Additionally, if a local Goodwill does not provide a service, they are 

able to connect job seekers with other community organizations that do. 

Connecting Disaster Victims with Employment 

Providing housing for residents with access to employment opportunities is a challenge 

that requires thought and planning. In order to take advantage of these opportunities, 

however, many residents may require the aid of various support programs. Such supports can 

signify the difference between failure and becoming self-sufficient. 

Annexes Page 59 
Barriers to Employment and Facilitation of Access 

Challenges and obstacles present in a post-disaster environment can prevent disaster victims 

from seeking employment in a traditional manner. Particularly, disaster victims are often unable 

to access services in a timely fashion as a result of their own experience in the disaster, and not 

at the fault of the service providing agency. Loss or destruction of individual identification or other 

documentation, such as verification of prior employment, can occur when other property is 

damaged or destroyed. This may prevent disaster victims from accessing employment 

opportunities and other post-disaster resources. 

Numerous jobs at the lower end of the employment spectrum, in terms of wages and skill, may be 

lost as one of the impacts of the disaster. Unlike affected individuals at the upper end of the 

employment spectrum, who may have more flexibility in employment choices and opportunities, 

these individuals may lose both housing and employment in a single event and be forced to 

compete for an insufficient number of jobs. This situation will amplify the need for support 

services. 

If a disaster victim is provided with temporary housing away from their home during the impact 

period, they may not be made aware of employment opportunities near their previous residence. 

Additionally, if an individual is required to relocate and transportation limitations exist which 

restrict their ability to do so, their ability to find employment in the area to which they are 

relocating will be hindered. Improved communication tools and tactics can diminish the potential 

impact of these situations. 

 

Barriers to employment may also arise from a disaster victim’s pre-disaster circumstances. For 

example, the lack of a strong employment record prior to disaster or the presence of a criminal 

record may deter potential employers. 

Individual Facilitation 

Individuals and families must take initial and primary responsibility for their recovery. Individuals 

who have lost their jobs are responsible for determining options that could meet their needs as 

well as seeking out resources, such as job listings, job placement organizations, and career 

counseling services, to help facilitate the employment process. The subsequent sections, 

detailing programs offered by the government and nongovernmental organizations to assist 

disaster victims with findings employment, are most effective when individuals make the first 

effort to contact them in search of employment. Although job counseling, workshops, vocational 

training, job placement services, and other programs are offered by outside organizations, it is the 

responsibility of the individual to seek out and fully engage themselves in these opportunities. 

Individuals must recognize that their pre-disaster jobs may not be a feasible option to return to in 

the future and should begin assessing their skills and goals in conjunction with job availability. 

Online options, such as www.USAJobs.com for government careers, www.craigslist.org, 

www.hotjobs.yahoo.com, www.indeed.com, www.Careerbuilder.com, www.monster.com, and 

others, can provide a good starting point for individuals seeking employment. 

Annexes Page 60 
Government Sector Programs 

With vast resources available and the position as the prime responder in the wake of a disaster, 

the federal government has both the capability and capacity to facilitate employment for disaster 

victims. Natural aptitudes or life experiences can sometimes point the way to marketable interests 

and skills with outside agencies providing the necessary screening, formal training, supervised 

experience, and credentials. 

• Department of Labor. The Department of Labor (DOL) administers several programs to 

specifically assist displaced workers under the Workforce Development Act of 1998 (WIA). 

The WIA authorizes the DOL to provide annual funding to States for the operation of 

workforce development programs and the provision of services to all categories of dislocated 

workers, regardless of the reason for their dislocation. WIA services are available through a 

network of over 3,000 One-Stop Career Centers nationwide, and workers have access to a 

broad range of services available under the WIA umbrella, including those provided by 

partner programs in the One-Stop Career Centers. Locations of One-Stop Centers can be 

found at http://www.servicelocator.org. 

Under the authorizing legislation of the WIA, the DOL administers several programs 

specifically to assist disaster victims with employment, including the Disaster Unemployment 

Assistance (DUA), National Emergency Grant Program, and the WIA Dislocated Worker 

Program. DUA provides financial assistance to individuals whose employment or selfemployment has been lost or interrupted as a direct result of a major disaster declared by the 

President of the United States. Before an individual can be determined eligible for DUA, it 

must be established that the individual is not eligible for regular unemployment insurance 

benefits under any State or Federal law. The program is administered by States as agents of 

the Federal Government. 

The National Emergency Grant disaster project creates temporary employment to assist with 

clean-up and restoration activities as well as humanitarian assistance to communities that 

have been affected by a disaster. Funds are used to provide disaster relief employment on 

projects that provide food, clothing, shelter, and other humanitarian assistance for disaster 

victims, and projects regarding demolition, cleaning, repair, renovation, and reconstruction of 

damaged and destroyed structures, facilities, and lands located within the disaster area. 

Individuals are eligible to be offered disaster relief employment if the individual is a dislocated 

worker, is a long-term unemployed individual, or is temporarily or permanently laid off as a 

consequence of the disaster. The initial grant provides for a clean-up period to last no more 

than six months from the date of grant award unless there is a subsequent modification (e.g., 

fully documented plan or other request) that justifies a longer clean-up period. These 

applications require verification that FEMA has declared the disaster area to be eligible for 

public assistance. 

The WIA Dislocated Worker Program provides a variety of services, including access to 

resource rooms equipped with job banks, skills assessment tools, interest, aptitude and 

abilities inventories, labor market information, resume writing software and reviews of 

transferable skills. The program also coordinates workshops on job opportunities and 

interviews as well as stress and financial management. Displaced workers are given access 

to career counselors and case management, supportive services such as child care and 

Annexes Page 61 
transportation, and language and skills training (short-term, incumbent worker training, etc.) 

through a network of certified training providers. For those workers needing to upgrade their 

skills, training for high-growth and high-demand occupations is available through Individual 

Training Accounts, which allow dislocated workers to make informed choices as to which 

eligible training provider will provide the adequate training needed for a speedy return to 

work. 

Both State workforce agencies as well as DOL regional offices should be consulted as soon 

as possible to determine the optimal funding mix for the circumstances of any given 

dislocation. DOL’s Office of National Response can be reached at (202) 693-2757 as a 

primary point of contact in a disaster situation. Regional office contacts can also be found at 

http://www.doleta.gov/regions/regoffices/. Additionally, DOL regional offices have existing 

arrangements with FEMA and often can be accessed through FEMA at the regional level. 

Additionally, DOL ancillary services may be available for post-disaster relief. However, these 

services often require additional lead time to activate. For example, the Disability Navigator 

Program (DPN) deploys “navigators” to conduct outreach to the disabled community and 

organizations that serve that community. The navigators provide expertise and information 

on work incentives and employment support programs, assistance on navigating through the 

variety of programs and services that impact their employment (e.g., transportation, housing, 

health care, etc.), and serve as a resource to other One-Stop Center staff. However these 

services take time to deploy, so contacting DOL as quickly as possible in a disaster scenario 

will help ensure availability of services in a timelier manner. 

• Department of Commerce. The Department of Commerce’s Economic Development 

Association (EDA) creates jobs in areas of distress and is frequently involved in the economic 

development aspects of long term disaster recovery. EDA's grant programs are available to 

State and local governments, NGOs, (including faith-based and community organizations) 

and tribes; direct or financial assistance to individuals is not possible. EDA provides public 

works infrastructure, local technical assistance, and regional and local economic 

development planning programs to assist in long term disaster recovery. EDA does not 

directly fund housing efforts, however EDA does fund public infrastructure (water, sewer, 

roads, bridges, building rehabs for manufacturing and research, etc.) as a means of 

facilitating private investment and ultimately job creation. EDA frequently partners with other 

Federal agencies to encourage cooperation between local partners and the business sector 

to address regional issues of distress and economic development.

• Department of Health and Human Services. The Department of Health and Human 

Services (HHS) has provided employment assistance for disaster victims as part of the 

Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program. The TANF program is designed 

to temporarily provide help while a family moves to self-sufficiency. To achieve this, TANF 

grants both federal funds and wide flexibility to States, territories and tribes for the 

development and implementation of their own welfare programs, thus providing assistance 

and work opportunities to needy families. This assistance is time-limited and promotes work, 

responsibility and self-sufficiency. TANF grants are administered by State, territorial and 

tribal agencies, and citizens can apply for TANF at the respective agency administering the 

program in their community. The federal government does not provide TANF assistance 

directly to individuals or families.

Annexes Page 62 
• Department of Housing and Urban Development. The Department of Housing and Urban 

Development has a number of programs and measures which operate in conjunction with 

local communities to provide capacity for disaster response and recovery, both in the area of 

the disaster as well as nationwide. These programs and measures are typically supported by 

HUD and serve to support community needs. In the event of a disaster, HUD programs may 

identify opportunities to expedite response through the issuance of waivers to specific 

program requirements for affected communities.

HUD has worked in conjunction with housing authorities, particularly the Housing Authority of 

New Orleans (HANO) during and after the 2005 hurricane season, to help develop an 

employment program for residents and assist the housing authority in connecting with social 

services programs in the wake of the disaster. In completing these objectives, the HUD works 

with social service providers and employers in affected areas and assists local staff to collect 

baseline data and develop long-term processes for resident outreach. 

• Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). In the wake of a disaster, FEMA often 

interviews and hires local citizens for short-term disaster assignments and also encourages 

individual States to hire local disaster victims to staff Crisis Counseling and other grant 

programs that they administer. For disaster victims looking to connect with others to facilitate 

employment, there are often opportunities to share and exchange employment and training 

information at FEMA Disaster Recovery Centers. 

Nongovernmental Organizations 

• Goodwill Industries International. To directly address the employment needs of disaster 

victims, GII can provide job seekers with resources that help them conduct job searches, 

write resumes and practice their interviewing skills. Local Goodwill career professionals 

regularly contact local employers to learn about jobs that are available, and then they connect 

job seekers with these employment opportunities. Goodwill may choose to host or cosponsor local and regional job fairs at disaster or evacuation sites.

Local Goodwills can also potentially place disaster victims who have lost employment in 

temporary jobs or in jobs at Goodwill, providing employment until a permanent job can be 

acquired. Through this effort, many job seekers can find work in Goodwill retail stores, or at 

one of their many business or government contract work sites. After placing a disaster victim 

in a job, the local Goodwill may follow up on a regular basis to find out if they are continuing 

to do well on the job, or if they need more training, on-site job coaching or additional services. 

To give newly hired workers a good foundation for career success or help those who are 

employed learn how to build on their existing skills and develop their careers, local Goodwills 

may offer reading, math, computer and language skills, high school equivalency preparation, 

and other classes. Some Goodwills also offer financial education and asset development 

services that help low-wage earners avoid money traps and build savings for their future as 

well as classes in family life and personal health. 

For additional information or to connect to a local Goodwill Industries organization, please 

visit Goodwill’s Web site: http://www.goodwill.org. 

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• Faith-Based and Community Organizations. Faith-based and community organizations 

serve a vital role at the local, State, tribal and national levels by performing essential service 

missions in times of need. They provide sheltering, emergency feeding, disaster case 

management and coordination of resources during long-term recovery. Faith-based and 

community organizations may also provide leadership and coordination of service delivery for 

various types and sizes of disasters, both declared and non-declared, for a wide range of 

populations including persons with special needs. FEMA's Center for Faith-Based and 

Community Initiatives provides outreach to faith-based and community organizations in the 

Department of Homeland Security's social and community service programs, fostering 

participation. 

• Voluntary Agencies. Through education, training and support services, Volunteers of 

America (VOA) provides employment and training programs that help prepare individuals for 

better-paying positions to enable them to lead safe and secure lives. VOA serves as an 

engaged partner in helping disaster victims build job skills and launch new businesses. 

Programs include employment counseling, job placement, adult education and literacy, 

computer training, and employment/work experience programs. 

Employment specialists connect participants with employment opportunities as well as 

community resources to meet the specific needs of the individual. Specialists provide access 

to job search information, application and interview techniques and resume preparation. 

Transitional services such as career planning, retraining and job search assistance are 

available to individuals who have been laid off or downsized. 

Private Sector 

Coordination with companies on development of contingency plans is essential. 

Companies that want to be involved in potential relief and recovery efforts are urged to contact 

the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s Business Civic Leadership Center National Disaster Help Desk 

for Business (1-888-MY-BIZ-HELP). Participating businesses will be asked to help afflicted 

companies with re-openings, infrastructure rebuilding, and job training. 

Connecting Disaster Victims with Housing 

Disaster victims should obtain housing where employment and other resources needed 

for living are available. Most disaster victims will be able to obtain housing and employment at 

or near their pre-disaster residence. However, in some cases, disaster-related destruction of an 

entire community may require disaster victims to obtain housing outside of their pre-disaster 

community. In other cases, better employment opportunities or other resources elsewhere may 

prompt the disaster victim to relocate. 

Housing in the Pre-Disaster Community

Many of those who lose employment, housing, and other essential resources as a result of a 

major disaster will still be able to remain in their pre-disaster community. If the basic infrastructure 

of a community is still intact and a disaster victim is able to locate employment and needed 

Annexes Page 64 
resources through the methods and programs outlined in the previous two sections, the programs 

described in Annexes 1, 3, 4, 5, and 7 can be used to assist the disaster victim with obtaining 

housing in their pre-disaster community. This may either entail repairs or reconstruction of the 

pre-disaster residence or acquisition of a new residence in or near the affected area. However, it 

should be noted that construction resources in certain areas may be overwhelmed. The 

construction industry, including materials, labor and equipment, will be impacted by the disaster. 

An acceptable rate of reconstruction may not be achieved without augmentation of local 

construction capabilities from outside the disaster area. 

 

Housing Outside of the Pre-Disaster Community 

In certain cases, especially in the event of a major disaster, disaster victims may not be able to 

obtain employment or housing in their pre-disaster communities. Relocation to obtain housing, 

employment, and essential services for those affected by catastrophic disasters, effectively 

destroying infrastructure in a community and rendering it uninhabitable, is discussed in the 

‘Catastrophic Events’ section below. 

In other cases, individuals may lose employment and/or housing as the result of a disaster and 

decide that relocation from the pre-disaster area is the best option to meet their needs. For 

example, an individual may work for a company that chooses not to reopen in the wake of a 

disaster. Although the disaster victim may be able to find comparable employment in the affected 

area, they may also choose to relocate. In this case, traditional methods to seek out housing can 

be used, although some assistance may be available in term of grants or loans to assist 

individuals in relocating and obtaining housing. Consult Annex 1 for a description of these 

programs. 

• Department of Housing and Urban Development. Existing HUD programs can be applied 

directly to address the challenges of the post disaster environment or serve as a 

programmatic “point of departure” for a focused effort targeting disaster victims. With HUD 

funds, PHAs provide relocation assistance directly to individuals living in HUD-sponsored 

PHA housing; please see the HUD sections in NDHS Annexes 1 and 3 for full descriptions of 

these programs. Additionally, HUD’s Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) 

programs provide funding to States, and this funding is often bolstered for disaster regions 

through Congressional supplemental appropriations. States may seek permission to use 

existing funding for relocation payments to people and businesses displaced by the disaster 

as well. More information can be found in NDHS Annexes 1 and 3. 

Catastrophic Events 

Communities devastated or severely affected by a catastrophic incident may take years to 

rebuild and revitalize. Such cases can overwhelm the resources of the State or region and 

require the complete reconstruction of critical infrastructure and key resources, redevelopment of 

homes and long-term housing solutions, and the restoration of economic growth and vitality. 

Generally, displaced residents prefer to remain near their damaged dwellings, particularly if 

repairs are in progress. However, infrastructure damage, including roads, utilities and other 

public services, may delay the ability to establish interim housing in the immediate areas affected 

Annexes Page 65 
by the disaster. Relocation of displaced victims to interim housing in neighboring municipalities 

and States may need to be arranged if the local housing stock and/or infrastructure will be 

insufficient for an extended period of time. 

As defined by the National Response Framework (NRF), a catastrophic incident is any natural or 

manmade incident that results in extraordinary levels of mass casualties, damage, or disruption 

severely affecting the population, infrastructure, environment, economy, national morale, and/or 

government functions. A catastrophic incident could result in sustained national impacts over an 

extended period of time. This type of event almost immediately exceeds resources normally 

available to State, local, tribal, and private-sector authorities in the impacted area. An event of 

this nature could also significantly interrupt governmental operations and emergency services to 

such an extent that national security could be threatened. 

A catastrophic event could cause destruction of tens or hundreds of thousands of homes. Due to 

the acute lack of temporary housing resources, stays in mass shelters, relocations to distant 

cities, and other extreme forms of dislocation are expected to last many months. This can cause 

long-term disruption of employment and schooling, and other socioeconomic issues. Permanent 

resettlement into a neighborhood devastated by a catastrophic disaster can take years or may not 

occur at all. In particular, a chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear and explosive (CBRNE) 

event may render the affected area uninhabitable for an indeterminate amount of time. Planning 

techniques must be adaptable and capable of effectively guiding response to disasters of any 

type or magnitude, including catastrophic events. 

In addition to the needs of the disaster victims, the influx of relief workers, insurance adjusters, 

construction workers, and volunteers into an affected community creates additional and 

potentially overwhelming demands for housing and basic human services. To ensure timely 

response and recovery efforts, Federal, State, tribal, and local coordination is required to plan 

and implement alternate, temporary measures to meet these essential needs. 

Public Messaging 

Clear, concise, accessible, and accurate public messaging is crucial to alleviate concerns. 

Accurate and consistent information must be provided to the American public to help them 

prepare for, prevent, respond to and recover from disasters. Ensuring that communications are 

effective with all segments of the population, including persons with limited English proficiency 

and persons with disabilities who may need language assistance services or auxiliary aids and 

services, is critical. Conversely, public messaging gaps or unclear messages can prevent 

disaster victims from being matched with available resources. 

The FEMA External Affairs Division accomplishes post-disaster public messaging through 

establishing and maintaining effective, on-going relationships with the media to promote the 

agency’s programs, goals and core values. This division also services internal and external 

customers by developing communication strategies that support the FEMA’s mission and strives 

to provide disaster victims with timely and accurate information, and managing communications 

to demonstrate an effective federal response to disasters. 

The authority to support Federal domestic incident management during an incident of national 

significance or incidents requiring a coordinated Federal response is provided in the National 

Annexes Page 66 
Response Framework’s Emergency Support Function 15 (ESF 15), External Affairs. ESF 15 

integrates Public Affairs, Congressional Affairs, State, territorial, Local and Tribal Affairs 

Coordination, Community Relations, International Affairs, and the Private Sector under the 

coordinating auspices of external affairs. In the wake of a major disaster, these components of 

the FEMA External Affairs office work together to provide a coordinated communications 

response. 

Host State Protocol 

If a disaster causes devastation and destruction to pre-existing housing stock so severe that a 

sizable portion of disaster victims will not be able to return to their home area for an extended 

period of time, FEMA may implement their Host-State Temporary Housing protocol. This refers to 

an evacuee-support protocol whereby FEMA, through a contract agent and not exceeding 18 

months, will coordinate Individuals and Households Programs (IHP) rental assistance payments 

at FMR directly to the temporary housing landlords for eligible disaster victims. While this 

protocol is designed for use in situations where States are hosting large numbers of disaster 

victims who will not be able to return to their homes, home communities, or home State(s) for an 

extended period of time, it may also be employed in the affected home State. This protocol will 

only be implemented under the authority of Stafford Act section 408, Federal Assistance to 

Individuals and Households; States may not place disaster victims in apartments or other 

temporary housing on a reimbursable basis. 

Host State Guidelines 

The devastating 2005 hurricane season, when Hurricanes Katrina and Rita affected more than a 

million households in the Gulf Coast States and inflicted extensive damage on infrastructure, 

communities, and human service systems, indicated the need for greater focus on resources 

(both availability and management), support structures, and provision of assistance to disaster 

victims during catastrophic responses and mass evacuations. To provide these resources, 

guidelines, and best practices for host States conducting short- or long-term evacuee support, 

FEMA developed the Host State Evacuee Support Planning Guide. 

The Host State Evacuee Support Planning Guide describes assistance (both from Federal 

organizations and nongovernmental entities) available, current planning tools, templates, 

information documents, lessons learned, and best practices through the following four sections: 

• Determining Host State Capacity and Capability 

• Evacuee Support Planning for Short-Term, Intermediate, and Long-Term 

• Federal and National Evacuee Support 

• Process Diagrams, Glossary, Planning Support Links, and Support Web Sites 

Additionally, links to various documents and organizational Web sites are provided throughout the 

document. These resources connect readers to additional information and templates on specific 

topics and corresponding information. Although it uses “host State” language, the Guide is 

applicable to any jurisdiction hosting evacuees from outside their area, including those within an 

impact State. 

Annexes Page 67 
The Guide is designed to address the support needs of the entire evacuee population and the 

planning needed by host States to support evacuees. It is intended as general guidance and is 

not inclusive of all possible needs, options, or situations. The information found in the Host State 

Evacuee Support Planning Guide should be adapted according to the specific situation or event 

of each potential or actual disaster. 

Relocation Assistance

If the evacuated area is capable of mass re-habitation, at the request of the State, FEMA may 

coordinate and fund a return mass transportation to the point of origin through a mission 

assignment. This is intended to help with moving and transportation costs for individuals and 

households who wanted to return to an area affected by a major disaster and/or move into more 

permanent housing. 

If the evacuated area is not capable of mass re-habitation (i.e., large numbers of evacuees 

cannot return due to widespread damage and destruction of residences), eligible evacuees are 

authorized, with host-State consent, to use Other Needs Assistance (ONA) funding to purchase 

return transportation, once they are able to do so. 

If disaster victims will be unable to return for an extended period of time, such as following a 

CBRNE event, connections should be made to place individuals and households into temporary 

housing options that have the potential to become permanent. In these situations, it is 

increasingly important to connect them to services that will facilitate securing employment, and 

settlement into the new community. 

Three key options provide for temporary housing to be available in areas with employment 

opportunities and other resources. These options can, if necessary, either assist in the transition 

of relocated disaster victims into permanent housing or provide disaster victims with extended 

temporary housing near their pre-disaster residences until infrastructure can be reestablished. 

However, for all options, disaster victims must develop and continually work towards a realistic 

plan that, within a reasonable timeframe, will put them back into permanent housing that is similar 

to their pre-disaster housing situation. These are based on current FEMA disaster temporary 

housing practices: 

• Option A: Leveraging Existing Building Structures in Impacted or Host Communities. 

This option leverages existing building structures and relates directly to the current FEMA 

Rental Repairs Pilot Program for leveraging existing residential or non-residential buildings 

for temporary housing in impacted or host communities. 

o Rental Repairs. Rental repairs provide a great opportunity to minimize cost and reduce 

recovery time when the temporary housing needs are expected to be extensive and 

where local, affordable and accessible rental resources are insufficient to meet the 

permanent housing need. Repairing existing residential or commercial buildings, such as 

an old manufacturing loft building, can increase housing availability in many urban areas. 

The key is to ensure work is done to bring these structures up to code and livable. 

o Option B: Unit Based. Another approach is unit-based and encompasses the type of 

temporary housing unit FEMA may purchase and deploy. This option requires the 

Annexes Page 68 
deployment of units that can lend themselves to becoming either in whole or in part of a 

permanent home. The Joint Housing Solutions Group and the AHPP in FEMA have been 

exploring alternative housing options with some that may lend themselves to permanent 

housing. 

An advantage of this unit-based approach is that it can be used also on FEMA Private Site 

situation, where the home lots are available but where the homeowners want to rebuild in 

place but lack the financial resources to rebuild within the 18 months required. 

Option C: Site Based. Community sites may be used to provide temporary housing for disaster 

victims, and the location, design, infrastructure of the site selected and utilized will determine the 

success of this option. Generally, community site housing is considered only as a last resort. 

The feasibility of all three options depends heavily on the willingness of the impacted or host 

communities to accept them becoming “permanent” -- thus FEMA assistance ending after 18 

months and the financial responsibility falling upon the community. 

An example of this can be found in the post-Katrina and post-Rita Gulf Coast, where a substantial 

number of households in the impacted communities lost use of their primary homes. These 

disaster victims had no other housing resources of their own and had no feasible options in spite 

of FEMA’s financial and other assistance to relocate. While their housing plans were to rebuild in 

or near their original home lots and communities, due to financial constraints and other 

challenges beyond their controls and capacities, disaster victims would not be able to complete 

reconstruction of their homes within 18 months, and/or they would have to resettle into a FEMA 

community site or other forms of direct housing assistance for well beyond 18 months. 

In summary, “temp-to-perm” options may be warranted only when there are substantial postdisaster permanent housing needs that are unmet via existing resources and programs and when 

temporary housing options would need to be used for a long period of time, incurring high 

financial and administrative costs but contributing little to the long-term housing needs. 

Action Items 

Local and State governments, particularly in areas at high risk for disasters, such as the Gulf 

Coast, should determine if host community and/or host State agreements are appropriate. If 

appropriate, these agreements should be developed with responsibilities clearly defined. Long 

Term Recovery Committees should be formed as soon as possible after a disaster event to 

ensure that planners are considering the potential long-term implications in temporary housing 

options, including the possible need to transition temporary housing to permanent housing. 

Lessons Learned and Best Practices 

Examining the past experiences, successes, and failures of existing housing programs 

will aid in preparing for future disasters. Identifying the critical challenges that have 

undermined and prevented a more efficient and effective response in the past will allow disaster 

planners and others to be better prepared for future situations. Additionally, recognizing what 

Annexes Page 69 
past solutions and actions were particularly effective can be incorporated as best practices and 

included in future disaster housing plans. 

Innovative Approaches to Providing Housing 

Housing programs should be strategically designed to be connected with wrap-around 

services. During the planning process for identifying and selecting housing solutions, it is 

essential that access to infrastructure, essential services, and services to address disasterrelated needs of affected residents living in temporary housing sites are considered. This is 

especially critical in the selection of community site locations. Whenever possible, sites should be 

selected that are within close proximity to the resources described in this Annex, as well as 

Annex 4. 

Lessons Learned behind the HOPE VI Program 

A number of best practices have been identified from the HUD HOPE VI program, and many can 

serve as touchstones for any disaster housing program. These lessons, therefore, should be 

helpful to anyone engaged in community-building efforts in any low-income, distressed 

community. 

• When used effectively, local employment can be both a training ground for workers 

and an asset to the community. Communities can become effective training grounds and 

launching pads for underprivileged or marginalized citizens who want to become selfsufficient and a catalyst for the revitalization of the larger neighborhood. Additionally, the flow 

of public revitalization dollars into a neighborhood can generate opportunities for on-the-job 

training for residents. These jobs, although temporary, may be structured to provide entry to 

labor union jobs or other private-sector employment. Revitalization itself can be the source of 

jobs and even the beginning of a profitable career. 

Assessing the services needed by area residents and businesses is a good way to generate 

ideas for resident-owned enterprises. Community needs such as childcare or an affordable 

outlet for food or essential supplies can be a source of jobs for residents, perhaps even 

leading to full-time positions in the private sector. Work that might once have been 

contracted out by the housing authority can provide jobs and experience for new employeeowned companies, helping them to establish a record of accomplishment of contract 

fulfillment and competent performance. 

• A comprehensive overall strategy is needed. Having a strategy is essential. This includes 

making a detailed inventory of community assets and resources, potential partners, long-and 

short-term goals, and the kinds of resident activities that should be supported in order to 

achieve those goals. There may be pressure for expedient, but not necessarily smart, 

solutions. Such pressure must be recognized and resisted, and will likely require leadership 

engagements. 

• If disaster victims are relocated to an area, local residents should be involved in plans 

for incorporating them into the community. Residents should be actively involved from the 

start in identifying the needs and priorities of the community and shaping and implementing 

Annexes Page 70 
the strategies for addressing them. Housing providers must identify appropriate community 

partners and identify those responsible for liaising and coordinating those partnerships. 

Residents should help to design and implement these programs. Ideally, the residents 

should be an active participant from the community-building programs that will affect their 

lives. Residents should be involved in the planning for rehabilitation of units, demolition, and 

construction matters; all of which generate employment and the need for ancillary services. 

Without resident involvement, projects risk facing distrust and public rejection. Additionally, 

housing providers must create the context to support such resident involvement or it will be 

extremely difficult for it to take place. 

• Resident advocates need to be involved in the entire process of assimilating disaster 

victims into their communities. Resident advocates can provide a valuable link between 

disaster victims and prospective contractor providing employment, asking contractors such 

questions as: 

o How many workers will you need to perform each task? 

o Where will you get those workers? 

o What kind of training will residents need to take advantage of these opportunities, and 

how and where can this be arranged? 

o What services or tasks will be sub-contracted? 

o What companies or unions do you usually work with? 

o How many residents will you commit to hiring as workers or trainees? 

o Where can residents acquire the skills they’ll need? 

Disaster victims incorporated into a community can also benefit from resident advocates with 

technical advising abilities, such as attorneys representing their interests. 

• Progress and development may occur at a slower pace than first anticipated. 

Progress does not always proceed in a straight line but often advances in fragments where 

even disappointing setbacks and failures can teach valuable lessons. Building the capacity 

of people and institutions to take on new responsibilities is never a simple task. Though the 

shared vision must be kept central, new strategies and stakeholders may be introduced as 

it develops. 

• The housing provider and its partners must be prepared to stay the course. It is 

important to set short-term, more easily achievable goals as well as long-term goals. It is 

also important to celebrate even modest accomplishments (for example, through 

newsletters, bulletin boards, graduation ceremonies, awarding simple plaques, or other 

community events). 

• Seeking out and forging partnerships with experienced nonprofit and for-profit 

institutions in the larger community is crucial. Partnership with entities such as police, 

social service agencies, civic groups, area businesses or business associations, local 

school systems, and community colleges is key to delivering the supportive services—and 

developing the opportunities—residents need to become self-sufficient. Major employers 

should be introduced to the labor pool of HOPE VI-like housing program residents. HOPE 

VI supportive services and similar programs help prepare residents for employment and 

assist them in overcoming barriers to work, such as the need for childcare services. 

Annexes Page 71 
• Initiatives should be localized when possible and efforts should be focused on an 

area of manageable size. Programs and plans are most effective in communities whose 

residents and other stake-holders can know each other, feel some measure of control over 

their environment, and have input into the decisions that affect their lives. 

• Social networks that tie residents to actual job opportunities and to stake-holders are 

critical parts of a job-linkage strategy. In general, low-skilled workers benefit more from 

more formal networks. In the most effective employment programs, housing providers identify 

prospective employers and tie the training process to job commitments. 

• Employment-readiness training is critical for persons seeking employment. To be truly 

employable, individuals need not only be able to demonstrate competency in performing 

some type of work, but they need to have appropriate attitudes and work-place habits. 

Through mutual support groups or ongoing mentoring programs, follow-up counseling or 

support is often helpful. Access to computer technology can also provide residents with 

marketable skills and access to job-related information, job training programs, GED or literacy 

programs, and other resources. Access to a personal computer can become a powerful 

incentive for residents to participate in an educational program. Part-time jobs can become a 

bridge for graduates from a computer program to work while they continue to perfect their 

skills. Faith-based and community organizations, businesses, and civic volunteer 

organizations can provide mentoring and leadership programs for residents. 

• Given reasonable caseloads, the case management approach can help pull together a 

variety of needed services at the local level in the service of a larger vision. However, 

larger system changes that are supportive of the integrated approach to service provision 

should be sought. 

Lessons Learned from FEMA’s Alternative Housing Pilot Program (AHPP) 

The AHPP is a four year program designed to identify, implement and evaluate disaster housing 

alternatives to the FEMA travel trailer. Although the AHPP effort is still in its infancy, FEMA has 

already learned several key lessons from this pilot. 

• Comprehensive planning is critical. The amount of planning time the States would need to 

implement these grants was severely underestimated. While there is an abundance of 

alternative housing designs available, the AHPP experience to date has made it abundantly 

clear that identifying an appropriate replacement (or replacements) to the FEMA travel trailer 

is the relatively easy part. The more difficult aspect is negotiating with a variety of local 

jurisdictions over placement, permitting, zoning, disposition, maintenance, etc. The lack of 

sufficient time allocated specifically for planning resulted in delays in implementation for three 

of the four grantees. Future projects would benefit from a pre-defined timeframe during 

which many implementation issues could be anticipated and planned for. 

• Community acceptance is critical. Each of the Grantees has experienced significant 

difficulty with locating sites for AHPP placement due to NIMBY issues. Securing community 

buy-in proved to be more difficult than expected. In many cases, local government officials 

were more resistant than residents. In the AHPP experience, not enough time was dedicated 

to educating local jurisdictions on the objectives and expected outcomes of the project. As a 

Annexes Page 72 
result, Grantees encountered significant resistance. While having a solid plan does not 

guarantee community acceptance, the lack of a comprehensive plan almost guarantees 

resistance. Local communities and their governing officials must be educated on the project 

from the start and must be engaged in helping to find mutually agreeable solutions. In the 

Mississippi AHPP, Mississippi Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) convinced their 

jurisdictions to allow them to place the units temporarily for two years. In this way, MEMA 

was afforded an opportunity to demonstrate the units to both local officials and residents. A 

clear understanding of any potential follow-on requirements is also critical, as some 

communities will have housing requirements well beyond the original deadlines and families 

needing housing may be again displaced in an effort to comply with a deadline. 

• Streamlining is critical. Many Grantees struggled with navigating the myriad of confusing 

and occasionally conflicting regulations governing such items as the Uniform Federal 

Accessibility Standards (UFAS) and environmental review processes. Regarding UFAS, it 

was beneficial to discover that the Department of Justice (DOJ) has UFAS experts under 

contract. As a result, FEMA was able to utilize the knowledge and expertise free of charge, 

and by using a third-party, additional legitimacy was brought to the process. Additionally, it 

was learned that environmental assessments by various agencies were conducted very 

differently. At one site, severe frustration was experienced when the property owner realized 

that FEMA would not accept the environmental review that the Department of Defense (DOD) 

had previously conducted. Similar situations have arisen whereby FEMA did not accept an 

environmental review conducted by HUD. Finding ways to reduce duplication and streamline 

common processes will contribute greatly to future housing efforts.

References 

Additional documents and sources were used to develop this Annex and can provide 

further information on the topics discussed herein.

• Stafford Act, 42 USC §5174 (Sec. 408) 

• The Code of Federal Regulations, 44 CFR 206.110-117 

Annexes Page 73 
ANNEX 3: 

Summary of Programs for Special Needs and LowIncome Populations, Including Provision of Housing 

Units for Individuals with Disabilities 

Introduction 

Hurricane Katrina emphasized the importance of understanding and accommodating 

people with special needs, disabilities, and/or low incomes. Ideally, populations who need 

the most support and resources are evacuated when disasters can be accurately forecasted and 

logistical arrangements can be made. This helps to ensure that individuals continue to receive 

life-sustaining services and sheltering. After a community is impacted by a disaster, State, tribal, 

and local government agencies, together with the private sector, begin repairing the damaged 

infrastructure and restoring essential services. During major and catastrophic disasters, this 

process may require an extensive period of time to restore those services and exceed the 

capabilities of emergency response at all jurisdictional levels. People with special needs, 

disabilities, and/or low-incomes are often particularly impacted. This underscores the need for a 

more comprehensive understanding with respect to the level of housing assistance required by 

these populations in a major disaster and the urgency to coordinate an all-hazards approach. 

Disaster housing assistance practices are evolving, and the Federal government is currently 

implementing a coordinated effort to overcome the shortfalls in housing programs and services. 

Through the Post-Katrina Emergency Management Reform Act (PKEMRA) and consequently this 

Annex, further solutions are being explored. 

Emergency planners face the challenge of identifying housing programs that offer specific 

assistance to persons with special needs, disabilities, and/or low-incomes in the wake of a 

disaster. This can be a daunting task as a vast number of programs exist, and timely, informed 

decisions must be made when help is needed the most. While all programs that receive Federal 

funding must adhere to civil rights statutes, planners must understand which programs are best 

positioned to assist these populations. At present, very few housing programs exist exclusively to 

assist these populations in disaster-specific instances, but a number of programs are relevant 

and could offer support if called upon. Well-coordinated housing assistance programs must be 

available to individuals with special needs, disabilities, and/or low incomes who are displaced by 

a disaster. Housing programs in this Annex include both those focusing on persons with special 

needs, disabilities, and/or low incomes, as well as disaster housing programs with special 

provisions for persons with special needs, disabilities, and/or low incomes. 

Before discussing the housing programs available, it is important to understand the Federal 

legislation and guidelines governing the recovery process. Federal civil rights statutes listed 

below protect persons with disabilities from discrimination in virtually all programs and services 

that relate to housing. 

Annexes Page 74 
• The Architectural Barriers Act (ABA). This Act requires that buildings and facilities 

designed, constructed, or altered with Federal funds, or leased by a Federal agency, comply 

with Federal standards for physical accessibility. These requirements are limited to 

architectural standards in new and altered buildings and in newly leased facilities. Federal 

funds used to provide shelter, interim, or permanent housing after a disaster must comply 

with ABA requirements. Guidelines for meeting ABA requirements are provided through 

Uniform Federal Accessibility Standards (UFAS).

• Uniform Federal Accessibility Standards (UFAS). UFAS is authorized under the 

Architectural Barriers Act of 1968, as amended, Pub. L. No. 90-480, 42 U.S.C. 4151-4157. 

UFAS establishes requirements for the design, construction, and alteration of buildings to 

ensure that individuals with disabilities will have ready access to and use of them. UFAS, for 

example, describes requirements for elevators, entrances, and common areas.

UFAS represents an agreement to minimize the differences among Federal building 

standard-setting agencies. It was jointly developed by the General Services Administration 

(GSA), the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), and the Department of 

Defense (DOD), and the United States Postal Service (USPS) in 1984. However, HUD is the 

only agency to continue its use as a standard for the design and construction of buildings 

subject to the ABA. Each of the other standard-setting agencies has incorporated the U.S. 

Access Board’s most recent accessibility guidelines, published in 2004, as their ABA 

Standards. UFAS also attempts to minimize differences in standards for facilities that are not 

federally funded or constructed.

• The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The ADA prohibits discrimination on the basis 

of a disability in four of its titles: Employment, State and Local Government Activities/Public 

Transportation, Public Accommodations, and Telecommunications Relay Services. The ADA 

defines a person with a disability as an individual who: has a physical or mental impairment 

that substantially limits one or more major life activities of such individual; has a history or 

record of such impairment; or is regarded as having such impairment. All programs that 

receive Federal funds must be ADA compliant, and Congress must comply with the ADA. 

Many of the facilities covered by the ABA are also required to comply with the ADA 

Accessibility Guidelines (ADAAG) where it provides a greater level of accessibility than 

UFAS. 

• Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. Section 504 prohibits discrimination on the 

basis of disability in any program or activity that receives Federal financial assistance, 

including federally subsidized housing programs. Housing providers covered by Section 504 

must bear the costs of making all programs accessible to and usable by persons with 

disabilities. 

• The Fair Housing Amendments Act of 1988 (FHAA). The FHAA extends protection 

against housing discrimination to persons with disabilities. It requires housing providers to 

permit, at the expense of the individual with a disability, reasonable modifications of existing 

premises upon request. It also requires housing providers to make reasonable 

accommodations (adjustments to rules, policies, practices, or procedures) upon request by 

individuals with disabilities. FHAA covers almost all housing activities or transactions in the 

Annexes Page 75 
public or private sector, including the discriminatory application of zoning, land use, or health 

and safety regulations. 

• The Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act of 2000. The 

Developmental Disabilities (DD) Act requires the Administration on Developmental 

Disabilities (ADD) to ensure that people with developmental disabilities and their families 

receive the services and supports they need and also participate in the planning and 

designing of those services. The DD Act established eight areas of emphasis for ADD 

programs, including housing. 

• Executive Order 13347. This executive order was issued to “strengthen emergency 

preparedness with respect to individuals with disabilities.” It became a policy of the Federal 

Government to ensure that the support needed by individuals with disabilities is integrated 

into the development and implementation of emergency preparedness plans by Federal, 

State, tribal, and local governments and private organizations. 

• Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title VI. This title prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, 

color, and national origin by recipients of Federal financial assistance. 

• Age Discrimination Act of 1975. This Act prohibits discrimination on the basis of age in 

programs and activities receiving Federal financial assistance. 

• Pets Evacuation and Transportation Act of 2006. This amended the Robert T. Stafford 

Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act to ensure that State and local emergency 

preparedness operational plans address the needs of individuals with household pets and 

service animals following a major disaster or emergency. 

This Annex presents an array of programs to be used but is not an exhaustive list.

Stakeholders should continually seek to innovate and improve disaster housing options for 

individuals and households affected by disaster. To support innovation in disaster housing, the 

standards that housing and related services must minimally meet or exceed are described in this 

Annex. 

Purpose 

In response to Section 683 (b) (5) of the Post-Katrina Emergency Management Reform Act 

(PKEMRA), this Annex is intended to formally address programs and topics that are 

particularly important for the well-being of and facilitate the identification of housing 

programs directed to meet the needs of individuals with special needs, disabilities, and/or 

low incomes following a Presidentially declared disaster. This document will allow 

emergency management planners to more effectively prepare, and thus deliver, disaster housing 

assistance throughout the immediate and long-term recovery process. Ultimately, planners need 

to have a broad knowledge of the Federal, State, and local resources available to ensure that 

qualified applicants with special needs, disabilities, and/or low incomes receive housing 

appropriate to their needs. 

Annexes Page 76 
Connecting Individuals with Special Needs, Disabilities, 

and/or Low Incomes with Appropriate Resources 

Disaster housing programs will be useful only if they are compatible with the needs of the 

population which they are intended to serve. After a disaster strikes a community, many 

government and local agencies are mobilized to support the response efforts to help households 

and businesses recover from the incident. When disaster-caused needs are beyond the personal 

resources of affected individuals and households, they are encouraged to seek assistance from 

local and State resources. If the disaster is of a magnitude that requires additional assistance, 

States can request a Presidential declaration. After a Presidentially declared disaster, Federal 

housing programs may be made available to victims and their communities to begin the recovery 

process. Individuals who have suffered damage to their dwellings are encouraged to apply for 

these programs. A list of all available disaster housing programs can be found in Annex 1. In 

addition to housing programs, support services will be essential to the recovery of persons with 

special needs, disabilities, and/or low-income. These include utilities, transportation, and medical 

and social services. 

Federal law requires the government to accommodate persons with disabilities by providing 

qualifying individuals with housing that is compliant with UFAS to the extent that any 

modifications meet the physical disability needs of the individual. In some occasions, when a 

qualifying individual with special needs or disabilities is identified, modifications may have to be 

made to the dwelling in order to accommodate the specific needs of the individual. The goal of 

the Federal Government is to ensure that all eligible individuals and households are provided with 

interim and/or permanent housing solutions that meet their mobility/accessibility needs. 

Federal, State, tribal, and local government agencies and Nongovernmental Organizations

(NGOs) have statutory or mission-based disaster housing responsibilities, capabilities, 

and resources. These agencies and organizations usually work together after a disaster to 

coordinate efforts and avoid duplication of benefits. 

NGO assistance programs typically are community-based and dependent on financial support 

from local sources as well as the NGO’s national support network. These programs are often 

limited in scope and constrained by the lack of available financial resources; because of these 

limitations, NGOs offer targeted assistance and tailor their programs to the specific needs of the 

affected area. NGO disaster assistance programs are generally flexible to meet the disasterspecific needs of affected populations. In contrast, Federal and most State programs have more 

restrictive eligibility requirements than NGOs and predetermined maximum financial assistance 

limits. These programs also must comply with applicable regulations, including the statutes cited 

above, that protect individuals with special needs and/or low incomes and that prohibit 

discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, disability, and age. 

Current legislation imposes financial restrictions on Federal programs; therefore, populations with 

additional needs and/or low income receive the same amount of financial assistance as the 

general population, even though their needs may exceed the limits of the program. It is also 

important to point out that all government, and most NGO, programs consider the personal 

resources of the disaster survivor before providing housing assistance, regardless of any special

need, disability and/or income level. 

Annexes Page 77 
Donations of financial and resource support from the private sector are the backbone of NGO 

assistance programs. Local communities and NGOs, including faith-based organizations (FBOs) 

and community-based organizations (CBOs), have traditionally relied on these donations to 

support areas affected by disaster. NGOs can provide skilled and unskilled voluntary labor, as 

well as durable goods and services, to individuals with special needs, disabilities, and/or lowincome to address their housing needs. NGOs typically have more flexibility in the scope and 

delivery of assistance programs than government agencies and often respond to the needs of 

individuals affected by disaster by modifying or expanding their services. Most NGOs provide 

housing assistance to the population at large; however, during disaster recovery operations, 

many work closely and collaboratively with local long-term recovery committees (LTRCs). LTRCs 

are established to support individual unmet recovery needs following a disaster. NGOs 

participate in, and follow guidelines established by, LTRCs when providing assistance to disaster 

victims. At the request or recommendation of the LTRC, they may provide additional assistance 

to individuals with special needs, disabilities, and/or low incomes. Such requests may include 

repair or reconstruction of damaged or destroyed dwellings to standards that meet or exceed 

ADA/ABA and/or UFAS requirements. Other services may include provision of funding for 

households with essential unmet needs, such as transportation to medical appointments, 

provision of durable medical equipment, and replacement of personal belongings, including 

furniture, and financial assistance to pay for additional support services (e.g., medical and 

caregiver bills). 

Federal, State, tribal, and local governments depend on the innovative and creative power of the 

private sector to resolve some of these housing issues. Government agencies contract with the 

private sector to harness these innovative and creative abilities, which help to develop new ways 

to resolve the needs of individuals with special needs, provide mechanisms to allow those with 

disabilities to live independent lives, and/or to provide adequate housing for persons with lowincome. 

Application Process 

When a household is identified that includes a qualifying individual, an inquiry will immediately 

begin to determine what, if any, modifications are required to house that survivor, his or her family 

or caregivers, and/or any service animals. Housing these individuals after a disaster should 

occur at the same pace as the general population, but priority should be given to ensure that the 

application process and services provided are accessible to people with special needs and/or 

disabilities, using methods that can reach these specific populations (e.g., Sign language, 

Telecommunications Device for the Deaf (TDD), Teletypewriter (TTY), etc.). When Federal 

funding is provided for the repair/replacement of dwellings of applicants with special needs, 

particularly those with disabilities, modifications/construction must comply with UFAS and local 

building codes. When households with low income are affected by disaster, response/recovery 

support agencies and organizations should facilitate access to those households to Federal, 

State, NGO, and other applicable programs that may help them meet their immediate disastercaused and long-term needs. Emergency managers should also be knowledgeable about State 

and NGO non-Federally funded housing and assistance programs that assist populations with 

special needs and disabilities. 

If individuals or households with special needs, disabilities, and/or low incomes have difficulty 

accessing available services and programs, government agencies and NGOs can 

advise/advocate for them and/or help them submit applications. The first step in this process is to 

Annexes Page 78 
apply for FEMA assistance by registering by telephone, 1-800-621-3362, or through the FEMA 

Web site, www.disasteraid.fema.gov. Individuals with speech or hearing impairments can call 

(TTY) 1-800-462-7585. Individuals with limited English proficiency can access an interpreter 

through FEMA's toll-free language bank when visiting a Disaster Recovery Center (DRC) or 

registering by phone for FEMA assistance. 

When applying for assistance by telephone, individuals with special needs, disabilities, and/or low 

incomes should discuss their needs with the FEMA teleregistration specialist. When applying 

online, individuals with special needs and/or disabilities should complete the section on ‘Special 

Needs’ when applicable, while individuals with low income should report their annual income in 

the appropriate section of the application. Many NGOs and governmental agencies have case 

workers that can help guide disaster victims through the application process and help them 

access other Federal, State, and NGO programs. When further assistance is needed, 

government agency and NGO staff should refer applicants to case managers, who can help them 

address their needs. 

Case Management 

Disaster case management may play an important role in ensuring that applicants are paired with 

appropriate resources. Case managers first meet with an individual or household to do an 

assessment. During the assessment, the case manager identifies the impact of the disaster on 

the victims, the types and amounts of assistance that have been received, and what the 

individuals and households perceive as their immediate and ongoing disaster-related needs. The 

case manager and the client then work together to develop a comprehensive disaster recovery 

plan. The plan should assess and coordinate services and resources that address unmet needs. 

It should also outline the steps necessary for the individual or household to recover from the 

disaster. Many of the resources that are available to individuals with special needs, disabilities, 

and/or low incomes have annual budgets and specific application periods. If funds have been 

disbursed prior to receipt of an application, the individual may have to wait until the following 

budget year before being able to access the resource. The case manager should understand 

each program clearly and help applicants adjust their recovery plan accordingly. This process 

should result in a disaster recovery plan that is specific to an individual’s or household’s needs 

and helps to distinguish between “wants” and “needs.” 

 

Housing Programs Focusing on Persons with Special 

Needs, Disabilities, and/or Low Incomes 

Housing programs listed in the section below are not listed in Annex 1. These programs 

specifically address individuals with special needs, disabilities, and/or low-incomes. In 

contrast, programs listed in Annex 1 are relatively inclusive; they are directed to meet the postdisaster housing needs of a broader audience. Moreover, programs included in this Annex 

section may not be specifically directed to offer post-disaster relief, but they can be employed if 

necessary to contribute to the overall response. The activation of programs in this section is not 

contingent upon a Presidential declaration, with the exception of the Department of Health and 

Annexes Page 79 
Human Services’ (HHS) Disaster Relief Reimbursements, Older Americans Act, Title IV and 

Special Programs for the Aging, Title III. 

Unfortunately, many, if not most, of these programs have extensive waiting lists (frequently in 

excess of one year) and thus have few vacancies, so all available alternatives for housing will 

need to be considered. Although some programs allow people experiencing emergencies to be 

placed at the top of the wait list, units in subsidized housing do not frequently become available. 

Additionally, not all Federal programs will be fully funded or accessible after a disaster.

The Federal agencies listed below are ordered according to their appearance in Annex 1, and the 

order in Annex 1 is consistent with the agency appearance in PKEMRA. Programs listed 

underneath each agency are in alphabetical order. The populations discussed in this section are 

not necessarily distinct and independent from one another. Individuals may belong to more than 

one of the categories. 

Department of Housing and Urban Development 

• Assisted-living Conversion Program (ALCP). This program provides private nonprofit 

owners of eligible housing developments with a grant to convert some or all of the dwelling 

units in the project into an Assisted Living Facility (ALF) for the frail elderly. The facility must 

be licensed and regulated by the State. If there is no State law providing such licensing and 

regulation, the municipality or other subdivision in which the facility is located must be 

licensed. ALFs are designed to accommodate frail elderly and people with disabilities who 

can live independently but need assistance with activities of daily living, such as assistance 

with eating, bathing, grooming, dressing, and home management activities. ALFs must 

provide support services such as personal care, transportation, meals, housekeeping, and 

laundry.

o Population Served. Frail elderly and persons with disabilities. 

o Program Authority. Section 202b of the Housing Act of 1959, as amended. HUD's 

Office of Multifamily Housing is responsible for administering the Assisted-Living 

Conversion Program. 

o Application Process. Applicants must submit an application for funding, in response to 

the Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) published in the Federal Register each fiscal 

year. Applicants who apply for the Assisted-Living Conversion Program compete for 

program funds allocated to each individual Multifamily Hub Office. Awards are generally 

announced in September. 

o Further Information. http://www.hud.gov/offices/hsg/mfh/progdesc/alcp.cfm .

• Demonstration Program for Elderly Housing for Intergenerational Families. 

o Population Served. Very low-income grandparents or relatives who are heads of 

household and raising a child no older than 18 years of age (or 19, if also attending 

school). Heads of household must be 62 years of age or older to be eligible. 

Annexes Page 80 
o Program Authorities. Section 202 of the Housing Act of 1959 (12 U.S.C. 1701q). HUD's 

Office of Multifamily Housing is responsible for administering the Demonstration Program 

for Elderly Housing for Intergenerational Families. The Demonstration Program for 

Elderly Housing for Intergenerational Families is authorized by Living Equitably: 

Grandparents Aiding Children and Youth Act of 2003 or the LEGACY Act of 2003 (Pub. 

L. 108-186, Title II, Dec. 16, 2003; 117 Stat. 2688). The Department of Housing and 

Urban Development Appropriations Act, 2006 (Pub. L. 109-115, approved Nov. 30, 2005) 

provided $3.96 million for a Section 202 Demonstration Program for Elderly Housing for 

Intergenerational Families pursuant to section 203 of Public Law 108-186. 

o Application Process. Applicants must submit an application for funding, in response to 

the Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) published in the Federal Register each fiscal 

year. Applicants that apply for the Assisted-Living Conversion Program compete for 

program funds allocated to each individual Multifamily Hub Office. Awards are generally 

announced in September. 

o Further Information. http://www.hud.gov/offices/hsg/mfh/progdesc/eldfam.cfm.

• Emergency Shelter Grants (ESG). This program provides grants to help increase both the 

number and quality of emergency and transitional shelters for homeless individuals and 

families. Grantees use ESG funds to rehabilitate and operate these facilities, provide 

essential social services, and prevent homelessness. This program is based on the formula 

used in the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program discussed in Annex 1 

and later in this Annex. Eligible activities include renovation, major rehabilitation, or 

conversion of buildings for use as emergency or transitional shelters for the homeless. 

Following a major disaster, HUD can waive certain requirements related to citizen 

participation for plan amendments, the definition of emergency shelter facilities, and 

deadlines for using grant funds.

o Population Served. Homeless families and individuals and those with low incomes in 

immediate risk of losing their housing due to eviction, foreclosure, or utility shutoffs. 

o Program Authority. McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act of 1987, Title IV, as 

amended, 42 U.S.C. 11371-78. 

o Application Process: Applicants must follow same processes as established for the 

Community Development Block Grants (CDBG). See CDBG section of Annex 1 for more 

information. 

o Further Information. http://www.hud.gov/offices/cpd/homeless/programs/esg/ and 

www.hudhre.info.

• Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS (HOPWA) Program. HOPWA funding 

provides housing assistance and related supportive services as part of HUD’s Consolidated 

Planning Initiative, which works in partnership with communities and neighborhoods in 

managing Federal funds appropriated for HIV/AIDS programs. HOPWA grantees are 

encouraged to develop community-wide strategies and form partnerships with area nonprofit 

organizations. HOPWA funds may be used for a wide range of housing, social services, 

program planning, and development costs. These include, but are not limited to, the 

Annexes Page 81 
acquisition, rehabilitation, or new construction of housing units, costs for facility operations, 

rental assistance, and short-term payments to prevent homelessness. In the aftermath of a 

disaster, HUD may decide to issue a series of waivers pertaining to this program. Contact 

HUD for additional information. HOPWA funds are awarded as grants by one of three 

programs: The HOPWA Formula Program, which allocates HOPWA funds to eligible States 

and cities on behalf of their metropolitan areas; the Competitive Program, which is based on 

a National competition to select model projects or programs; and National Technical 

Assistance Funding, by which awards are provided to strengthen the management, 

operation, and capacity of HOPWA grantees, project sponsors, and potential applicants of 

HOPWA funding. 

o Population Served. Low-income, very low income, and extremely low income persons 

who are living with HIV/AIDS and the families of those persons. 

o Program Authority. AIDS Housing Opportunity Act, Public Law 101-624. 

o Application Process. Applicants must submit an application for funding, in response to 

the Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) published in the Federal Register each fiscal 

year. Contact a local HUD office or go to the HUD Web site for additional information. 

o Further Information. http://www.hudhre.info/hopwa/index.cfm?do=viewHopwaHome

• Indian Community Development Block Grant (ICDBG) Imminent Threat (IT) Funds. The 

ICDBG program provides eligible grantees with direct grants for use in developing viable 

Indian and Alaska Native Communities, including decent housing, a suitable living 

environment, and economic opportunities, primarily for low- and moderate-income persons. 

Eligible applicants for assistance include any Indian tribe, band, group, or nation (including 

Alaska Indians, Aleut, and Eskimos) or Alaska Native village which has established a 

relationship with the Federal Government as defined in the program regulations. In certain 

instances, tribal organizations may be eligible to apply. Program funding includes housing 

rehabilitation, land acquisition to support new housing construction, and under limited 

circumstances, new housing construction. Furthermore, the program regulations provide for 

two categories of grants, one of which is an Imminent Threat. The second category is Single 

Purpose grants, which are awarded on a competition basis pursuant to the terms published in 

an annual Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA). The Secretary of HUD may set aside 5% of 

each year's allocation for the noncompetitive, first come-first served, funding of grants to 

eliminate or lessen problems which pose an imminent threat to public health or safety. 

o Population Served. Low- and moderate-income persons living in Indian or Alaska 

Native communities. Low and moderate income is generally defined as 80 percent of the 

median income, as determined by HUD, adjusted for family size.

o Program Authorities. Housing and Community Development Act of 1974, Section 

106(a), as amended, 42 U.S.C. 5301 et seq.; Housing and Urban Development Act, 

Section 7(d), 42 U.S.C. 3535(d). 

o Application Process. Applicants must submit an application for funding, in response to 

the Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) published in the Federal Register each fiscal 

year. Contact a local HUD office or go to the HUD Web site for additional information 

Annexes Page 82 
o Further Information. http://www.hud.gov/offices/pih/ih/grants/icdbg.cfm.

• Section 8 Moderate Rehabilitation Single Room Occupancy (SRO) Program. This 

program assists very low-income, single, homeless individuals in obtaining safe, sanitary, and 

secure permanent housing in privately-owned, rehabilitated buildings. Under the SRO 

program, HUD enters into contracts with Public Housing Agencies and other agencies that 

make Section 8 rental assistance payments to participating landlords on behalf of homeless 

individuals who rent the rehabilitated dwellings. Owners are compensated for the cost of 

rehabilitation (as well as the other costs of owning and maintaining the property) through the 

housing assistance payments. 

o Population Served. Homeless individuals

o Program Authorities. McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act of 1987, Title IV, as 

amended. 

o Application Process. Eligible applicants are public housing authorities (PHA) and nonprofit organizations where a PHA will administer the rental assistance. Contact a local 

HUD office or go to the HUD Web site for additional information on the Continuum of 

Care application process. 

o Further Information. http://www.hud.gov/offices/cpd/homeless/programs/sro/ and 

www.hudhre.info.

• Section 202 Supportive Housing for the Elderly Program. Section 202 capital advances 

can be used to finance the construction, rehabilitation, or acquisition (with or without 

rehabilitation of structures) that will serve as supportive housing for very low-income elderly 

persons, including the frail elderly, and provide rent subsidies for the projects to help make 

them affordable. It provides very low-income elderly with options that allow them to live 

independently but in an environment that provides support activities such as cleaning, 

cooking, transportation, etc. After a disaster, displaced individuals may be given preference 

over other applicants on the waiting list provided that the displaced individual meets all other 

eligibility requirements.

o Population Served. Very low-income households comprised of at least one person who 

is at least 62 years old at the time of initial occupancy. This program is open to nonprofits as well as State and Federal Government agencies. 

o Program Authorities. Housing Act of 1959; Section 210 of the Housing and Community 

Development Act of 1974 P. L. 86-372 (12 U.S.C. 1701q, 73 Stat. 654, 667); the National 

Affordable Housing Act, P. L. 101-625 (42 U.S.C. 12701); the Housing and Community 

Development Act of 1992 (P.L. 102-550); the Rescissions Act (P.L. 104-19); and the 

American Homeownership and Economic Opportunity Act of 2000 (P.L. 106-569). 

o Application Process. This program is for States, PHAs, and governmental agencies 

only. Contact a local HUD office or go to the HUD Web site for additional information. 

o Further Information. http://www.hud.gov/offices/hsg/mfh/progdesc/eld202.cfm. 

Annexes Page 83 
• Section 811 Supportive Housing for Persons with Disabilities. Section 811 capital 

advances can be used to construct, rehabilitate, or acquire structures to be used as 

supportive housing for low-income persons with disabilities. Project-based rental assistance 

is used to cover the difference between the HUD-approved operating costs of the project and 

the tenants' contributions toward rent, which is 30 percent of a tenant’s adjusted income. 

After a disaster, displaced individuals may be given preference over other applicants on the 

waiting list provided that the displaced individual meets all other eligibility requirements.

o Population Served. Very low-income persons with a physical disability, developmental 

disability, or chronic mental illness who are also 18 years of age or older. Individuals 

must be referred to State/local agencies in order to access this program.

o Program Authorities. National Affordable Housing Act, Public Law 101-625, 42 U.S.C. 

8013, 104 Stat. 4324, 4331; Housing and Community Development Act of 1992, Public 

Law 102-550; the Rescissions Act, Public Law 104-19; American Homeownership and 

Economic Opportunity Act of 2000, Public Law 106-569; and the Revised Continuing 

Appropriations Resolution, 2007, Public Law 110-5. 

o Application Process. This program is for States and governmental agencies only. 

Contact a local HUD office or go to the HUD Web site for additional information. 

o Further Information. http://www.hud.gov/offices/hsg/mfh/progdesc/disab811.cfm.

• Shelter Plus Care. The program provides rental assistance for homeless people with 

disabilities, primarily those with serious mental illness, chronic problems with alcohol and/or 

drugs, and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) and related diseases. The rental 

assistance is provided through one of four components. Tenant-based Rental Assistance 

(TRA) provides rental assistance to homeless persons who choose the housing in which they 

reside. Residents retain the assistance if they move. Sponsor-based Rental Assistance 

(SRA) provides rental assistance through contracts between the grant recipient and a private 

nonprofit sponsor or community health agency established as a public nonprofit entity that 

owns or leases dwelling units in which participants reside. Project-based Rental Assistance 

(PRA) provides rental assistance to the owner of an existing structure where the owner 

agrees to lease the units to homeless people. Residents do not take the assistance with 

them if they move. Section 8 Moderate Rehabilitation for Single Room Occupancy (SRO) 

Dwellings provides grants for rental assistance. 

o Population Served. Program participants must be homeless with disabilities, such as 

mental illness, chronic problems with alcohol, drugs, or both, or have AIDS and related 

diseases. Individuals must be referred to State/local agencies in order to access this 

program.

o Program Authorities. Subtitle F of Title IV of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance 

Act of 1987 as amended, 42 U.S.C.11403. 

o Application Process. This program is for States and governmental agencies only. 

Contact a local HUD office or go to the HUD Web site for additional information. 

Annexes Page 84 
o Further Information. http://www.hud.gov/offices/cpd/homeless/programs/splusc/ and 

www.hudhre.info. 

• Title V Surplus Property Program to Assist the Homeless. This program makes suitable 

Federal properties, which are categorized as unutilized, underutilized, excess, or surplus, 

available to States, local governments, and nonprofit organizations for use to assist homeless 

persons. HUD consolidates information from Federal agencies about their unutilized, 

underutilized, excess, and surplus properties and determines which are suitable for use to 

assist homeless persons.

o Population Served. Homeless persons. Individuals must be referred to State/local 

agencies in order to access this program.

o Program Authorities. The Title V program for identification and use of surplus property 

is authorized by the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act of 1987, as amended 

November 29, 1990, and Title V, Public Law 101-645. 

o Application Process. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) handles 

the application portion of the program. Interested providers should notify HHS of their 

intention to apply for property within 60 days of the Federal Register notice. Applicants 

have 90 days after a notice of interest (NOI) is received to submit an application. Once 

an application is complete, HHS acts on it within 25 days. The landholding agency enters 

into a license, permit, or lease agreement for homeless provider's use of unutilized or 

underutilized property. HHS will handle the lease or deed document for surplus 

properties. 

o Further Information. The program and application process are described in greater 

depth, at http://old.psc.gov/aos/federalprop/titleV.html#titleV.

• Supportive Housing Program. This program provides grants for new construction, 

acquisition, rehabilitation, or leasing of buildings that provide transitional or permanent 

housing. The also entails supportive services to homeless individuals and families, grants to 

fund a portion of annual operating costs, and grants for technical assistance. These grants 

defray the cost of providing housing and supportive services for homeless persons. Projects 

are designed to assist homeless persons to move into independent living.

o Population Served. Homeless individuals and households with children. Those 

seeking permanent housing under this program must be considered disabled.

o Program Authorities. McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act of 1987, Title IV, 

Subtitle C, as amended. 

o Application Process. This program is for States, local governments, other 

governmental entities, such as Public Housing Authorities and private nonprofit 

organizations. Contact a local HUD office or go to the HUD Web site for additional 

information. 

Annexes Page 85 
o Further Information. http://www.hud.gov/offices/cpd/homeless/programs/shp/ and 

www.hudhre.info.

Department of Veterans Affairs

Specially Adapted Housing Grants. This program provides grants for constructing an adapted 

home or modifying an existing home to some veterans with 100 percent permanent and total 

service-connected disabilities. The goal is to offer a barrier-free living environment that affords 

the veterans or service members a level of independent living he or she may not normally enjoy. 

Public Law 109-233 authorized up to three usages of grant benefits. Public Law 110-289 provided 

for annual increases in the maximum grant amount to keep pace with the residential cost-ofconstruction index. When the maximum grant amounts are increased, veterans or service 

members who have not used the assistance available to them up to the allowable three times 

may be entitled to a grant equal to the increase in the maximum grant amount at that time. 

o Population Served. Veterans who have specific service-connected disabilities. 

o Program Authorities. VA home loan benefits are administered under the authority of 38 

U.S.C Chapter 21 and 38 CFR Part 36. 

o Application Process. The applicant should visit any VA office, but preferably the VA 

office where the veteran’s or service member’s claim records are located. A 

determination will be made as to basic eligibility and whether it is medically feasible for 

the veteran or service member to reside in a specially adapted home. 

o Further Information. http://www.homeloans.va.gov/sah.htm. 

Department of Health and Human Services 

• ACF Disaster Case Management Program. In response to a White House report, The 

Federal Response to Hurricane Katrina: Lessons Learned, the Administration for Children 

and Families (ACF) created a comprehensive Disaster Case Management (DCM) program 

that was not previously utilized in disasters. The ACF DCM program creates a coordinated 

system that links each disaster victim with a single organization to serve as his/her case 

manger; additionally, the program helps the individual or family access disaster-related 

resources for healthcare and mental health. The goal is to help them achieve a pre-disaster 

level of functioning and equilibrium. If necessary, the ACF DCM program helps to transition 

the client with pre-existing needs to existing case management providers after disasterrelated needs are addressed. This is facilitated through a single point of contact for 

applicants who need a wide variety of services that may be provided by many different 

organizations. 

o Population Served. Individuals and families impacted by a disaster that can show 

documentation of residence within Individual Assistance declared counties and localities. 

o Program Authorities. The Stafford Act was amended by the Post-Katrina Emergency 

Reform Act of 2006, which authorized case management by stating that “the President 

may provide case management services, including financial assistance, to State or local 

Annexes Page 86 
government agencies or qualified private organizations to provide such services to 

victims of major disasters to identify and address unmet needs.” 

o Application Process. In order to receive Stafford Act funds for DCM services, an 

Individual Assistance declaration, a request from the State, and a FEMA approval must 

occur. ACF will then contact the DCM National Team to begin activation and 

implementation of services. Any direct or indirect assistance to disaster related victims 

requires Stafford Act funds. 

o Further Information. http://www.acf.hhs.gov/news/press/2008/improve_disaster.html. 

• Older Americans Act, Disaster Relief Reimbursements. The Administration on Aging 

(AoA) disaster relief funds may assist State Agencies on Aging and Title VI funded tribal 

organizations in providing a variety of supportive services for the elderly and their caregivers 

following a disaster event. In areas covered by the Presidential disaster declaration, limited 

funding may be granted to State aging agencies and tribal organizations to assist in response 

and recovery efforts. These services may include case management, hands-on assistance 

for accessing appropriate resources, completing forms, filing insurance claims, in-home 

assistance, obtaining food and home-delivered meals, transportation assistance, prescription 

medications, and other critical, immediate needs. Efforts are devoted toward ensuring the 

safety and well-being of frail, special needs elderly and their caregivers and may include 

assistance in locating safe and accessible housing arrangements for those whose homes are 

not habitable. Further information regarding AoA can be found in Annex 3. 

o Population Served. Individuals aged 60 and older, family caregivers and grandparents, 

and older individuals who are relative caregivers. This is an agency-to-agency program. 

Interested individuals should contact their local AoA office. 

o Program Authorities. Older Americans Act of 1965, Title IV, Public Law 89-73, 79 Stat. 

218, as amended; Public Law 97-115, 95 Stat. 1595; Public Law 98-459, 98 Stat. 1767; 

Public Law 100-175; Public Law 100- 628, 42 U.S.C. 3031-3037b; Public Law 102-375; 

Public Law 106-501. 

o Application Process. Please see AoA Web site for application information. 

o Further Information. http://www.aoa.gov/doingbus/fundopp/fundopp_overview.aspx. 

• Runaway and Homeless Youth. The purpose of this program grant is to establish or 

strengthen existing or proposed community-based runaway and homeless youth projects and 

to provide temporary shelter and care to runaway or otherwise homeless youth who are in 

need of temporary shelter, counseling, and aftercare services. The Department is concerned 

about the risks faced by youth who leave and stay away from their homes without permission 

of their families. There is also national concern about runaway and homeless youth who 

have no resources, who live on the street, and who represent law enforcement problems in 

the communities to which they run. 

o Population Served. Youth who have become homeless or minors who run away or 

leave home without parental permission. 

Annexes Page 87 
o Program Authorities. The Reconnecting Youth Act of 2008 (P.L. 110-378) mandates 

street based services, basic centers, transitional living programs, and the national 

communications system. 

o Application Process. States, localities, community- and faith-based organizations, nonfederally recognized Indian Tribes and urban Indian organizations, and coordinated 

networks of such entities are eligible to apply for a Runaway and Homeless Youth 

Program grant unless they are part of the law enforcement structure or the juvenile 

justice system. 

o Further Information. 

http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/fysb/content/youthdivision/index.htm. 

• Supportive Community-Based Services for the Elderly. Under the Older Americans Act 

(OAA), the U.S. Administration on Aging (AoA) may provide small grant awards to assist 

State Agencies on Aging and Title VI funded tribal organizations serving the elderly in areas 

covered by a Presidential disaster declaration. Funding amounts are determined by three 

factors: (1) the number of older persons affected; (2) the amount and severity of need; and 

(3) the amount of disaster funds available to the AoA under current OAA authorization levels. 

The funds may be used as a supplement to State Agencies on Aging and Title VI tribal 

organizations in order to provide critically needed community-based supportive services, 

such as information and assistance, case management, assisted transportation, chore 

services, congregate and home-delivered meals, and other types of emergency assistance 

essential to the safety and well-being of elderly individuals affected by the disaster. Funds 

may also be used for additional food, supplies, extra shelf-stable meals, home clean up and 

safety, emergency medications, and other immediate needs. OAA funds are intended to 

assist with permissible expenses not available from other disaster funding resources. 

o Populations served. State Agencies on Aging and Title VI tribal organizations may 

apply to assist at-risk, frail elderly persons and their caregivers over the age of 60. 

o Program Authorities. The statutory authority for grants under this program 

announcement is contained in Title III of the Older Americans Act (OAA) (42U.S.C. 

3030), as amended by the Older Americans Act Amendments of 2006, P.L. 106-501 

(Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance 93.048). 

o Application Process. Required forms and information on procedures for grants can be 

found on AoA’s Web site, www.aoa.gov, under “Grant Programs.” 

o Further Information. Please contact the appropriate AoA Regional Office (HHS) for 

your area. 

Department of the Interior, Bureau of Indian Affairs

• Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) Housing Assistance Program. The program is primarily 

devoted to providing decent, safe, and sanitary housing through renovations, repairs, or 

additions to existing homes. The program will build an entirely new home in situations where 

Annexes Page 88 
no other program can meet the need in the immediate or near future. Technical assistance is 

provided to Indian tribes to establish housing plans and determine the extent and use of the 

Bureau's Housing Improvement Program. The program is restricted to use within 

reservations and approved tribal service areas.

o Population Served. Low-income Native American populations. 

o Program Authorities. Native American Housing Assistance and Self-Determination Act 

of 1996. Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act, Public Law 93-638, as 

amended, 25 U.S.C. 450 et seq. Specific requirements for federally funded leased 

housing units are listed in Sections 233 through 233.3.5 of the ADA and ABA 

Accessibility Guidelines. Section 233 is not a stand-alone section, and facilities are 

required to comply with the entire document. Additional requirements are also identified 

in the DOI Regulation for Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, 43 CFR 17.501-17.570, 

entitled Enforcement of Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Disability in Department of the 

Interior Programs. It is the combination of these two legal documents that provided a 

complete picture of what needs to be addressed. 

o Application Process. Federally recognized Indian tribal governments and tribal 

organizations that have eligible applicants with identified housing needs administer the 

program. 

o Further Information. 

http://www.cfda.gov/pls/portal30/CATALOG.PROGRAM_TEXT_RPT.SHOW?p_arg_nam

es=prog_nbr&p_arg_values=15.141

Annexes Page 89 
Disaster Housing Programs for the General Population 

that May Also Include Provisions for Persons with 

Special Needs, Disabilities, and/or Low Incomes 

While the programs listed in this section provide assistance to a broader audience than 

those with special needs, disabilities, and/or low-income, they do include provisions or 

support services for these individuals. Annex 1 also includes all of the programs included 

below; however, Annex 1 provides a comprehensive description and analysis of the program in its 

entirety, while this Annex focuses on how these programs supplement their fundamental missions 

with special consideration for people with special needs, disabilities, and/or low-incomes. Please 

refer to Annex 1 for program information regarding intended use, funding, population served, end 

state, agencies supported, activation requirements, and authorities. 

As with the previous section, agencies appear in the order in which they are listed in Annex 1, as 

well as PKEMRA. Agency programs are listed in alphabetical order. 

Department of Homeland Security/Federal Emergency Management Agency 

• Cora C. Brown Fund. The Cora C. Brown Fund provides for disaster-related needs that 

have not been, or will not be, met through programs offered by government agencies or other 

organizations. The fund is not intended to replace Federal programs, nor can monies be 

used to duplicate assistance for which a person is eligible from other sources. Money from 

the Cora C. Brown fund can be used for disaster-related home repair and rebuilding, disasterrelated unmet needs, and other services which alleviate human suffering and promote the 

well-being of disaster victims. In the context of this Annex, services may be directed to meet 

the needs of the elderly, children, or individuals with disabilities, and include such items as 

transportation, recreational programs, provision of special ramps, or hospital or home visiting 

services.

• Section 408 Federal Assistance to Individuals and Households. This program assists 

any affected individual and household within Presidentially declared areas to address 

disaster-related housing and other serious needs that cannot be met through other forms of 

disaster assistance, insurance, or through other means. Special considerations are made for 

Annex 3 populations. During the Pre-Placement Interview (PPI), the applicant has the 

opportunity to inform an interviewer of his/her special needs to ensure the correct 

accommodation is provided. Applicants will be offered contact information to help them 

obtain the specific resources they need. Moreover, accessible apartments or hotels will be 

made available and, when applicable, any new construction will be built in accordance with 

ABA/UFAS standards. Accessible housing would include items such as raised toilet seats 

and ramps. Or, if an applicant is hearing and/or sensory impaired, a living kit can be provided 

that may include visual indicators for doorbells, light indicators for phones, etc.

Temporary housing units, including manufactured homes and park models, provided through 

FEMA can offer additional features of accessibility to individuals and households with 

Annexes Page 90 
disabilities. For example, 10 percent of the temporary housing unit inventory must be UFAS 

compliant. These units can be installed on private sites, commercial sites, and community 

sites. If group sits are requested and approved, 15 percent of community site pads will be 

designated UFAS accessible. Furthermore, all community areas will be UFAS accessible, 

including trash locations, mail boxes, community centers, and sidewalks. 

Department of Housing and Urban Development 

• Community Development Block Grant Program/Disaster Recovery Assistance. CDBG 

grant monies may be modified to assist States, counties, and cities to recover from 

Presidentially declared disasters. This program provides flexible grants, and is available in 

two ways. First, existing funds may be modified to target disaster needs. Second, 

supplemental Congressional disaster appropriations to the CDBG program have been used 

for funding disaster recovery. CDBG grantees must use at least 70 percent of supplemental 

disaster recovery funds for activities that mainly benefit low-and moderate-income residents. 

This includes relocating residents, rehabilitation of homes and buildings damaged, and 

buying, constructing, or rehabilitating public facilities. 

• FHA Mortgage Insurance for Disaster Victims – Section 203(h). FHA mortgage 

insurance under Section 203(h) provides insurance for mortgages made by qualified lenders 

to victims of a major disaster who have lost their homes and are in the process of rebuilding 

or buying another home. This program provides insurance to protect lenders against the risk 

of default on mortgages to qualified disaster victims. In order to ensure the programs serves 

low- and moderate-income people, HUD limits the amount that can be insured. This limit 

varies by home type and location. 

• FHA Rehabilitation Mortgage Insurance – Section 203(k). HUD's Section 203(k) loan 

program helps those who have lost their homes by insuring a single, long-term, fixed or 

adjustable rate loan that can cover both the acquisition and rehabilitation of a property that is 

at least a year old. Section 203(k) is one of many FHA programs that insure mortgage loans, 

and thus encourage lenders to make mortgage credit available to borrowers who would not 

otherwise qualify for conventional loans on affordable terms. Borrowers may use the loan to 

remodel a dwelling so that it is more accessible for a person with a disability. For instance, a 

kitchen and bath can be improved to accommodate wheelchair access. Wider doors and 

ramps can also be included in the cost of rehabilitation. 

• HOME Investment Partnerships Program. This program provides formula grants to States 

and localities to fund a wide range of activities that build, buy, and/or rehabilitate affordable 

housing or provide direct rental assistance to people with low incomes. Administered under 

this program, the American Dream Down-payment Initiative (ADDI) provides funds that aim to 

increase the homeownership rate, especially among lower income and minority households, 

and to revitalize and stabilize communities. Individuals who qualify for ADDI assistance must 

have incomes not exceeding 80% of area median income. ADDI will help first-time 

homebuyers with the biggest hurdles to homeownership, including down payment, closing 

costs, and rehabilitation assistance. The amount of ADDI assistance provided may not 

exceed $10,000 or six percent of the purchase price of the home, whichever is greater, and 

the rehabilitation must be completed within one year of the home purchase. To be eligible for 

ADDI assistance, individuals must be first time homebuyers interested in purchasing single 

Annexes Page 91 
family housing. A first time homebuyer is defined as an individual and his or her spouse who 

have not owned a home during the three year period prior to the purchase of a home with 

ADDI assistance. ADDI funds may be used to purchase one to four family housing, 

condominium unit, cooperative unit, or manufactured housing. 

• Housing Choice Voucher Program. The Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) program is the 

Federal Government's major program for assisting very low-income families, the elderly, and 

individuals with disabilities to afford decent, safe, and sanitary housing in the private market. 

After the 2005 disasters in the Gulf Coast, supplemental appropriations were delivered 

through the Disaster Voucher Program (DVP) to provide special temporary rental vouchers to 

persons who were displaced and were previously assisted by HUD through public housing 

and Section 8 vouchers. Eligible individuals include those in housing specifically designated 

for senior citizens or individuals with disabilities and those who were homeless prior to the 

storms. 

• Public Housing. The Public Housing Capital Fund provides grants to Public Housing 

Authorities (PHAs) to correct physical, management, and operating deficiencies and keep 

units in the housing stock as safe and desirable homes for low-income families. Capital 

Funds are used to make improvements that benefit public housing residents, who are 

predominantly families and elderly persons with incomes below 50 percent of the HUDadjusted median income in their area. Public Housing Authorities may, with HUD approval, 

reprogram Capital Funds to address damage to public housing property caused by the 

disaster. 

Department of Agriculture, Rural Development Agency 

• Section 504 Rural Housing Loans and Grants. The Section 504 Loan and Grant 

Programs allow elderly people with very low incomes to maintain their independence by 

allowing them to remain in their own homes and improving the quality of their lives. The loan 

program is available to any rural person with a very low income, but most program 

beneficiaries are elderly. The 504 Loan Program helps qualifying applicants repair, improve, 

and/or modernize a home, make it safe and sanitary, or remove health and safety hazards. 

The 504 Grant Program is available exclusively to very low-income rural seniors aged 62 or 

older. Grant funds of up to $7,500 are available to each eligible recipient in need of housing 

repairs. Depending on the cost of the repairs and the income of the elderly homeowner, the 

owner may be eligible for a grant for the full cost of the repairs or for some combination of a 

loan and a grant which covers the repair costs. The combination loan and grant may total no 

more than $27,500. Both programs provide funds to make such major repairs or renovations 

as removing electrical and fire hazards, replacing roofing, installing or improving water and 

waste-water disposal systems, and installing insulation and heating and cooling systems. 

Section 504, even more so than Section 502, includes eligibility requirements that target very 

low-income applicants. Under the Section 504 program, rural homeowners who qualify for 

direct loans must have incomes of 50% or less of the area median. 

• Section 515 Rural Rental Housing Loans. A subsection of this program provides direct 

mortgage loans for the development of congregate housing or group homes for persons who 

are elderly and/or have disabilities. These apartments are equipped with special amenities, 

Annexes Page 92 
such as strategically placed handrails and emergency call buttons or lights with which to 

signal for help. Many of them are wheelchair accessible. And when rental assistance is 

used, top priority is given to very low-income households. To make Section 515 housing 

available to tenants who cannot afford market rents, USDA provides assistance through the 

separately appropriated Section 521 Rental Assistance Program, which brings tenants’ rent 

down to 30 percent of their adjusted income and makes up the difference to the landlords. 

• Section 521 Rural Rental Assistance Program. Under this program, USDA is authorized 

to make rental assistance payments to owners of rental housing to enable eligible tenants to 

pay no more than 30% of their income in rent. The rental assistance payments, which are 

made directly to the property owners, pay the difference between the tenants’ payments and 

the USDA-approved rent for the units. The targeted population served is any very low- or 

low-income family, a person with a disability, or a senior citizen that is unable to pay the 

approved rental rate for an eligible Rural Housing Service rental assistance unit. 

Department of Health and Human Services 

• Community Services Block Grants (CSBG). Funding is provided through block grants to 

50 States, the District of Columbia, six territories, and 66 Native American tribes. Grantees 

work to ameliorate the causes of poverty by assisting low-income individuals with 

employment, education, and adequate housing through the distribution of CSBG monies to 

Community Action Agencies (CAAs) and other organizations serving low-income populations. 

The official poverty line, as established by the Secretary of Health and Human Services, is 

used as a criterion of eligibility in the Community Services Block Grant program. When a 

State determines that it serves the objectives of the block grant, it may revise the income 

limit, not to exceed 125 percent of the official poverty line. Typically, CSBG-coordinated 

housing programs use a number of approaches to improve the shelter and living environment 

of the participants, such as home ownership counseling and loan assistance; affordable 

housing financing, development, and construction; counseling and advocacy about 

landlord/tenant relations and fair housing concerns; assistance in locating affordable housing 

and applying for rent subsidies and other housing assistance; transitional shelters and 

services for the homeless; home repair and rehabilitation services; support for management 

of group homes; and rural housing and infrastructure development. 

The CSBG program does not require that a certain percentage of funds go to people with 

special needs or disabilities. Rather, funds made available are used to support activities that 

are designed to assist low-income families and individuals, including families and individuals 

receiving assistance under Part A, Title IV of the Social Security Act, homeless families and 

individuals, migrant or seasonal farm workers, and elderly low-income individuals and 

families. In general, while there is not a definition in the CSBG program, ‘low income’ is 

generally described as one that falls below the Federal poverty guideline for eligibility 

purposes. 

• Social Services Block Grants (SSBG). These block grants are highly flexible and 

distributed to 50 States, the District of Columbia, and five territories and insular areas for the 

provision of social services directed towards achieving economic self-sufficiency, preventing 

abuse, preventing or reducing inappropriate institutionalization, and securing referral for 

institutional care. Eligible recipients for SSBG services are low-income households, and 

Annexes Page 93 
funding can go towards housing services that assist individuals or families in locating, 

obtaining, or retaining suitable housing. 

As with CSBG funds, the SSBG program does not require that a certain percentage of funds 

go to people with special needs or disabilities, but the program does support services 

focused on special needs and disabilities. Special Services for Persons with Developmental 

or Physical Disabilities is one of the services that may be provided if a State determines there 

is a need. The types of services or activities that fall under this category include counseling, 

respite care, family support, recreation, transportation, mobility and communication skills 

training, and self-sufficiency skills. The SSBG program does not provide a definition for 

special needs or disabilities at the Federal level. Each State must use their own 

administration standards to define the populations they intend to serve. 

Department of Defense/Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) 

USACE may coordinate with FEMA as part of the State-led Housing Task Force, to address 

the priority of program applicants with special needs, disabilities, and/or low incomes. 

USACE should seek technical assistance from the FEMA Disability Coordinator to ensure that 

accessibility standards are assessed during infrastructure restoration activities. 

Small Business Administration (SBA) 

• Disaster Loan Program. SBA does not have any statutory authorities or programs 

specifically related to persons with disabilities, special needs, or low incomes. Funds 

provided through the loan program can be used to repair or replace handicapped accessible 

amenities that were damaged as a result of a declared disaster. Individuals who do not meet 

minimum income requirements (where, based on their income and family size, a loan would 

be a hardship) are referred directly to FEMA’s Other Needs Assistance program when they 

register with FEMA.

Corporation for National & Community Service (CNCS) 

AmeriCorps State and National, AmeriCorps VISTA, AmeriCorps National Civilian 

Community Corps (NCCC), and Senior Corps, in coordination with NGOs and other 

Federal agencies, may be called on to provide housing assistance after a Presidentially 

declared disaster. AmeriCorps programs seek to provide health services, build affordable 

housing, build organizational capacity, and help communities recover from disasters. They create 

specific initiatives to respond to disasters; for example, AmeriCorps was recruited for both the 

response to Hurricanes Katrina and Rita and the recent Iowa floods. In the Gulf Coast, in 

coordination with other Federal Agencies, AmeriCorps provided intake and referral services for 

people displaced and homeless, cleared debris, and built and renovated homes, schools, and 

public facilities. These efforts specifically targeted residents who were of lower-incomes and in 

need of additional assistance. Additionally, CNCS has many local volunteers in Senior Corps and 

other programs who work with individuals with special needs, disabilities, and low incomes in their 

local communities. These resources are often able to be directed quickly to support short-term 

immediate needs. 

 

Annexes Page 94 
National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (National VOAD) 

Based on Long-Term Recovery Committee (LTRC) guidance, some National VOAD 

members may prioritize disaster housing assistance provided to persons with special 

needs, disabilities, and/or low-incomes. Services could include the construction of items such 

as ramps, in order to make dwellings accessible to individuals with disabilities. After a 

Presidentially declared disaster, relief organizations frequently partner to create LTRCs that 

coordinate the delivery of assistance to disaster victims. These committees are typically 

composed of National, State, and local disaster relief organizations, including National VOAD 

members that provide disaster housing assistance, community organizations, the private sector, 

and local government. The strategic guidance provided by the long-term recovery committee 

allows the partners to maximize the effectiveness of their collective resources. For a list of 

National VOAD organizations that assist with long-term recovery needs, see the National VOAD 

Web site: www.nvoad.org. 

National VOAD members with special housing provisions for individuals with special needs, 

disabilities and/or low incomes include: 

• American Baptist Men. American Baptist Men respond to local and federally declared 

disasters with disaster relief teams. In cooperation with other voluntary agencies, American 

Baptist Men mobilize members and dispatch specialized trailers from across the United 

States to do recovery work that includes cleanup, repair and rebuilding of homes. Such 

assistance can include construction of ADA, ABA and UFAS compliant single-family homes in 

response to the needs of individuals with disabilities and special needs. Further information 

is available at http://www.abc-usa.org.

• American Red Cross – Disaster Services Mass Care program. This program assists 

emergency managers and other sheltering partners to identify and manage emergency 

shelters for those affected by disaster. Operations include sheltering, feeding, providing 

emergency first aid at designated sites, disaster welfare information collection, and bulk 

distribution of emergency relief items with appropriate agencies. Further information is 

available at http://www.redcross.org.

• Catholic Charities USA, Disaster Response Office. The Catholic Charities Disaster 

Response Office provides critical services to disaster victims, including shelter and direct 

financial assistance, such as funding for utilities and deposits. Further information is 

available at http://www.catholiccharitiesusa.org.

• Christian Reform World Relief Committee. The program provides skilled and unskilled 

volunteer labor to repair and/or replace homes. When needed, construction is in compliance 

with ADA, ABA and/or UFAS regulations. Further information is available at 

http://www.crwrc.org.

• Church of the Brethren/ Emergency Response Service Ministries. Skilled and unskilled 

volunteer labor to repair and/or replace homes. This program serves the needs of individuals 

regardless of race, creed or economic status, concentrating on assistance to individuals with 

low-incomes, who are elderly, who have disabilities and who are uninsured. Further 

information is available at http://www.brethren.org/genbd/BDM.

Annexes Page 95 
• Episcopal Relief and Development. In cooperation with other voluntary agencies, this 

program provides shelter to disaster victims and skilled and unskilled volunteer labor to repair 

and construct homes destroyed by disaster. Further information is available at 

http://www.er-d.org.

• Habitat for Humanity. This program provides skilled and unskilled volunteer labor to repair 

and/or replace homes destroyed by disaster. Disaster recovery initiatives include shelter and 

housing solutions, with an emphasis on long-term sustainable development, for low-income 

families affected by disaster. When needed, construction is in compliance with ADA, ABA 

and/or UFAS regulations. Further information is available at 

http://www.habitat.org/disaster/default.aspx.

• Lutheran Disaster Response. This program provides skilled and unskilled volunteer labor 

to repair and/or replace homes and also provides funding for utilities and deposits. When 

needed, construction is in compliance with ADA, ABA and/or UFAS regulations. Further 

information is available at http://www.ldr.org. 

• Mennonite Disaster Service. This program provides skilled and unskilled volunteer labor to 

clean up, repair and rebuild homes. Mennonite Disaster Service focuses on helping the most 

vulnerable populations who are not covered by traditional means of recovery, including the 

elderly, individuals with disabilities, single parents, the unemployed, the uninsured and the 

underinsured. When needed, construction is in compliance with ADA, ABA and/or UFAS 

regulations. Further information is available at http://www.mds.mennonite.net.

• Nazarene Disaster Response. In cooperation with other voluntary agencies, this program 

provides skilled and unskilled volunteer labor to repair and/or replace homes. The program 

serves the needs of individuals regardless of race, creed or economic status, concentrating 

assistance to individuals with low incomes, the elderly and individuals with disabilities. When 

needed, construction is in compliance with ADA, ABA and/or UFAS regulations. Further 

information is available at www.ndrusa.org or www.ncm.org/min_ndr.aspx.

• The Points of Light Institute and the Hands On Network. This program provides unskilled 

volunteer labor to repair, assist with demolition and/or replace homes damaged or made 

uninhabitable by disaster. When needed, construction is in compliance with ADA, ABA 

and/or UFAS regulations. Further information is available at http://www.pointsoflight.org. 

• Presbyterian Disaster Assistance. This program provides skilled and unskilled volunteer 

labor to staff emergency shelters and to repair and/or rebuild homes damaged or made 

uninhabitable by disaster. When needed, construction is in compliance with ADA, ABA 

and/or UFAS regulations. Further information is available at http://www.pcusa.org.

• The Salvation Army. The Salvation Army provides volunteer labor to provide emergency 

shelter in facilities identified by emergency management personnel and coordinates volunteer 

teams for rebuilding efforts. The Salvation Army provides temporary and permanent housing 

to the most vulnerable disaster victims, including individuals with disabilities, special needs 

and/or low incomes. Further information is available at http://www.salvationarmyusa.org.

Annexes Page 96 
• Southern Baptist Convention – North American Mission Board. This program provides 

skilled and unskilled volunteer labor to repair and/or replace homes. When needed, 

construction is in compliance with ADA, ABA and/or UFAS regulations. Further information is 

available at http://www.namb.net. 

• United Church of Christ – Wider Church Ministries. This program provides skilled and 

unskilled volunteer labor to repair and/or replace homes. When needed, construction is in 

compliance with ADA, ABA and/or UFAS regulations. Further information is available at 

http://www.ucc.org/oghs/national.

• United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR). This program provides skilled and 

unskilled volunteer labor to repair and/or replace homes damaged or made uninhabitable by 

disaster and funding for housing repairs/replacement, utilities, deposits and rental assistance. 

UMCOR specifically seeks to help disaster victims who have the least resources. Further 

information is available at http://www.umcor.org. 

• Volunteers of America. This program provides skilled and unskilled volunteer labor to 

repair and/or replace homes damaged or made uninhabitable by disaster. Volunteers of 

America provides affordable housing for low- and moderate-income households. The 

organization also creates and manages housing for the homeless, families with children, the 

elderly, and people with physical and/or mental disabilities, HIV and AIDS. Volunteers of 

America housing is specifically designed for people with physical or mental disabilities. 

Further information is available at http://www.voa.org. 

• Friends Disaster Service, Inc. In cooperation with other voluntary agencies, this program 

provides volunteers to assist with cleanup and rebuilding efforts. Further information is 

available at http://www.friendsdisasterservice.ne.

• Samaritan’s Purse. In cooperation with other voluntary agencies, this program provides 

volunteers to repair and rebuild homes damaged or made uninhabitable by disaster. When 

needed, construction is in compliance with ADA, ABA and/or UFAS regulations. Further 

information is available at www.samaritanspurse.org.

• Taiwan Buddhist Tzu Chi Foundation, USA. This program provides funding for utilities and 

deposits for individuals affected by disaster. Further information is available at 

http://www.ustzuchi.org. 

• United Jewish Communities. This program provides trained, unskilled volunteer labor to 

repair and/or replace homes. When needed, construction is in compliance with ADA, ABA 

and/or UFAS regulations. Further information is available at http://www.ujc.org. 

Annexes Page 97 
References 

Additional documents and sources were used to develop this Annex and can provide 

further information on the topics discussed herein.

• Stafford Act, 42 USC §5174 Sec. 408 (a) through (d).

• The Code of Federal Regulations, 206.110-117.

Annexes Page 98 
ANNEX 4: 

Disaster Housing Community Site Operations 

 

Introduction 

Providing for disaster victims becomes more challenging the longer individuals are 

displaced from their primary residence. For most disasters and emergencies, temporary 

sheltering is the only form of housing assistance needed. Once the danger has passed, 

individuals are generally able to return to their homes within hours or after a few days. For more 

serious disasters where homes or communities have been destroyed, damaged, or contaminated 

to such an extent that they are uninhabitable for an extended period of time, additional housing 

options are required. Interim housing is the phase of housing assistance that covers the gap 

between immediate sheltering and the return of disaster victims to permanent housing. The goal 

of the interim housing phase is to provide safe and secure temporary housing that allows a family 

to live together, with a reasonable amount of privacy, meets the physical accessibility needs of 

the household, and includes essential utilities, and access to areas for food preparation and bath 

facilities. Interim housing is designed to provide a solution for a period of generally up to 18 

months. 

In the aftermath of the historic events of 2004 and 2005, agencies and entities encountered 

situations that required change in their traditional emergency and disaster management 

roles. FEMA recognized that a new post-disaster housing paradigm must be developed to 

address hazards of all sizes, scopes, and scales. Currently, the use of direct housing options, 

assistance provided to disaster victims in the form of physical resources and not monetarily, are 

used only in situations in which temporary housing options are not sufficient to meet the needs of 

the affected population. When financial assistance options, monetary assistance provided to 

individuals and households to rent alternative housing accommodations, existing rental units, 

manufactured housing, recreational vehicles, or other readily fabricated dwellings, are infeasible 

based on established criteria and guidance provided by FEMA, factory built housing units (e.g., 

modular homes, manufactured homes, etc.) can be used. When the conclusion is made that 

factory built housing units are required, decisions such as unit and site types should be 

determined. Community sites, are an option of last resort, spaces that can accommodate two or 

more temporary housing units (THUs), may be used as the site type of last resort for placing 

THUs when private and commercial sites are not available. 

To improve housing assistance, the Post-Katrina Emergency Management Act (PKEMRA), 

Section 683(b)(6), required a plan for the operation of community sites including access to 

public services, site management, security, and site density in the development of a 

collaborative Strategy. This Annex establishes a framework for Federal, State, territory, tribal, 

and local governments to plan for every step of the community site operations process, including 

determining the need for community sites and identifying potential sites, as well as constructing, 

populating, maintaining, depopulating, and deactivating these sites. These components can be 

most critical when community sites are placed outside the affected area, or in a different part of 

the affected community. In such a situation, additional infrastructure and other services are often 

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requested. A set of standard operating procedures for the community site operations process will 

better enable governments to meet temporary housing needs in the wake of a disaster. 

As the disaster recovery community takes a more coordinated and holistic approach 

towards housing, this Annex looks to all stakeholders to collectively provide additional 

social services beyond simply a housing unit that is safe, sanitary, and functional. In 

addition to community site operations and plans, this Annex details the vital infrastructure, such 

as resident food, education, employment, medical care, and other essential services, that must 

be available in community sites. In developing community sites, the appropriate balance must be 

determined between providing adequate temporary housing to individuals in support of the overall 

recovery effort and the ability of pre-disaster communities to recover. Housing solutions that 

require applicants to provide some sort of financial contribution of their own should be used when 

possible, and provided amenities should not be incentives for individuals to remain in their 

temporary housing. 

Disaster assistance should not be used to sustain individuals indefinitely and community 

sites are not a permanent housing option, guidelines are presented for depopulation and 

deactivation of community sites. This includes case management services available to assist 

disaster victims in identifying long-term housing solutions by connecting them with the resources 

they need. Finally, as strategic and considered pre-planning can mitigate issues prior to a 

disaster, crucial to the success of community site operations, lessons learned from previous 

operations and best practices are offered. 

This Annex presents an array of methods to be used in the development, use, and 

deactivation or conversion of community sites, but is not an exhaustive list. Stakeholders 

should continually seek to innovate and improve disaster housing options for victims. To support 

innovation in disaster housing, the standards that housing and related services must minimally 

meet or exceed are described in this Annex. 

Assessment of Need 

The first step in the community site operations is to assess the needs of affected 

communities. Determining these needs will allow for the selection of the best housing solutions, 

including the potential use of community sites. 

 

State-Led Housing Solutions Task Force 

As discussed in the Strategy, when the impact of a disaster makes it necessary to provide 

temporary or permanent housing options, a State-Led Housing Solutions Task Force (SHSTF) 

should be convened at the Joint Field Office (JFO). The SHSTF will work closely with all sectors, 

as well as entities created specifically to provide disaster response, in order to develop 

recommendations that promote citizen-focused growth policies, help increase commerce into and 

from the affected region, assist with economic renewal, and help stabilize and reconstruct 

communities. The SHSTF will also facilitate the identification and coordination of housing ideas, 

innovations, strategies, solutions, and resources from all sectors and the affected population. 

Members of the SHSTF will identify available resources and coordinate the implementation of 

housing programs. The culmination of this effort will be a comprehensive housing plan for the 

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affected community and will identify all feasible housing assistance resources to sustain disaster 

victims from sheltering through permanent housing; including a determination as to if community 

sites are required. This plan will be implemented by the SHSTF and will maximize the availability 

and use of all identified, feasible, and existing housing options. The SHSTF plan will include a 

needs assessment and details on community site development if they will be utilized. 

Determination of Need for Temporary Housing Units 

Determining the housing requirements of an affected community begins with a preliminary 

assessment of the housing needs. To assist in this process, the Joint Housing Solutions Group 

has developed a mission scoping tool to help determine the potential number of applicants who 

will require temporary housing. To arrive at its determination, the scoping tool compares data 

from the Census Bureau, Preliminary Damage Assessments (PDAs), shelters, and eligible 

applicants with available rental resources. A multi-agency Housing Portal collects information on 

available housing resources. Applicants are also contacted directly to further identify those in 

need of housing assistance as well as their potential accessibility needs. While the scoping tool 

is not intended to establish the need for a community site, it will help determine the total number 

of housing units needed. A thorough examination of available resources to include private sites, 

commercial pads as well as rental resources will still need to be considered before the decision to 

build a community site is finalized. 

Mission Planning Team 

A Mission Planning Team (MPT) can be deployed to assist the State-Led Housing Solutions Task 

Force, providing tactical support with the analysis of housing needs and/or mass care needs, 

scoping the technical requirements to meet the need, and facilitating pre-operations planning. 

JFOs request the deployment of an MPT through FEMA. 

The MPT is initially composed of subject matter experts from FEMA, USACE, HUD, USDA, 

Veteran Affairs (VA), and other agency components as required. The findings and 

recommendations of the MPT include recommended housing options, and a pre-operations plan, 

which address the disaster-specific technical requirements. These requirements will be provided 

in sufficient detail to develop the technical components required to successfully run the 

appropriate housing mission. 

The MPT will perform three critical tasks for the successful execution of the mission: specific 

housing/mass care mission planning, scoping of requirements, and researching State 

regulatory/environmental requirements with the appropriate functional leads. Details of the tasks 

include: 

• Regulatory laws, zoning, and permit requirements (FEMA/HUD/State/tribal/local). 

• Consideration of flood zoning restrictions (FEMA/State/tribal/local).

• Hauling restrictions and required permits (FEMA/DOT/State/tribal/local).

• Assist with locating and analyzing potential group and commercial sites 

(FEMA/USACE/EPA/State/tribal).

• Installation requirements such as anchoring, blocking, etc. (FEMA/USACE and 

State/tribal/locals).

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• Environmental requirements such as air pollution, fuel storage, water use, solid and 

hazardous waste disposal, sewage disposal, etc. (FEMA/USACE/EPA).

• Electrical coordination such as for community site and haul & install (local/USACE).

• State, local and public service districts points of contact (DHOPS).

• Support identification and analysis of available rental resources, as required. 

(FEMA/HUD/USDA/VA/State/tribal/local).

• Support analysis of the housing needs identified in the pre-placement interview process as 

needed (FEMA/State/tribal/local).

• Support to any State-led JHTF, as required.

Additionally, the USACE may be tasked with the preliminary study, environmental assessment, 

and site design of a potential community site. Completing design plans during the MPT phase 

will ensure that vital steps are taken towards completion of a community site in a timely manner. 

Utilizing the full capabilities of the MPT is of great value to all stakeholders. Not only will the MPT 

assist all parties in understanding the scope of their mission, but it will also provide a clear 

roadmap on how to best assist the victims of a given disaster. 

 

Sequence of Delivery 

Community sites, when used, are employed and operated as part of FEMA’s standard process 

and order, or sequence of delivery, for the distribution and awarding of specific types of disaster 

assistance. 44 CFR 206.117(b)(1)(ii) lays out the authorities for when FEMA may provide the 

different types of temporary housing assistance and specifically in 206.117(b)(1)(ii)(E)(3) and (4), 

community sites. 

Disaster assistance begins with the provision of financial assistance for rent, hotel or motel 

reimbursement, and home repairs or replacement, which, for most disasters, is sufficient to 

address the majority of temporary housing requirements. Direct housing is used only when all 

other housing options, including financial assistance for rent, transitional shelters, and relocation, 

have been exhausted or are unreasonable. Direct housing is limited only to situations in which 

traditional financial temporary housing options are not sufficient to meet the needs of the affected 

populations. When financial assistance options are infeasible based on established criteria and 

guidance provided by FEMA, the SHSTF can request the use of direct housing options. Direct 

housing options can include the use of factory built housing units (e.g., modular homes, 

manufactured homes, etc.). Whether units will be clustered and which types of units and sites will 

be used will need to be determined. 

A direct housing mission may include placing units on private sites to enable homeowners to 

remain on their properties while they repair and/or rebuild their permanent residences. Units may 

also be placed in pre-existing commercial parks to accommodate renters, or owners without a 

feasible place for a unit. If housing needs are unable to be addressed with commercial and 

private sites, direct housing may be placed in community site configurations. Manufactured 

homes are generally used to satisfy temporary housing needs and are typically placed on 

commercial pads or in community sites developed expressly for these homes to be placed in a 

community-like setting. Commercial and private site options must be exhausted before a 

community site is considered. 

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Criteria for Community Site Selection 

The durability, safety, and functionality of community sites can be improved by taking 

proactive planning measures prior to beginning construction. When the determination is 

made to develop community sites, appropriate site selection and development is important in the 

disaster recovery process, and community site plans must be developed with consideration for 

the climate, geography, and accessibility and cultural needs of the affected community. If 

appropriately selected, these sites can offer individuals and households the opportunity to return 

to their pre-disaster communities when permanent housing resources have been destroyed. 

Additionally, these sites offer the community the opportunity to address housing needs for its 

residents and reestablish its workforce, tax based, and population following the loss of permanent 

housing stock due to a disaster. 

However, identifying appropriate construction sites for temporary housing in the disaster area 

may be difficult due to feasibility, environmental, and availability issues. Sufficient time and 

resources must be allotted for meeting various regulatory and administrative requirements, 

including environmental and historic preservation considerations, Davis-Bacon minimum wage 

provisions, licensing/building codes, and accessibility specifications. Climate and seasonal 

requirements will also affect housing requirements; if community sites will be provided beyond the 

current season, planning efforts should consider the full seasonal cycle to ensure such housing is 

adequate for a full four-season climate. 

Land Leasing 

A key component of the community site operation process is the leasing of the land on which a 

community site will be developed. All options for leases should be evaluated, but standard 

guidelines and procedures can help ensure that the chosen community site is both cost effective 

and can be used towards permanent community housing goals. 44 CFR 206.117(b)(1)(ii)(E) 

outlines the specific order in which different sites and properties can be considered for community 

sites. 

To begin, properties owned by Federal, State, and local governments should be considered as 

the first option in an effort to reduce costs. State and local governments are responsible for 

identifying vacant land that they own that may be suitable for a community site. Once a suitable 

site has been chosen and acquired, a memorandum of understanding between FEMA and the 

Government entity that owns the site is prepared, generally detailing the State or local 

government agrees to let FEMA use the land chosen for a community site for the duration of the 

housing program. 

If publicly owned land is unavailable or infeasible, the State and local government are responsible 

for identifying potentially viable sites for FEMA to lease. The U.S. General Services 

Administration (GSA) can be used to acquire a lease from private landowners. Leasing options 

that can be used to provide permanent housing for individuals and/or may be converted into 

permanent ownership for future development, such as a permanent mobile home park or 

residential subdivision, are preferred. This will facilitate housing solutions that incorporate hazard 

mitigation principles at the earliest possible stage. If FEMA agrees to put in infrastructure that will 

Annexes Page 103
remain and can be used after the community site is deactivated, terms can often be negotiated 

which compensate the Government for any permanent repairs or upgrades.

Environmental and Historic Preservation Reviews 

After determining the need and identifying a requirement to utilize community sites, FEMA 

engages in environmental and historic preservation reviews to make informed decisions 

regarding site selection and construction. The purpose of the environmental and historic 

preservation reviews is to assess the impacts of potential new sites on the natural environment, 

and on historic properties. In general, sites whose presence will have significant impact on the 

environment should not be chosen. The reviews occur during site selection to determine site 

feasibility, and identify considerations for site design and construction. The environmental and 

historic preservation review may impose conditions that must be followed during construction, 

operation, or depopulation. FEMA will identify who (e.g., FEMA, contractor, site proponent, or 

landowner) is responsible for meeting these conditions, and the FEMA Regional Environmental 

Officer (REO) is the primary point of contact for coordinating the environmental and historic 

preservation review and addressing questions and concerns. The environmental and historic 

preservation review must be completed before land can be leased for a community site and 

construction may begin. 

The National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) provides considerations for community site 

selection. The initial step in identifying and assessing NHPA considerations for community sites 

involves the impact of community sites to historic properties such as archeologically sensitive 

areas, buildings, districts, structures, or objects listed on or eligible to be listed on the National 

Register of Historic Places. It is also necessary to consult with the State Historic Preservation 

Officer (SHPO) or Tribal Historic Preservation Officer (THPO) if any action will affect historic 

properties. 

To mitigate potential damage to the environment, a specific level of National Environmental Policy 

Act (NEPA) analysis is required based on several factors surrounding the environment in which 

community sites may be placed. To identify the level of NEPA analysis required, the Categorical 

Exclusions (CATEX) for emergency and commercial community sites are first documented. 

CATEX are actions which have no significant effect on the human environment and are, 

therefore, categorically excluded from the preparation of environmental impact statements and 

environmental assessments except where extraordinary circumstances as defined in 44 CFR 

10.8(d)(3). The identification of the level of NEPA analysis needed also includes the 

Environmental Assessment (EA) for commercial community sites, and the EA for previously 

undeveloped community sites (green sites) must also be considered as well as the Environmental 

Impact Statement (EIS) for sites that have significant impacts to the human environment. The 

following are issues of concern for the EA and EIS: 

• Floodplains. Full floodplain review must be conducted for all community sites as under 

FEMA’s regulations, the agency cannot place units on sites located in the coastal high hazard 

area or floodways (44 CFR 9.13). Sites located in a floodplain should also be avoided, as, if 

chosen, FEMA must elevate units located in the floodplain to the fullest extent possible (44 

CFR 9.13). 

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• Wetlands and Storm Water. Selecting sites in wetlands should be avoided. Site designs 

should be modified, if necessary, to avoid impacts to and from wetlands. Site designs and 

operations should be coordinated with the appropriate State and/or local authorities on the 

need for storm water and/or erosion control management techniques and/or permits. 

• Environmental Justice. Sites that, if selected, would have disproportionately high and 

adverse environmental and health impacts to minority and low-income communities should 

not be selected. Additionally, once any site is selected, public notice and comment 

opportunities should be made available. 

• Hazardous Materials/ Wastes. Site conditions should be identified and assessed regarding 

presence of hazardous materials and wastes (e.g., spills, chemicals, wastes, underground 

storage tanks, Superfund sites, reportable chemicals, etc.). Sites with unmitigated/unremediated hazardous materials/ wastes issues must not be selected. 

• Endangered and Threatened Species. Site conditions should be identified and assessed 

regarding the presence of endangered or threatened species or a protected habitat. The Fish 

and Wildlife Service (FWS) or National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) should be consulted 

if action will likely adversely affect endangered or threatened species or adversely modify the 

critical habitat. Sites that have endangered or threatened species present or are within 

protected habitat should not be selected for use.

• Coastal uses. Coastal zone consistency determination should be used if needed. Sites in 

Coastal Barrier System Units (CBRS) should not be selected. 

• Noise. Unacceptable noise sources and sensitive receptors should be identified and 

assessed. Sites adjacent to unacceptable noise sources that cannot be mitigated (e.g. 

Airports, quarries, etc.) should be avoided.

• Land Use and Zoning. Sites should be identified and assessed for existing land uses and 

possible change in land use as a result of the new housing site. Sites that would require 

converting prime and unique farmland into residential or urban land should be avoided. 

Additionally, sites must be compatible with existing zoning designations. 

• Transportation. Existing transportation patterns and system, as well as any potential need 

to modify these to accommodate the community site, should be considered.

• Natural Hazards. Sites in areas with potential natural hazards should be avoided. These 

hazards include seismically sensitive areas, areas prone to falling rocks or avalanches, etc.

Unless it is also engaged in construction efforts, FEMA typically does not perform environmental 

and historic preservation reviews for any other type of temporary housing, including hotel or motel 

reimbursement, home repairs assistance, transitional shelters, or the placement of units on 

private or commercial sites when such action has minimal ground disturbance. 

Site Selection Considerations 

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• Zoning and Local Compliance. Local and tribal governments hold the primary 

responsibility of selecting and approving sites, as well as streamlining the permitting and 

zoning processes for site development. During the community site design phase, it is critical 

that all relevant building codes, Federal, State, and local environmental regulations and other 

relevant requirements are considered. This includes those for storm water, water discharge, 

air quality, waste disposal, and buildings. These requirements can vary greatly from region to 

region, and close coordination with State and local governments, as well as other responsible 

Federal agencies is essential to ensure adherence to applicable laws, codes, and 

regulations. Sufficient coordination, research and pre-planning can go a long way towards 

verifying compliance prior to site construction. Once ownership of land slated for use is 

established, zoning must be considered to ensure proper land use. 

• Host Community Considerations. If possible, community sites should be located within, or 

in close proximity to, the affected community to allow victims to return to their communities, 

promote community recovery, and to avoid adverse impacts on the tax base of the 

community. It is critical to ensure the intersection of community site development with other 

community plans and goals. The presence of significant public opposition can adversely 

affect the success of a site. See NDHS Annex 2 for best practices for interaction between 

host communities and relocated disaster victims, including those in community sites. 

• Utility Infrastructure. One of the most critical factors to consider during the community site 

selection process is the availability and accessibility of essential utility infrastructure. 

Electrical, water and septic systems must be located and evaluated to determine if they are 

capable of supporting a fully operational community site for the duration of the interim 

housing period. If it was determined for any reason that any or all of these systems are 

incapable of sustaining operations, plans must be made to either upgrade or replace the 

affected elements. The most efficient locations to consider for site placement are sites that 

previously supported a mobile home site or other form of temporary housing. Paved areas 

with above ground utilities, such as military bases, business parks, or airports should also be 

considered. If a site is being constructed in an area that has not previously been used to 

support housing, significant infrastructure upgrades and construction may be necessary, and 

site factors may necessitate the construction of facilities such as sewage lift stations, 

electrical substations, and utility corridors. 

• Essential Services. Proximity to essential services, such as fire, police, medical, and 

education services, is a prime concern when selecting potential community site locations. 

Accessibility requirements must also be considered, such as access to transportation and 

bus lines, senior shuttles for shopping, and other needs. 

• Environmental Hazards and Considerations. In addition to the criteria for environmental 

preservation outlines in the previous section, environmental hazards, other factors that may 

contribute to inadequate living conditions, should be considered. This includes distance 

away from wet areas as well as mosquito, snake, and rodent infested areas. FEMA should 

ensure that soil tests are conducted and the results analyzed prior to construction. This can 

help ensure that proper excavation, backfill/refill, and compaction measures are taken 

throughout the site to prevent sub-base failure. Topography should be considered to comply 

with Uniform Federal Accessibility Standards (UFAS) requirements and open flat areas 

generally make for the most effective and usable community sites. 

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Timeframes 

The environmental and historic preservation review is conducted after a site has been identified 

by FEMA as a potential candidate for group housing. Sites requiring an environmental 

assessment, environmental impact statement, or sites that will be located in floodplains may 

trigger the need for public review. Once completed FEMA will make a decision on whether to 

proceed with the site. Once approval has been granted, a Notice to Proceed is issued, and the 

community site construction process begins. 

States, tribal, and local government can expedite the environmental and historic preservation 

review process by engaging in pre-identification, pre-evaluation, and pre-selection of sites for 

group housing. These entities can use the criteria for community site selection information to 

screen sites that would not be suitable or would require significant time for consultation. Although 

responsibility for compliance under various laws like NEPA; NHPA; the Endangered Species Act; 

44 CFR 9; Floodplain Management and Wetlands Protection (EO 11988); the Environmental 

Justice and Coastal Zone Management Act, among others, falls strictly with the Federal agency 

engaging in the action, State, tribes and local government entities can facilitate the review 

process by considering taking into account impacts to the natural environment and to historic 

properties and providing FEMA through the FEMA REO, with any information that was collected 

during the pre-identification of sites. 

Community Site Development 

Once the community site has been selected, other key components must be carefully 

considered, planned, and designed to ensure the success of a site. Prior to beginning work 

on a community site, it is critical that all parties have discussed, and agree on proposed design 

specifications and construction processes. FEMA, USACE, the SHSTF, and contractors should 

all be on the same page regarding methods and design direction. Concurrence between all 

parties involved in the process of community site design and construction should be reached 

before construction is initiated. Clear communication of objectives is also critical to the 

establishment of attainable mission goals. 

Unit Types 

The Housing Assessment Tool (HAT) is a tool designed to collect information on housing 

products and help FEMA determine whether proposed options are suitable for disaster housing 

needs. The assessment tool contains 175 questions about the major aspects of the housing 

products proposed by potential providers and used to determine appropriate unit types to use 

based on local characteristics, including climate, topography, proximity to floodplain, and other 

factors as follows: 

• Range of Use. This assesses how adaptable a unit would be under various environmental, 

geographic, and cultural or conditions required by local government. For example, in coastal 

areas characteristic of high wind zones, units need to meet wind zone standards and 

specialized units may be needed for colder climates. 

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• Livability: The livability discusses how well the units can accommodate or help provide for a 

household's daily living essentials as well as their physical and emotional needs. 

• Timeliness. The timeliness, or how fast units could be made ready for occupancy, is a 

crucial factor in providing rapid response in the wake of a disaster. 

• Cost. A unit’s cost-effectiveness is assessed both in absolute terms and in terms of its value 

relative to other housing options. 

Additionally, most units must comply with the HUD regulations, and UFAS compliant units must 

be available. 

Infrastructure Design 

Site design must adhere to local building and zoning codes and requirements. Local codes, such 

as set backs from boundary lines and other units, depth of buried water, and regulations for 

sewer and electrical lines, cannot be circumvented. Electrical service requirements and codes 

are of primary concern, as are adequate water supply and sewage facilities. Where no sewer or 

septic system exists, a portable wastewater treatment facility may be provided. 

Gravel sidewalks and driveways should either be built above grade and contained by framing 

material, or built below grade to be even with the ground to prevent spreading of gravel. 

Torrential, sustained rainfall can cause compacted material used for driveways and sidewalks to 

loosen, spread and scatter. This deterioration can cause the surfaces to sink into the soil below, 

as well as lead to the clogging of drainage culverts.

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Group-Site Design Accommodation for 50 Units 

This is the design of a typical 50-units community site. It is projected that a typical unit should 

comfortably accommodate, on average, 2 - 3 individuals. The density of the site, defined as the 

number of individuals can be housed in the site at one time against the size of the site, is an 

important consideration during the community site design phase as the site density impacts site 

access as well as the size of each resident’s individual lot. 

Wrap-Around Services 

It is essential that access to educational institutions, places of employment, and essential social 

services is considered during the process of planning and designing a community site. However, 

in many cases, positioning a community site in close proximity to these facilities is not always 

possible. The term ‘wrap-around services’ includes the delivery of infrastructure and additional 

social services to affected residents living on temporary housing sites that go beyond a physical 

need for housing. 

Returning disaster victims to their pre-disaster communities is preferred, however, when 

community sites are placed outside or in a different part of the affected community, additional 

infrastructure and other services are often requested. These services can include access to 

public transportation (including paratransit services), emergency services, and healthcare 

facilities. The availability of accessible food and shopping services, laundry facilities, childcare, 

and common areas such as playgrounds and pet areas can also be considered. 

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The availability and proximity of infrastructure and services are prime consideration factors in the 

evaluation of a site for utilization as a community site; therefore requested enhancements are site 

and population specific. For example, an urban population dependant on public transportation 

may have difficulty in accessing services in a more rural community where public transportation 

does not exist. The needs of elderly populations, individuals with disabilities, and families 

requiring childcare should also be considered. 

Through the evaluation of lessons learned, study of our best practices, and by partnering with 

other service providers (Federal, State, local, voluntary, and private sector), wrap-around services 

were identified as a key concern requiring further evaluation and discussion to ensure the 

consistent and appropriate delivery of community site housing assistance. Many of the wrap 

around services requested of FEMA by local authorities, advocacy groups, and voluntary 

organizations, are traditionally provided by State, local, or private entities in the communities from 

which the affected population was living before the disaster. As a result of the disaster, 

applicants who require a direct housing solution will have to temporarily relocate out of the range 

of the pre-existing service. The Stafford Act currently provides no specific authorities to FEMA for 

these temporary augmentations; however, all of these factors should be taken into consideration 

during the community site design process. 

Uniform Federal Accessibility Standards (UFAS) 

The Uniform Federal Accessibility Standards (UFAS) present uniform standards for the design, 

construction and alteration of buildings so that individuals with disabilities will have ready access 

to and be able to use these structures. In coordination, temporary housing must address the 

needs of those with functional disabilities and medical conditions that affect the configuration of 

their housing environment and must comply with UFAS. A 42 point inspection process, which 

has been reviewed and approved by the Access Board, is used to assess and determine UFAS 

compliance. Fifteen percent of the unit pads and parking spaces must be compliant with UFAS in 

the contractor’s design unless otherwise specified. Other UFAS-related concerns can include 

access to dumpsters and mailboxes, as well as parking for wheelchair-equipped vans. Full UFAS 

specifications are available: http://www.access-board.gov/ufas/ufas-html/ufas.htm, and when 

developing a community site design and placing individuals with disabilities, the Special Needs 

Coordinator for the disaster, or the FEMA Disability Coordinator in the Office of Equal Rights 

should be consulted. 

Safety and Security Measures 

As an option of last resort, the design of a community site can affect the safety and security of all 

residents. Planners must consider the relative safety of the area selected for development of the 

site, including the level of crime in the surrounding community. If additional site security is 

necessary, provisions for solutions such as fencing and the hiring of additional security personnel 

should be considered. Local law enforcement should be consulted prior to building a community 

site and coordinated with during operation. 

Planners must also ensure that the number and location of fire hydrants are appropriate for the 

size and design of the site, and conform to the National Fire Code. Coordination with local 

emergency responders to develop roads that will satisfy the requirements for emergency vehicle 

access in case of an emergency should also be addressed. In addition to emergency planning, 

Annexes Page 110
road and access route design should also take into consideration the volume of traffic in the area 

which may increase significantly once a community site is fully populated. This can have an 

impact on the safety of both vehicular and pedestrian traffic. 

Emergency storm shelters may be needed when a community site is constructed in an area with 

a high probability of sever weather activity. If shelters are required, the construction and 

positioning of these shelters will need to be considered during the overall community site design 

process. 

Additionally, security during the lifespan of the community site must be offered. This includes the 

preliminary determination of the level of security needed. Security will depend on several factors 

including the size of the park and location. Larger parks (up to 200 units) will require a higher 

level of security than smaller parks. In larger parks, vehicle access passes and a controlled 

access point along with roving patrols within the park will deter unwanted visitors. A system also 

needs to be in place to allow access for health and social service workers as well as other wrap 

around services personnel. The park rules and regulations must clearly define visitor hours for 

non-residents. 

Identification must be made as to who among Federal, State, territory, tribal, and local agencies 

will provide security, including establishing the level of access to community sites for nonresidents. In tribal areas, the tribe reserves the option to employ their own security force. 

Construction 

After the site design plans have been finalized, the lease has been agreed upon, and permits are 

in place, a ‘Notice to Proceed’ is issued, and the community site construction can commence at 

the direction of FEMA. Federal expense is limited to 75 percent of the cost of construction and 

development, including installation of utilities. In accordance with Section 408(a)(4) of the 

Stafford Act, the State or local government shall pay any cost which is not paid for from the 

Federal share, including long-term site maintenance such as snow removal, street repairs, and 

other services of a governmental nature. 

The designated contractor will begin the process by securing permits and coordinating efforts with 

the local utility providers. The contractor should allow for sufficient time to organize and deploy 

construction resources. It is expected that the contractor will complete construction of the site 

according to the approved design, operations plan and project schedule. The surveying, clearing, 

debris disposal, fill and grading, and infrastructure installation should conform to agreed-upon 

specifications and applicable regulations. The construction of roadways, culverts, and driveways 

should be closely monitored to ensure that they are constructed according to plan. 

It is expected that the contractor will schedule work to meet the required deadlines. Working in 

shifts to cover 24 hours per day is not mandatory, but permissible. The contractor may be 

expected to work seven days per week, including weekends and holidays, based on operational 

and disaster needs. It is anticipated that, barring any contingencies such as local opposition and 

rain delays, the site should be ready for the first unit to be installed within approximately 30 days 

after the ‘Notice to Proceed’ is issued, and, if the community site is scaled to accommodate 

greater than 100 housing sites, a reasonable timeframe would be for the first 100 units to be 

installed within 45 days. 

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During this process, State and local officials, as well as other internal and external customers, 

should be kept abreast of progress. In addition to managing expectations, these entities can 

provide invaluable assistance in meeting project goals. Additionally, all involved parties should 

develop contingency plans to manage and mitigate any obstacles that may arise. 

After the actual construction of the site has been completed, unit installation activities can 

commence. FEMA should work with the construction contractor, as well as with State and local 

authorities, to ensure that the appropriate permits and waivers are in place. FEMA will closely 

monitor the installation process to verify that all units are blocked, leveled, and positioned 

according to requirements. Once it has been confirmed that the unit is ready for occupancy, 

FEMA can complete the process of assigning the applicant to their temporary home. 

Quality and costs can be controlled effectively if direct coordination between the contractor and 

utility/commodity companies is permitted. It is much easier to manage project timelines and 

milestones when this sort of direct communication exists. In future disasters, it may be beneficial 

to consider exploring alternative contracting vehicles and approaches for community site related 

requirements. For example, existing public assistance contractors and programs may be 

considered to assist with the replacement and repair of utility structures. 

Placement of Individuals and Households 

The State, tribal, territory, and local government will determine the priorities for placement 

of individuals and households. Through the State-led JHTF, the decisions will be made as to 

which populations have precedence to ensure that everyone is housed to best suit their individual 

needs. Items the task force may consider when determining housing priorities are: 

• Medical Needs. Any person who may not remain in optimum health in a shelter or other 

emergency facility. Such persons may include those dependent upon oxygen or dialysis 

equipment. However, disaster victims with medical needs should not be provided with 

housing until the services they need to assist them are available. One consideration for 

housing locations is proximity to facilities that will assist in meeting their medical needs. 

• Accessibility Requirements. As outlined in the ‘UFAS’ section above, a UFAS compliance 

check-list is used to determine accessibility, and strategic consideration is given to the 

number of UFAS-compliant units that will be required as well as which residents will be 

placed specifically into UFAS-compliant units. 

• Court Restrictions. Although FEMA may not discriminate in housing applicants, court 

orders take precedence. Applicants with court orders excluding them from living in proximity 

to specified groups or individuals may not be suitable for housing in a community site. 

Special housing arrangements will need to be provided and State and local partners should 

be engaged to help facilitate the placement of these applicants. 

Other disaster-dependant considerations may be made for first responders, any person who has 

a need to remain in the community to help in the response and recovery for the event. Such 

persons may include police, firefighters, medical staff, and other emergency personnel. 

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The Pre-Placement Interview (PPI) is a FEMA tool used to determine the type and scope of 

housing needs for a disaster. Each applicant who indicates they have a housing need is called 

and asked a set of questions, through which it is determined what type of resource will best fit 

their housing needs. During the PPI, the household size, household composition, and any 

special accommodations that may be required are identified. Applicants may require, for 

example, a UFAS-compliant unit, a ramp, or special bathing facilities. 

During the PPI, it is decided if the applicant is to be provided with a temporary housing unit. If the 

applicant is provided with a unit, it will either be a private site, where the applicant has private 

property on which to place a unit (dependent upon a site inspection for feasibility), a commercial 

site where FEMA has identified and contracted for pads within an existing commercial site, or a 

community site where, due to lack of private sites and existing commercial sites, FEMA has 

contracted to develop a site on land either donated or leased. 

If the applicant is not provided with a temporary housing unit during the PPI, they will either 

remain in their damaged dwelling, be provided information on rental resources if available, or 

confirm that they have located or will locate their own housing resources. In this case, the PPI 

determined that the applicant was not eligible for the direct housing assistance, or the applicant 

selected another housing option to meet their needs. 

Park Management 

The two distinct areas of management required for community sites are the physical 

maintenance to ensure the site is properly kept throughout the duration of its use and the 

management related to ensuring appropriate casework is provided for the population 

residing within the park. Physical maintenance is performed to ensure the site is properly kept 

throughout the duration of its use. Site maintenance includes but is not limited to the upkeep of 

the infrastructure including utilities, roads, snow removal, maintenance of common areas, waste 

(e.g., solid, hazardous, sewage) management and removal, signage, and the eventual 

deactivation of the site. This may also include mowing of grass and rodent and pest control. 

Additionally, unit maintenance includes routine maintenance and repairs to individual units, 

replacement or deactivation of units as required; or alterations to individual units to meet 

accessibility needs. It also includes keeping area surrounding individual units free from debris, 

unusable vehicles, pet litter, and maintained in a neat and orderly manner for the health and 

safety of all park residences. 

Another aspect of the park management relationship with the population involves ensuring the 

appropriate casework of park residents. Casework includes determining an occupant’s continued 

eligibility for residing in the park and ensures residents comply with the terms of their revocable 

licenses and park rules. Case management includes assisting residents in identifying long-term 

housing solutions that are sustainable without disaster related assistance and potential on-site 

management to assist the residents. 

FEMA has the authority to terminate assistance for an individual or household for a number of 

eligible reasons either for cause or due to change in eligibility status. For example, if an applicant 

fails to meet FEMA’s requirements for housing eligibility repeatedly violates park rules or is a 

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threat to the safety and security of other park residents, FEMA may take actions to terminate the 

occupancy agreement. 

The importance of effective communication, coordination and cooperation between emergency 

management agencies and the local utility providers cannot be overstated. It is imperative that 

levels of responsibility are agreed upon as far in advance as possible. An example of this sort of 

coordination could include determining which entity would respond in the event of an emergency 

situation such as a power outage or a water main break. If a municipal water system fails, 

deciding on lines of responsibility in advance can minimize service interruption to the individuals 

residing in the park. 

Depopulation, Conversion, and Deactivation Strategies 

Depopulation of a community site is achieved through intensive case management of the 

applicants. Helping an applicant and their families find safe, suitable permanent housing 

is the ultimate goal of FEMA recertification and case management. A FEMA employee will 

visit with each applicant at least once every month to assist them with the development of their 

Permanent Housing Plan (PHP) as well as providing access to local, State, and Federal unmet 

needs providers. The PHP is a realistic plan that, within a reasonable timeframe, will put the 

disaster victim back into permanent housing that is similar to their pre-disaster housing situation. 

A reasonable timeframe includes sufficient time for securing funds, locating a permanent 

dwelling, and moving into the dwelling. 

FEMA case workers will assist with finding and matching rental resources to applicants who were 

renting homes or apartments before the event. They will also track the progress of repairs of 

damaged or destroyed homes owned by the applicant. Once an applicant has met their housing 

plan, FEMA ensures that the applicant is furnished with all available resources for dealing unmet 

needs and additional casework resources. 

Once a FEMA temporary housing unit has been vacated and is determined to no longer be 

needed, it is deactivated from the site. FEMA issues a work order to its Maintenance and 

Deactivation Contractor (MDC) to complete the work. The deactivation of a temporary housing 

unit consists of four steps. First, all utilities must be disconnected and capped or made safe. 

Second, all utility materials (sewer pipe, electrical wiring/conduit etc.) must be removed in 

accordance with the terms of the lease agreement. Third, the unit is removed from the site and 

returned to either National Logistics Staging Area (NLSA) or a Temporary Housing Storage Site 

(THSS). Both of these are operated by FEMA’s Logistics Management Directorate (LMD). 

Finally, the site is returned to the land owner in a predetermined condition set forth in the lease 

agreement for the community site. Returning the site to the land owner may require site 

restoration activities including but not limited to rehabilitation of vegetation, natural drainage 

patterns, etc. Once the temporary housing unit is returned to the LMD, the determination is made 

on whether or not the unit can be refurbished and reused. If the unit cannot be reused it will be 

disposed of in accordance with LMD policy. 

FEMA is authorized under Section 408 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency 

Assistance Act to dispose of temporary housing units through sales to occupants when the 

applicant lacks permanent housing. FEMA will generally sell units at an adjusted fair market 

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value, and adjustments to the sale price will be made in a fair and equitable manner. Using the 

same authorization, FEMA may also donate housing units to a qualified recipient organization for 

the sole purpose of providing temporary housing to victims of major disasters. In most cases, the 

qualified recipient is either a voluntary agency or an impacted State/tribal territory. Certain 

provisions are required; please see the attached Donation Agreement for additional guidance on 

implementing this program. 

Lessons Learned and Best Practices 

Examining the past experiences, successes, and failures of existing housing programs 

will aid in preparing for future disasters. Identifying the critical challenges that have 

undermined and prevented a more efficient and effective response in the past will allow disaster 

planners and others to be better prepared for future situations. Additionally, recognizing what 

past solutions and actions were particularly effective can be incorporated as best practices and 

included in future disaster housing plans. Lessons learned about community site housing in the 

aftermath of the 2005 hurricane season have served to strengthen Federal response and 

recovery capabilities, making them more expeditious, comprehensive, scalable, and flexible to 

better meet specific disaster sheltering and housing requirements. 

• Incentive programs for individuals help facilitate recovery. Individuals and families must 

take initial responsibility for their recovery, and disaster assistance should essentially be used 

to provide a bridge to recovery. To accomplish this, a phased approach should be used to 

transition housing support from the government to the individual. One approach is to 

increase the “rent” the disaster victim pays gradually each month. Other incentive programs 

include the establishment of a partnership with local educational organizations to provide the 

training necessary for residents receiving housing assistance (particularly in community sites) 

that will help them move beyond reliance on Federal assistance. Such training could address 

basic educational deficiencies or may target specific skills necessary to qualify for a specific 

career area. 

The recipients of housing assistance will not be able to move onto their own until they have 

the capability to assume such costs, and many HUD programs work to build that degree of 

self-sufficiency in individuals. Such supportive services should be integrated between 

Federal agencies and with the local community. Through Homeowner Voucher Assistance, 

assistance provided through a voucher can be applied to the costs of homeownership. 

Resident Opportunity and Self Sufficiency programs provide training and other supportive 

services to housing residents to increase their self sufficiency. Family Self Sufficiency 

programs assisted individuals in overcoming many impediments to their participation in 

training or employment such as transportation, childcare, remedial education or job skills. 

• Strategies of community site placement to ensure employment and the resources 

disaster victims need for living are available. When determining potential community site 

placement, experiences from past disasters have highlighted the importance of considering 

the availability of employment opportunities, and other important resources that would aid 

disaster victims in returning to normalcy. Selecting sites near these important resources is a 

critical part of assisting disaster victims in taking ownership of their recovery process. Placing 

disaster victims in areas where employment opportunities and other resources are 

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unavailable facilitates a dependence on government, nongovernmental organizations (NGO), 

and private sector assistance, and prolongs and impeding the recovery of individuals and 

communities. 

Ensuring these types of resources are available where community sites are developed is a 

challenging task. In addition to ensuring the availability of these resources, comes the critical 

component of connecting disaster victims to the resources. Annex 2 details methods to 

connect disaster victims to employment and the resources they need for living, including 

establishing a framework for public messaging and outreach. 

References

Additional documents and sources were used to develop this Annex and can provide 

further information on the topics discussed herein.

• Stafford Act, 42 USC §5174 (Sec. 408) 

• The Code of Federal Regulations, 44 CFR 206.110-117

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ANNEX 5: 

Programs to Promote the Repair or Rehabilitation of 

Existing Rental Housing 

 

Introduction 

Disasters pose numerous challenges to communities and families, including locating 

adequate temporary housing. Following most disasters and emergencies, displaced individuals 

are able to return to their primary residences within a few days. However, damage to 

infrastructure, including roads, utilities and other public services, or contamination may delay or 

compromise the ability to establish temporary housing in the immediate areas affected by the 

disaster. Relocation to neighboring municipalities and States may need to be arranged for 

temporary housing if the local housing stock and/or infrastructure provide insufficient resources. 

In this case, repair or rehabilitation to existing rental units in neighboring areas may also be 

necessary. 

Temporary housing may be necessary for displaced disaster families until permanent 

housing can be established. Delivering temporary housing is different than providing 

emergency shelter. It requires increased government involvement; is more costly; and also 

requires increased involvement from affected families, who must formally register, meet eligibility 

requirements, and actively participate in the process. If executed appropriately, leveraging 

property already owned by the government and repairing these properties as needed creates a 

cost-effective solution. However, challenges exist when cooperating agencies do not have a solid 

understanding of their agency partners’ authorities, particularly with respect to leasing housing 

units to disaster victims. Each entity has its own rules, regulations, and authorities that affect 

conditions under which the properties could be made available, requiring interagency 

coordination to develop agreements and match displaced families with properties. 

The unprecedented 2004 and 2005 hurricane seasons highlighted key constraints and 

challenges in the capabilities for providing housing assistance. Temporary housing options 

were inadequate and inaccessible after the hurricanes, and in some cases sheltering services 

were forced to remain active for months. A large population of displaced families required 

temporary housing units; however, the limitations in the nation’s manufacturing capacity, and in 

identifying feasible sites to place units on, limited how quickly FEMA could utilize these solutions. 

This reinforced the need for viable alternatives such as repairing or rehabilitating existing rental 

properties. As a result, section 683(b)(7) of the Post-Katrina Emergency Management Reform 

Act (PKEMRA) required the National Disaster Housing Strategy to describe plans for promoting 

the repair or rehabilitation of existing rental housing. 

PKEMRA provided the authority for disaster partner agencies to ensure that significant 

challenges associated with delivering quality temporary and long-term sustainable housing in the 

wake of a declared disaster are formally addressed. Manufactured housing must be transported 

into damaged areas and adequate space must be available for the installation of these units, and 

manufactured housing may not present an ideal solution for the long-term needs of all 

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communities. In contrast, the repair or rehabilitation of existing rental housing can stimulate a 

local economy by providing an influx of work and money for the communities affected. In 

addition, individuals, households, and communities can utilize the repaired properties for longterm sustainable housing. 

One component of this Annex topic is the Rental Repair Pilot Program (RRPP), which is a pilot 

authorized through PKEMRA. RRPP is designed to make better use of existing multi-family 

rental housing in areas covered by a major disaster declaration. Funding is provided to property 

owners for repairs who in exchange make units available to house FEMA disaster applicants.

The categories of rental property that can be rehabilitated include mobile units, single family units, 

and multi-family units. Existing rental housing is comprised of property that could be available for 

rent after a disaster, including government owned property and property that was used for rent 

prior to the disaster. Government owned properties will be considered when it is economically 

feasible for the government to repair and rent housing stock. Existing rental housing does not 

include privately owned foreclosures, such as properties owned by a bank. 

Disaster housing assistance must continue to evolve to more effectively meet the diverse 

and complex needs of our Nation. To effectively meet the temporary housing needs of those 

affected by disasters, including persons with disabilities, multiple options to provide temporary 

housing must be considered. Repair and rehabilitation of available housing provides an 

alternative to other types of temporary housing, such as mobile homes, that must be brought into 

the disaster area. In developing a housing plan, all alternative temporary housing solutions are 

evaluated in order to provide timely and cost-effective temporary housing assistance. 

Purpose 

In response to PKEMRA Section 683 (b), the Strategy − Annex 5: “Programs to Promote 

the Repair or Rehabilitation of Existing Rental Housing,” provides planners with 

information regarding programs that have been or will be established to promote the repair

or rehabilitation of existing rental housing in the wake of a disaster. It will help planners 

understanding of the viability of this housing initiative and facilitate related endeavors in the 

aftermath of future emergencies. The ultimate goal is to help planners across all governmental 

and nongovernmental levels efficiently deliver services to the populations in need of temporary 

housing, eventually leading to a sustainable, permanent housing solution for disaster victims. 

Direct Assistance Rental Housing Repair Programs 

Direct Assistance is provided when displaced families receive assistance in the form of a 

habitable unit. In the recovery phase of a disaster, renters and homeowners may find 

themselves in a particularly difficult situation if their residences have been severely damaged and 

the supply of other local tenant housing is limited. FEMA will attempt to locate housing through 

traditional methods as well as online database tools such as FEMA’s Housing Portal and HUD’s 

National Housing Locator System. However, in major disasters, available tenant housing may be 

limited, in which case temporary housing options would be limited to manufactured housing, 

hotels and motels, geographic displacement, or other forms assistance that can be both 

inconvenient to displaced families and costly to the Government. 

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Repairing and rehabilitating existing rental housing provides an alternative to other forms of 

temporary housing. For example, in areas where manufactured homes would otherwise be used, 

repairing rental housing may be a more effective alternative. Through the hiring of necessary 

contractors, a multiplier effect will occur by creating more jobs and stimulating the economy. 

Repairing rental housing can also expedite community recovery by keeping individuals and 

families in their communities, helping to secure consumer dollars and a tax base for the longer 

term. Other positive externalities may be realized; for example, as worn down sections of 

community real estate improves property values in the surrounding neighborhoods improve as 

well. 

Department of Homeland Security, Federal Emergency Management Agency 

In order to provide expedited temporary housing to people whose pre-disaster residences 

were rendered uninhabitable due to a disaster, section 408 of the Stafford Act provides 

temporary housing assistance to affected individuals and households. Temporary housing 

assistance includes financial assistance in the form of rent and also direct assistance in the form 

of a habitable unit. In the case of direct assistance, the Federal Emergency Management Agency 

(FEMA) has the authority under the Stafford Act to repair rental units. FEMA exercised this 

authority during the response to Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans, LA, and has undertaken a 

Rental Repair Pilot Program. 

• Rental Repair Pilot Program. The Rental Repair Pilot Program (RRPP) funds repairs to 

multi-family rental housing units due to disaster-related damages or deferred maintenance. 

In exchange, owners agree to make rental units available to FEMA disaster applicants. The 

value of FEMA’s contribution is deducted from the value of the lease agreement to offset the 

cost of repairs. 

FEMA can contract with owners of multi-family housing units to fund repairs or contract 

directly with the entity providing the repairs. For the purpose of this pilot, ‘multi-family 

housing’ means a property consisting of more than four units (or dwellings). The term 

includes apartments, cooperative buildings, and condominiums. In addition, the multi-family 

housing must be located in an area covered by a major disaster declaration. The Pilot 

Program may be implemented where alternative housing options are less available and 

where use of the pilot is cost-effective. 

o Intended Use. This pilot program intends to form an assessment regarding the ability to 

better utilize existing rental resources to provide timely and cost-effective temporary 

housing assistance, especially where other options are inadequate to meet sheltering 

and temporary housing needs. The assessment will require a collection of data used to 

compare the cost-benefit and effectiveness of repairing available rental units to the costbenefit and effectiveness of manufactured homes and other alternative temporary 

housing units. The resulting information will be provided in a report to Congress for use 

in building the Disaster Housing Strategy Implementation plan. Consistent with the

Strategy’s goal, the pilot program aims to engage all levels of government, non-profit and 

private sectors in order to collectively meet the urgent housing needs of disaster 

applicants and enable individuals, households, and communities to rebuild and restore 

their way of life. In sum, the Pilot Program should enhance our understanding and ability 

Annexes Page 119
to meet the complex needs of affected communities by building a model that exposes a 

broad range of flexible housing options. 

o Program Authorities. Section 689i of the Post Katrina Emergency Management Reform 

Act (PKEMRA) of 2006 authorized the Administrator to approve a pilot project before 

December 31, 2008. PKEMRA also authorized FEMA to submit a report to Congress on 

the effectiveness of the pilot program by March 31, 2009. 

Department of Defense, United States Army Corps of Engineers 

In addition to its specific contributions to the RRPP, the USACE supports the repair and 

rehabilitation of rental housing under their authority as a support entity for ESF #6. USACE 

provides technical assistance, temporary roofing services, and other repairs that facilitate 

reoccupation of minimally damaged structures. 

Grant and Loan Programs to Support the Repair or 

Rehabilitation of Existing Rental Housing 

Various grant and loan programs support the repair or rehabilitation of existing rental 

housing, including single-family and multi-family units. In contrast to programs described in 

the section above, these Federal programs do not provide direct assistance. Instead, grants or 

loans are distributed to State and local governments who administer the repair of rental housing; 

in other cases, property owners are the direct recipients of funding. 

These programs may not significantly contribute to the supply of temporary housing options, as 

authorities and objectives pertain more so to provision of long-term sustainable housing. 

Nonetheless, funding can be provided to facilitate the repair or rehabilitation of existing rental 

housing, and thus helping to revitalize communities affected by disasters. 

Programs are categorized below according to the agency under which it is administered. More 

comprehensive descriptions are included in Annex 1. 

Small Business Administration 

The Small Business Administration (SBA) provides loans for non-farm, private sector, 

uncompensated disaster-related losses. These loans assist homeowners, renters, non-profits, 

and businesses of all sizes in the recovery process. In the context of this Annex, owners of rental 

properties damaged by disasters may qualify for an SBA low-interest disaster business loan to 

repair or replace the damaged property. The SBA’s Office of Disaster Assistance can lend up to 

$200,000 for primary residences and up to $2 million to business owners for uncompensated 

disaster losses. SBA offers flexible repayment terms by providing low-interest rates, terms up to 

30 years, and first payment deferrals from 5 to 12 months. The loan may be increased by as 

much as 20 percent of the total loss to protect the property against future disasters of the same 

type. 

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In addition, landlords who have lost income because their rental units are unoccupied due to 

disaster may be eligible for an economic injury disaster loan. The loan provides working capital 

for disaster-related needs until a business recovers. 

Department of Housing and Urban Development

The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) provides various grants and 

loans to eligible communities and households for the repair and rehabilitation of existing 

rental property. Depending on the project, funding can be provided through Community 

Development Block Grants (CDBG), the HOME Investment Partnerships Program, Capital Fund 

appropriations, or Section 203(k) Rehabilitation Mortgage Insurance. 

Community Development Block Grants and the HOME Investment Partnerships Program provide 

flexible grants to cities, counties, and States that can be approved for reconfiguration to help their 

citizens recover from Presidentially declared disasters, especially in low- and moderate-income 

areas. In addition, the CDBG program is a common outlet through which Congress delivers 

emergency disaster recovery funds through supplemental appropriation after the disaster. The 

grants can be used to repair existing rental property through the rehabilitation of single-family, 

multi-family, or manufactured home rental units. State and local governments partner with 

community housing development organizations, other public or nonprofit sub-recipients, for-profit 

sub-recipients, private lenders, and third party contractors. 

HUD’s Section 203(k) Home Rehabilitation Mortgage Loan program enables disaster area 

homeowners to finance either the purchase (or refinancing) of a house and the cost of its 

rehabilitation through a single mortgage, or to finance the rehabilitation of their existing home. 

The requirement for a dwelling to be completed more than one year preceding the date of the 

application for mortgage insurance under Section 203(k) does not apply to properties in the 

disaster area. Damaged residences are eligible for Section 203(k) mortgage insurance 

regardless of the age of the property. The residences need only to have been completed and 

ready for occupancy for eligibility under Section 203(k). The percentage of financing, however, is 

determined by the type of mortgage being made. For example, normal loan-to-value ratios apply 

to Section 203(k) mortgages made in these areas. The mortgage insurance premium is the same 

for all other Section 203(k) mortgages. 

The Section 203(k) program can be used for one-to-four unit dwellings. Loans are made through 

participating lenders, who along with State and local government agencies, have found ways to 

assist borrowers by combining Section 203(k) loans with other financial resources, such as the 

Community Development Block Grant and HOME programs discussed above. Lenders often 

leverage the expertise of local housing agencies and nonprofit organizations to help manage the 

rehabilitation processing. Eligible improvements include, but are not limited to, structural 

alterations and reconstruction, changes for improved functions and modernization, elimination of 

health and safety hazards, changes for aesthetic appeal and elimination of obsolescence, and 

improvements for accessibility to a disabled person. 

Section 203(k) is a unique financial offering because most mortgage plans provide only 

permanent financing. That is, the lender will not usually close the loan and release the mortgage 

unless the condition and value of the property provide adequate loan security. When 

rehabilitation is involved, this means that a lender typically requires the improvements to be 

Annexes Page 121
finished before a long-term mortgage is made. When a buyer wants to purchase a house in need 

of repair or modernization, the buyer usually has to obtain financing first to purchase the dwelling, 

additional financing to do the rehabilitation construction, and a permanent mortgage when the 

work is completed to pay off the interim loans with a permanent mortgage. The Section 203(k) 

program allows the borrower to get just one mortgage loan at a long-term fixed (or adjustable) 

rate to finance both the acquisition and the rehabilitation of the property. 

 

United States Department of Agriculture 

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) provides loans and grants to benefit 

rural Americans who are in need of rental housing after a disaster occurs. USDA programs 

that specifically benefit the repair or rehabilitation of existing rental housing include Section 502 

Direct Loans, Section 515 Rural Rental Housing, and Sections 514 and 516 Farm Labor Housing. 

The Section 502 Direct Loan program is intended to provide applicants with the opportunity to 

acquire, build, rehabilitate, improve or relocate dwellings in rural areas. 

The Section 515 Rural Rental Housing Program provides direct loans to eligible borrowers, who 

include individuals, businesses, nonprofit organizations, Native American tribes, and public 

agencies. These borrowers are to provide rental housing for very low-, low-, and moderateincome households, elderly households, and persons with disabilities living in rural areas. 

Section 515 loans are specifically intended for multi-family housing, which must be economical, of 

average quality, and in a location that qualifies as a rural area. An initiative administered under 

this program is the Multi-family Housing Preservation and Revitalization Restructuring (MPR) 

Demonstration Program. It was created to revitalize existing rural rental housing projects 

financed by Section 515. The program restructures selected existing Section 515 loans to ensure 

sufficient resources are available to preserve the rental project. Restructuring tools may include 

grants, additional loans, debt deferrals, or debt forgiveness. Expectations are that properties 

participating in this program will be able to extend affordable use without displacing tenants due 

to increased rents. 

The USDA Farm Labor Housing Program, Sections 514 and 516, provides loans and grants that 

help farmers, public or private nonprofit organizations, State, and local governments buy, build, 

improve, or repair housing for seasonal or year round farm laborers. Section 514 is a multi-family 

program and must be used for on-farm labor housing projects. 

 

Other Rental Housing Repair Initiatives 

Other rental housing repair initiatives focus on alternative means of providing rental 

housing through housing stock owned by government entities. These initiatives primarily 

use tools such as Interagency Agreements (IAA), Pre-Scripted Mission Assignments (PSMA), 

Contracts, or Memorandums of Understanding (MOU) to partner with other government entities to 

provide rental housing from existing housing stock. In doing so, these initiatives take advantage 

of existing infrastructure that can be repaired or rehabilitated, and provide government owned 

housing to disaster victims for temporary housing purposes. If implemented effectively, the 

Federal Government has the potential to expedite temporary housing delivery and reduce its own 

costs associated with providing housing to disaster victims. 

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As the lead Federal agency for emergency management, FEMA is a position to coordinate with 

other agencies for housing response and recovery. Therefore, many examples cited below will 

be in the context of agreements between FEMA and other agencies. 

• Interagency Agreements. Interagency agreements (IAA) are contracts between two Federal 

agencies to facilitate the provision of services by one agency and remuneration for those 

services by the other agency. In response to a disaster, IAAs are typically used for recovery 

and other long-term activities. In the case of rental housing, FEMA can enter into an IAA with 

other Federal agencies that have existing housing stock in order to provide those units for 

rent. An IAA may specify which units could be used. For example, an IAA may explain that 

only habitable units, or units that need less than $10,000 of repair, are available to rent to 

disaster victims. Other terms include in an IAA may include a timeframe, specific locations 

that will be available for use, financial terms, and other roles and responsibilities for the 

Federal agencies. 

• Mission Assignments and Pre-Scripted Mission Assignments Under the descriptions of 

44 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 206.208, FEMA can develop Mission 

Assignments (MA) with other Federal agencies. These MAs are described as work orders 

issued by FEMA Operations to a Federal agency directing completion of a specific task, and 

citing funding, other managerial controls, and guidance in anticipation of, or in response to, a 

Presidential disaster declaration. Agencies can be directed to complete work with or without 

reimbursement under the Stafford Act. 

In order to expedite the delivery of Federal assistance, FEMA and other Federal agencies 

can jointly develop “Pre-Scripted” Mission Assignments (PSMA). These PSMA were 

developed to facilitate rapid response and standardize work typically done by a Federal 

agency. These PSMA will provide statements of work and cost estimates prior to an actual 

disaster or emergency. The use of PSMA language is expected to streamline the MA 

process and provide a planning base for other Federal agencies. Not all MA can be prescripted, and MA may be modified in the field to meet event-specific needs. The PSMA is 

intended to avoid replication of work for each event and encourages thinking ahead to 

activities that might take place in an emergency or disaster situation. 

• Memorandums of Understanding. A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) establishes a 

framework of cooperation between two agencies. In this case, the agreement would allow 

one agency, such as FEMA, to use the government owned property of another agency in 

order to provide temporary housing for disaster victims. In one example of an MOU, FEMA 

and the VA agreed to provide 315 VA properties for rent during the response and recovery to 

Hurricane Katrina. The MOU explained that units provided by VA would be habitable and 

provided directly to habitants through a lease with VA. The VA maintained the right to sell the 

property and evict tenants that were not upholding the lease agreement. An MOU differs 

from an IAA in part because IAAs provide for the exchange of money between two agencies. 

By developing these types of agreements prior to a disaster, FEMA can increase the speed with 

which they provide government owned housing for temporary housing purposes after a disaster. 

In the case of catastrophic disasters when relocation may be necessary, these types of 

agreements may be beneficial because government owned housing stock is spread throughout 

Annexes Page 123
the United States. Although generally, relocation would focus on occupying existing rental 

resources before considering agreements to repair government owned housing property. 

References 

Additional documents and sources were used to develop this Annex and can provide 

further information on the topics discussed herein.

• Stafford Act, 42 USC §5174 (Sec. 408) 

• The Code of Federal Regulations, 44 CFR 206.110-117.

Annexes Page 124
ANNEX 6: 

Additional Authorities Necessary to Carry Out the 

Strategy

A key requirement of the Post-Katrina Emergency Reform Act (PKEMRA) is for FEMA to 

"describe any additional authorities necessary to carry out any portion of the National Disaster 

Housing Strategy." Analyses conducted by FEMA and HUD indicate that both organizations may 

require additional authorities. Any requirements for additional authorities will be developed 

through the Administration’s established legislative and regulatory process. 

Annexes Page 125
ANNEX 7: 

Summary of Guidance on Disaster Housing 

Assistance Available under the Stafford Disaster 

Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, including 

Eligibility Criteria and Application Procedures 

Introduction 

The Stafford Act is a key component of disaster housing legislation. Federal disaster 

assistance legislation and programs have been evolving since 1950. Through legislation, a 

variety of disaster relief programs have been established and a wide range of needs addressed. 

With concern about the use of the disaster authority for responding to non-major disasters, 

Congress undertook a comprehensive study and review of its disaster programs and 

subsequently passed the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act of 

1988. The Stafford Act has been amended numerous times, improving existing and incorporating 

new legislation. As a result, the Stafford Act is still the major legislation under which FEMA 

operates today and provides a framework for continued disaster relief. 

Differences in interpretations of programs under the Stafford Act have led to 

inconsistencies in assistance provided. Disaster assistance provided under the Stafford Act 

has not always been streamlined and consistent. The Stafford Act authorizes FEMA, under a 

delegation from the President, to coordinate the relief activities of government and private 

disaster assistance organizations. As FEMA is responsible for coordination of Stafford Act 

programs but relies on other government and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) to 

supplement these efforts, confusion has arisen surrounding the scope of FEMA’s programs and 

the responsibilities and roles of FEMA and other entities in providing disaster housing assistance. 

A concise, comprehensive resource of disaster housing assistance will present disaster 

planners, as well as the organizations with whom they work, with a clear and thorough 

description of disaster housing guidelines to enrich their assistance capabilities. There 

are Stafford Act programs available at all stages of disaster housing, and the programs 

authorized by the Stafford Act provide a wide breadth of assistance. Therefore, a consistent 

understanding of these programs, including their capabilities and limitations, is essential for all 

engaged in the disaster housing planning process. This also translates into improved assistance 

for applicants as planners and staff can provide clear and consolidated information on available 

disaster assistance programs and administer assistance consistently. 

Individuals and households initiate and support their applications to receive assistance 

from Stafford Act programs. Those who receive disaster assistance under a Stafford Act 

program are responsible for using this assistance for the intended purpose and for disaster 

related expenses only and keeping their receipts. An understanding of application requirements 

Annexes Page 126
will also better enable the local, State, and private sector organizations to comprehensively and 

efficiently provide assistance. 

Purpose 

This Annex is intended to provide disaster planners at all levels (local, State, tribal, and 

Federal) with a clear overview and understanding of housing programs under the Stafford 

Act. Following are the eligibility requirements and application procedures for each type of 

Federal housing assistance available to individuals and households affected by a disaster, 

concentrating on the interaction and overlap between Stafford Act disaster assistance housing 

programs. Programs and methods selected for inclusion in this Annex directly provide, or help to 

provide, sheltering, interim, or permanent housing, as outlined and authorized by the Stafford Act, 

for living for individuals or households affected by a major disaster. These programs help 

individuals and households return to their pre-disaster state of self-sustainable housing, 

employment, and other essential services. 

The Stafford Act

The Stafford Act enables the Federal Government to assist States affected by a disaster to 

expedite the rendering of aid and emergency services as well as the reconstruction of 

devastated areas. The Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act 

(Stafford Act) (Public Law 100-707) is a United States Federal law which constitutes the statutory 

authority for most Federal disaster response activities especially as they pertain to FEMA and 

FEMA programs. 

This Act provides a framework for continued disaster relief and provides the authority for FEMA’s 

role in managing Federal disaster assistance. A key condition of the Act is that State, tribal, and 

local governments have the primary responsibility to respond to a disaster. Federal assistance is 

designed to supplement the efforts and available resources of State, tribal, and local 

governments, as well as voluntary relief organizations in alleviating the damage, loss, hardship, 

or suffering resulting from a disaster. FEMA may task any Federal agency, with or without 

reimbursement, to provide assistance to State, tribal, and local disaster efforts in a declared 

disaster. 

The Stafford Act was signed into law November 23, 1988, amending the Disaster Relief Act of 

1974 (PL 93-288). Congress amended the Disaster Relief Act multiple times, including by 

passing the Disaster Mitigation Act of 2000 (PL 106-390), and, again in 2006, with the PostKatrina Emergency Management Reform Act (PL 109-295) and the Pets Evacuation and 

Transportation Standards Act (PL 109-308). 

The Stafford Act referenced herein is the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency 

Assistance Act, as amended, as of August 2007. 

Annexes Page 127
Stafford Act Disaster Housing Assistance 

A key component of the Stafford Act is a clear definition of housing assistance and how it may be 

provided in the wake of a disaster. FEMA may provide disaster housing assistance to individuals 

and households who have been displaced from their pre-disaster primary residences or whose 

pre-disaster primary residences have been rendered uninhabitable or inaccessible by a major 

disaster. Limitations include a maximum amount of assistance that an applicant may be eligible 

to receive for each disaster event. Housing Assistance provided under the Stafford Act includes: 

• Section 403 Essential Assistance (42 U.S.C. 517ob). This section outlines FEMA Public 

Assistance and allows for Federal agencies to provide assistance in meeting immediate 

threats to life and property resulting from a major disaster, including emergency sheltering. 

• Section 404 Hazard Mitigation (42 U.S.C. 517c). This section provides mitigation 

measures to reduce the risk of future damage or suffering in any area affected by a major 

disaster. This includes Federal Government property acquisition and relocation assistance 

for projects that meet the requirements for hazard mitigation. 

• Section 408 Federal Assistance to Individuals and Households (42 U.S.C. 5174). Four 

types of Housing Assistance are provided under Section 408 of the Stafford Act. 

o Temporary Housing. Temporary housing assistance is provided either financially, 

allowing disaster victims to rent a housing unit, or directly, allowing disaster victims to 

reside in properties acquired by government purchase or lease. 

o Repair. FEMA may provide financial assistance for the repair of owner-occupied primary 

residences that sustained damage by a major disaster. This is intended to return the 

primary residence to a safe, sanitary, and functional condition, not to the pre-disaster 

condition. 

o Replacement. FEMA may provide financial assistance for the replacement of owner 

occupied primary residences destroyed by a major disaster. 

o Permanent or semi-permanent housing. Financial or direct assistance to individuals or 

households may be provided to construct permanent or semi-permanent housing. 

Post Katrina Emergency Management Reform Act 

The Post-Katrina Emergency Management Reform Act (PKEMRA) of 2006 amends the Stafford 

Act and expands FEMA’s role for disaster response and preparedness as well as providing the 

authority for the Strategy. As authorized by PKEMRA, the Federal Government may provide 

technical and advisory assistance to State and local governments for recovery and planning 

activity. PKEMRA calls for the FEMA Administrator, in coordination the National Advisory 

Council, the National Council on Disability, and other Federal agencies, to develop, coordinate, 

and maintain a disaster recovery strategy. 

Annexes Page 128
Basic Eligibility criteria for FEMA Housing Assistance 

Basic eligibility criteria exist for all Stafford Act disaster housing programs. Underlying 

principles for all programs administered under the authority of the Stafford Act provide an 

understanding of the decisive factors needed to meet basic program eligibility. 

Standard Criteria 

Basic eligibility is determined from information provided by individual applicants. Households are 

eligible when displacement occurs from their pre-disaster primary residence. Repair and 

replacement funds are available when the household has no insurance or insufficient insurance to 

cover required repairs to the residence. 

In addition, applicants must declare that they are a U.S. Citizen, Non-Citizen National, or 

Qualified Alien to receive assistance and will be asked to sign a Declaration and Release Form 

during a physical property inspection. Minors who are a U.S. Citizen, Non-Citizen National, or 

Qualified Alien may be eligible to receive assistance on behalf of their parents or heads of the 

household, who are non-qualified citizens. 

The Federal Government establishes and maintains stewardship of taxpayer dollars by validating 

basic criteria for eligibility. The accuracy of the information received from applicants includes 

verification of basic identity information with their name and Social Security Number (SSN) to 

ensure that the application is valid and that damaged property locations are within Presidentially 

declared designated counties. Typically, only one member of the household is eligible to receive 

disaster housing benefits. 

Standard Limitations 

In addition to the standard eligibility criteria defined above, standard limitations exist for all types 

of Stafford Act disaster housing assistance. These limitations are based on the circumstances 

that may prevent a household from receiving benefits to provide for housing needs. However, 

FEMA and other agencies assist households to overcome such limitations. 

Limitations that apply to all types of disaster housing assistance under the Stafford Act are 

defined below; specific program limitations will be covered in each program’s eligibility section. 

Additionally, standard limitations exist in relation to local and State zoning regulations and other 

codes. These limitations should be consulted for locality-based specific criteria. 

• Insurance. Individuals and households with applicable insurance must meet standard 

criteria to receive Federal assistance. Generally, the applicant’s net insurance settlement1

 is 

compared to the verified losses determined by FEMA. If the net insurance settlement is 

greater than the verified losses, or if the net insurance settlement is greater than the 

 

1

 Insurance settlements for items that are not covered by the FEMA Individuals and Households Program, such as fences, 

outbuildings, barns, and food loss, are not considered a duplication of benefits. Any insurance proceeds for recoverable 

appreciation and/or that must be applied to reduce a mortgage on the property (e.g., forced placed policies) are not 

considered a duplication of benefits with IHP assistance. 

Annexes Page 129
maximum award provided for individual and household assistance, the applicant is 

determined to be ineligible for assistance under Stafford Act programs. However, temporary 

housing financial assistance (rent) may be provided to households with homeowners’ 

insurance if they meet the other eligibility requirements for the housing assistance program. 

o The National Flood Insurance Reform Act of 1994 (NFIRA). NFIRA establishes 

limitations on assistance provided for flood-damaged property if the property is located 

within a Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA). A SFHA is defined as an area with a high 

flood risk having at least a 1 percent chance of being inundated by a flood in any given 

year. Specifically, the Act requires the mandatory purchase and maintenance of flood 

insurance as a condition for receiving Federal or Federally related financial assistance for 

the repair, replacement, or rebuilding of the insurable portions of a residence in a SFHA. 

• Coastal Barrier Resources Act (CBRA). The Coastal Barrier Resources Act (CBRA) 

restricts Federal support that is provided for development on coastal barriers, landscape 

features that shield the mainland from the full force of wind, wave, and tidal energies. 

Through this protection, the CBRA intends to minimize loss of human life by discouraging 

development in high risk areas, reduce wasteful expenditure of Federal resources, and 

protect the natural resources associated with coastal barriers. 

This Act also restricts housing assistance provided under Section 408 of the Stafford Act. 

Housing assistance, including repair, replacement, and semi-permanent or permanent 

construction, is not authorized to those who live in an Otherwise Protected Areas (OPA) or 

Coastal Barrier Resources System (CBRS). Limitations may allow temporary housing 

assistance to be provided to applicants if they meet the other eligibility requirements. Most 

other Human Services programs are available to residents of an OPA or CBRA zone without 

restriction. 

• Preservation. Assistance provided by FEMA under Section 408 of the Stafford Act must 

comply with the various national environmental and historic preservation laws and policies. 

This includes the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the National Historic 

Preservation Act (NHPA), the Endangered Species Act (ESA), 44 CFR 9 – Floodplain 

Management and Wetlands Protection, the Clean Water Act (CWA), and any additional and 

pertinent authorities. FEMA engages in environmental and historic preservation reviews of its 

Section 408 activities before carrying out the actions. These reviews help the agency to 

identify unfeasible or problematic sites, resources that must be protected, and adverse 

impacts that must be mitigated. Full specifications as to what these reviews entail are 

available in Annex 4. 

Additionally, sufficient time and resources must be allotted for meeting various regulatory and 

administrative requirements, including environmental and historic preservation considerations, 

Davis-Bacon minimum wage provisions, licensing/building codes, and accessibility specifications. 

Appeals Process 

If FEMA decides that an applicant does not qualify for assistance, the applicant will be provided 

with the opportunity to appeal the decision. The written appeal must detail reasons why the 

Annexes Page 130
applicant does not agree with the decision and include any supporting documentation. All 

appeals must be mailed within 60 days of FEMA's decision. Appeals may relate to the applicant’s 

determined eligibility, the amount or type of assistance provided, late applications, requests from 

FEMA to return money, or questions regarding continuing assistance. Full appeal procedures are 

discussed in the ‘Application Procedures for FEMA Assistance’ on page 24 of this annex. 

Sequence of Delivery 

A standard process and order, or sequence of delivery, is used to provide the distribution 

and awarding of specific types of disaster assistance. In order to ensure that consistent and 

effective assistance is provided in the wake of a disaster, the Stafford Act disaster housing 

program is administered as part of a standard sequence of delivery. After a disaster occurs, 

emergency assistance, including food, shelter, clothing, and medical needs, is provided for 

disaster victims. This is administered primarily by voluntary agencies, with Federal emergency 

sheltering authority by Section 403 of the Stafford Act.

Programs to restore the applicants to their pre-disaster standard of living start once their basic 

needs have been met. Stafford Act and other Federal assistance programs provide funds only to 

make a home safe, sanitary, and functional. Disaster victims must first contact their insurance 

companies to file a claim for disaster related damages. If disaster victims do not have 

homeowners’ insurance or their net settlement is less than the verified damage determined, they 

may be eligible for housing assistance under the Section 408 Stafford Act Housing Programs. 

The total maximum award for all types of FEMA assistance, including housing, is $28,200 for 

disasters declared in 2007 and $28,800 for disasters declared in 2008. Based on need and 

circumstance, applicants may also be eligible for additional housing funds or assistance from the 

Small Business Administration (SBA) or other voluntary agencies. Please see Annex 1 of the 

Strategy for more information on these programs. 

• Duplication of Benefits. “Duplication of Benefits” refers to assistance provided for the same 

purpose from more than one source. Federal laws prohibit a property owner from receiving 

federal funds if assistance was provided from another source for the same item. As the 

sequence of delivery dictates the order of assistance received by victims, duplication of 

benefits may occur when insurance settlements are delayed due to the magnitude of a 

disaster event or the dissatisfaction of the findings to damaged property. If the applicant’s 

insurance company will not be able to provide any payment, even an advance, sooner than 

30 days from the date of the claim, the applicant may request an advancement of FEMA 

assistance. Limitations include a 30-day waiting period once a claim is filed, and assistance 

considered an advancement of the insurance settlement. With this understanding, 

assistance is promptly recovered by FEMA when the household receives the insurance 

funds. 

Additional limitations may be imposed when disaster events affect the same geographic 

locations repeatedly over time, as FEMA ensures that applicants receive eligible assistance 

in any new disaster event without duplicating the assistance received from a previous 

disaster event. 

Annexes Page 131
FEMA partners with other governmental organizations to share FEMA applicant information, 

which is vital to providing support from multiple disaster assistance sources and preventing 

duplication of benefits. Sharing applicants’ identity information must be accomplished in 

compliance with the Privacy Act and related regulations. FEMA has an established set of routine 

uses under which such information may be shared, as well as procedures in place to do so. 

These may be refined and improved for greater efficiency, but applicant information cannot be 

shared without Privacy Act compliance. 

Sheltering Programs 

Sheltering programs focus on meeting the immediate needs of individuals who cannot 

locate temporary accommodations after a disaster. These programs also provide plans for 

major or catastrophic disasters with high demand and longer term services. Refer to the Strategy

Chapter 3, pages 25 – 40. 

FEMA coordinates and leads Federal resources, as required, to support State, local, tribal 

government and NGOs by providing assistance for emergency shelter, mass care, and 

emergency assistance in recovering from the devastating effects of disasters. Funds are 

allocated from the President’s Disaster Relief Fund to States to provide shelters in a designated 

emergency; individuals receive assistance directly from the State or through a State fund 

mechanism. Examples of shelters used include traditional congregate shelters, special events 

and conference centers, hotels and motels, tents, railroad cars, shipping containers, cruise ships 

and sponsorship by family and friends. 

Emergency Sheltering

FEMA is authorized under the Stafford Act Section 403 to provide emergency sheltering 

assistance. 

Stafford Act, 42 USC §5174 Sec. 403— Essential Assistance 

(a) In general - Federal agencies may, on the direction of the 

President, provide assistance essential to meeting immediate 

threats to life and property resulting from a major disaster, as 

follows: 

(3) Work and services to save lives and protect property - 

Performing on public or private lands or waters any work or 

services essential to saving lives and protecting and 

preserving property or public health and safety, including - 

(B) Search and rescue, emergency medical care, emergency 

mass care, emergency shelter, and provision of food, water, 

medicine, durable medical equipment, and other essential 

needs, including movement of supplies or persons; 

Annexes Page 132
 

 (J) Provision of rescue, care, shelter, and essential needs – 

(i) To individuals with household pets and service 

animals; and 

(ii) To such pets and animals. 

 

(b) Federal share - The Federal share of assistance under this 

section shall be not less than 75 percent of the eligible cost of 

such assistance. 

Protocols are established to provide access to all facilities used as emergency shelters during 

FEMA’s disaster assistance registration process and to provide assistance with replacement of 

personal documents, such as identification and proof of ownership. Before opening a facility to 

be used as a shelter, provisions must be established for food, water, power, sanitation, 

communications, basic first aid services, and modifications for accessibility. Additionally, a 

management structure must be established. In the event of a hurricane, federal assistance is 

available for shelter operations only after the hurricane makes landfall. Emergency assistance 

authorized under section 403 of the Stafford Act, including emergency shelters, is available to all 

residents from declared counties, including those within a CBRA or OPA zone.

In addition to traditional shelters, specific types of emergency sheltering provided include medical 

support shelters, functional needs shelters or units, household pet shelters, and shelters for use 

in major or catastrophic disasters. 

• Medical Support Shelters. In coordination with the medical community, medical support 

shelters are typically run by local and/or tribal governments to accommodate those with 

functional disabilities and medical needs beyond the typical capability of traditional shelters. 

Every effort is made to allow caregivers to also stay in the medical support shelter. 

• Functional Needs Shelters. Functional needs shelters supports (1) individuals with 

physical, cognitive, sensory, behavioral disabilities or other conditions that impacts their level 

of functioning and (2) individuals who have chronic medical or health conditions that require 

functional or medical support, but not at the level of care provided under the Medical Support 

Shelters. These shelters provide functional and/or medical support to the extent possible so 

that people can be accommodated in the least restrictive environment. 

• Household Pet Shelters. Per section 403 (a)(3)(J), shelters shall be provided for disaster 

victims with service animals and pets. This is also in conjunction with the Pets Evacuation 

and Transportation Standards Act (“PETS Act”), which mandates that FEMA’s preparedness 

plans “take into account the needs of individuals with pets and service animals prior to, 

during, and following a major disaster or emergency.”

• Shelters for Use in Major or Catastrophic Disasters. Large venue facilities are used as 

congregate centers in response to a significantly large or catastrophic event that has 

displaced large numbers of individuals from their primary residences. These shelters include 

cruise ships, tents, vacant buildings, military barracks, dormitories, pre-fabricated structures, 

campgrounds, stadiums, and convention centers. These facilities may receive federal 

assistance, or may be operated under FEMA’s direction, upon request by a State, given the 

following conditions: 

Annexes Page 133
o The number of evacuees exceeds other available congregate care resources. 

o A mass evacuation effort is underway and a site is needed to provide a departure point 

for evacuees or initial processing upon arrival in a host location. 

o Consolidating numerous smaller shelters in an affected community will achieve efficiency 

in staffing and resource allocation. 

o Long-term housing options are limited and there is significant damage to infrastructure 

that impedes the implementation of other temporary housing methods. 

The owners of approximately 75 percent of these facilities are members of the International 

Association of Assembly Managers, Inc. (IAAM), which has established guidelines for the use 

of their facilities as disaster shelters. This option generally requires a rental fee to the owner 

of the facility, as well as funds to cover the cost of restoring the facility to its pre-shelter 

condition after the shelter is closed. 

Interim Housing Programs 

Interim housing programs under the Stafford Act provide disaster victims with temporary 

accommodations until permanent housing can be established. Interim housing is not meant 

to restore the applicant to their pre-disaster standard of living but rather to provide a bridge 

between short-term sheltering and long-term, sustainable housing. Refer to the Strategy Chapter 

3, pages 41 – 57, for full interim housing specifications.

The Stafford Act authorizes FEMA’s Individuals and Households Program (IHP), working in 

conjunction with other programs and entities, to provide for functional repair of damaged homes 

as well as financial and direct assistance for temporary housing. Forms of temporary disaster 

housing provided for by Stafford Act programs may include roofing or other repairs to facilitate 

sheltering in place, tents and pre-fabricated housing units, relocation, direct rental assistance paid 

to landlords, financial rental assistance paid to disaster victims, Federal Government housing 

resources, factory built housing, and conversion of commercial and publicly owned facilities. 

Interim housing plans must be developed with consideration for climate, geography, and the 

cultural needs of the affected community. Generally, displaced residents prefer to remain near 

their damaged homes, particularly if repairs are in progress. However, infrastructure damage, 

including roads, utilities and other public services, may delay the ability to establish temporary 

housing in the immediate areas affected by the disaster. Relocation to neighboring municipalities 

and States may be necessary to meet temporary housing needs if the local housing stock is 

insufficient. Options and procedures for temporary housing in areas with employment 

opportunities and other resources but that are outside of communities affected by a major 

disaster are detailed in Annex 2. 

Programs to Maximize Available Housing Resources 

• FEMA’s IHP Temporary Housing Assistance. This program provides disaster victims with 

funds to be used to rent housing. Chapter 3 of the Strategy provides a brief overview of 

rental assistance, which is authorized by Section 408 of the Stafford Act as follows. 

Annexes Page 134
Stafford Act, 42 USC §5174 Sec. 408— Federal Assistance to 

Individuals and Households 

(c) Types of Housing Assistance - 

(1) Temporary housing - 

(A) Financial assistance - 

(i) In general - The President may provide financial 

assistance to individuals or households to rent alternate 

housing accommodations, existing rental units, 

manufactured housing, recreational vehicles, or other 

readily fabricated dwellings. Such assistance may 

include the payment of the cost of utilities, excluding 

telephone service. 

(ii) Amount - The amount of assistance under clause (i) shall 

be based on the fair market rent for the accommodation 

provided plus the cost of any transportation, utility 

hookups, security deposits, or unit installation not 

provided directly by the President. 

o Provision of Temporary Housing Assistance. Financial rental assistance is available 

as a cash grant of the Fair Market Rent (FMR) for the area, which is provided directly to 

the applicant. Qualified applicants will be awarded one or two months of initial rental 

assistance, based on the specific disaster type and criteria. 

o Eligibility. Initial rental assistance may be provided to disaster victims whose primary 

residence in the declared area requires habitability repairs due to of disaster-related 

damages. The applicant must indicate the intent to move out of their pre-disaster 

residence while home repairs are in progress and must have no or insufficient insurance 

coverage for additional living expenses (ALE). Both owners and renters may also be 

awarded rental assistance during times when continued disruptions in essential utilities 

prevent homes from being occupied or when continued inaccessibility occurs as the 

result of a Presidentially declared disaster. Applicants who live in “non-traditional” forms 

of housing (tents, teepees, lean-to structures, etc.) are also eligible for rental assistance. 

Rental assistance is also authorized for household members residing in separate 

geographical areas if the circumstances for the separation are beyond the applicants’ 

control. 

o Continued Provision of Assistance. FEMA may provide continue rental assistance to 

eligible applicants for up to 18 months if the applicant meets certain criteria and can 

demonstrate a continued need . 

Repairs to Homes 

• Immediate Temporary Repairs. After a disaster, FEMA may implement a Mission 

Assignment with the US Army Corps of Engineers, a contracting initiative which allows for the 

temporary roofing of damaged homes. The roofing is usually plastic sheeting (blue tarps) 

and is placed on homes in an effort to limit the amount of additional damage to the home. 

Annexes Page 135
The Individual Assistance (IA) officer will decide at the onset of a disaster if FEMA will 

implement the Mission Assignment. 

• FEMA’s IHP Repair Assistance. Under this program, money is available for homeowners to 

repair damage from the disaster to their primary residence that is not covered by insurance. 

The intent is to make the damaged home safe, sanitary, and functional. This program is 

authorized by Section 408 of the Stafford Act as follows. 

Stafford Act, 42 USC §5174 Sec. 408— Federal Assistance to 

Individuals and Households 

(c) Types of Housing Assistance – 

(2) Repairs – 

(A) In general - The President may provide financial assistance 

for - 

(i) The repair of owner-occupied private residences, utilities, 

and residential infrastructure (such as a private access 

route) damaged by a major disaster to a safe and 

sanitary living or functioning condition; and 

(ii) Eligible hazard mitigation measures that reduce the 

likelihood of future damage to such residences, utilities, 

or infrastructure. 

(B) Relationship to other assistance - A recipient of assistance 

provided under this paragraph shall not be required to show 

that the assistance can be met through other means, except 

insurance proceeds. 

Applicants may be eligible for financial repair assistance if their home is not safe, sanitary, 

and functional. However, at least $50 in damage must have been sustained. The FEMA 

inspector will make a determination of overall habitability based on damages to essential 

construction components and the safety and sanitary conditions of the dwelling. In addition 

to repair funds, rental assistance can be provided to applicants whose primary residences 

require disaster-related habitability repairs and meet all other eligibility criteria. 

Home repair assistance for flood damages may not be provided if the residence is located in 

a designated SFHA and the proposed repairs are insurable. However, assistance for items 

not typically covered by insurance (i.e., wells outside of the foundation, sewer and septic 

systems, or access to the residence) may be awarded. 

• FEMA’s IHP Replacement Assistance. The intent of Replacement Assistance is to help the 

homeowner with the cost of replacing their destroyed home. Money is available, up to the 

program maximum, for homeowners to replace their home destroyed in the disaster to the 

extent that is not covered by insurance. 

Annexes Page 136
Stafford Act, 42 USC §5174 Sec. 408— Federal Assistance to 

Individuals and Households 

(c) Types of Housing Assistance – 

(3) Replacement - 

(A) In general - The President may provide financial assistance 

for the replacement of owner-occupied private residences 

damaged by a major disaster. 

(B) Applicability of flood insurance requirement - With respect to 

assistance provided under this paragraph, the President may 

not waive any provision of Federal law requiring the purchase 

of flood insurance as a condition of the receipt of Federal 

disaster assistance. 

Replacement awards are initiated based on the inspection determination that a home is 

destroyed or when the recorded damages exceed the maximum award available within 

program limits. Approval for all replacement awards is authorized by the Federal 

Coordinating Officer (FCO), Deputy FCO, or the Regional Director (RD). Replacement 

awards may be used to replace a home in its entirety or as a down payment for a 

replacement home. Additionally, the newly purchased home must not be placed in an SFHA. 

In addition to replacement, rental assistance can be provided to applicants whose primary 

residences are extensively damaged and warrant review for replacement assistance as a 

result of the disaster. Owners must meet all other eligibility criteria. 

• FEMA’s Pilot Program for Repair and Rehabilitation of Rental Housing. The Rental 

Repair Pilot Program (RRPP) funds repairs to multi-family rental housing units due to 

disaster-related damages or deferred maintenance. In exchange, owners agree to make 

rental units available to FEMA disaster applicants. Full details of this program are discussed 

in NDHS Annex 5. 

Transitional Shelters

• FEMA’s IHP Lodging Expense Reimbursement. Through this program, eligible applicants 

may receive assistance for the cost of short-term lodging, such as a hotel room. This 

reimbursement is available while the applicant’s home is either inaccessible or inhabitable 

due to disaster damage. To receive reimbursement, all applicants must submit their paid 

hotel receipts to FEMA for the eligible dates during the assistance period. 

Annexes Page 137
Stafford Act, 42 USC §5174 Sec. 408— Federal Assistance to 

Individuals and Households 

(b) Housing Assistance - 

(1) Eligibility - The President may provide financial or other 

assistance under this section to individuals and households to 

respond to the disaster-related housing needs of individuals and 

households who are displaced from their predisaster primary 

residences or whose predisaster primary residences are 

rendered uninhabitable, or with respect to individuals with 

disabilities, rendered inaccessible or uninhabitable, as a result of 

damage caused by a major disaster. 

(2) Determination of appropriate types of assistance – 

(A) In general - The President shall determine appropriate types 

of housing assistance to be provided under this section to 

individuals and households described in subsection (a)(1) 

based on considerations of cost effectiveness, convenience 

to the individuals and households, and such other factors as 

the President may consider appropriate. 

(B) Multiple types of assistance - One or more types of housing 

assistance may be made available under this section, based 

on the suitability and availability of the types of assistance, to 

meet the needs of individuals and households in the 

particular disaster situation.

Lodging Expense Reimbursement (LER) is available to owners and renters for up to 15 days 

after receiving the initial eligible housing determination. The applicant must provide verifiable 

receipts and their damaged property must be in a designated county. The maximum award 

allowed for LER is 30 days of reimbursement, unless there is written approval from the 

Federal Coordinating Officer (FCO) or Disaster Recovery Manager (DRM). Applicants are 

ineligible for LER if their primary residence is deemed safe by the inspector, even if they left 

during a mandatory evacuation order. Other circumstances which may result in ineligibility 

include if the applicant was living temporarily with family and/or friends, the LER assistance 

duplicates assistance provided from any other source, or the applicant is unable to provide 

lodging receipts. 

• FEMA’s Transitional Sheltering Assistance (TSA). The Transitional Sheltering Assistance 

program provides lodging for disaster victims by paying hotels and motels directly for rooms 

to be used by pre-qualified individuals from designated disaster areas. As the LER program 

provides reimbursement for lodging expenses, TSA provides direct, temporary shelter as a 

result of a Federal disaster declaration and is authorized by Section 403 of the Stafford Act. 

Directly Provided Interim Housing 

FEMA is authorized under the Stafford Act to provide direct assistance in the form of temporary 

housing directly to eligible individuals and households who, because of a lack of available 

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resources would be unable to make use of financial assistance, particularly when rental 

properties are unavailable. 

 

Stafford Act, 42 USC §5174 Sec. 408— Federal Assistance to 

Individuals and Households 

(b) Housing Assistance 

(2) Determination of appropriate types of assistance – 

(A) In general - The President shall determine appropriate types 

of housing assistance to be provided under this section to 

individuals and households described in subsection (a)(1) 

based on considerations of cost effectiveness, convenience 

to the individuals and households, and such other factors as 

the President may consider appropriate. 

(c) Types of Housing Assistance - 

(1) Temporary housing – 

(B) Direct assistance – 

(i) In general - The President may provide temporary 

housing units, acquired by purchase or lease, directly to 

individuals or households who, because of a lack of 

available housing resources, would be unable to make 

use of the assistance provided under subparagraph (A). 

(ii) Period of assistance - The President may not provide 

direct assistance under clause (i) with respect to a major 

disaster after the end of the 18-month period beginning 

on the date of the declaration of the major disaster by the 

President, except that the President may extend that 

period if the President determines that due to 

extraordinary circumstances an extension would be in the 

public interest. 

(iii) Collection of rental charges - After the end of the 18-

month period referred to in clause (ii), the President may 

charge fair market rent for each temporary housing unit 

provided. 

Temporary Housing Units (THUs) are used to provide safe, secure, and sanitary housing for 

eligible disaster victims only when all other housing resources are no longer available, or when 

FEMA has identified a shortfall of rental resources for eligible disaster victims. This assistance is 

available for up to 18 months after the declaration of a major disaster; after the initial 18 month 

period of assistance, FEMA may charge rent to occupants, up to the FMR, for the unit. Eligible 

applicants with a physical disability will receive the type of temporary housing unit appropriate for 

their disability and household size. 

THUs may be used on private, commercial, or community sites, as defined by the Code of 

Federal Regulations, 44 CFR 206.111, and community sites are typically used only when private 

Annexes Page 139
and commercials site options have been exhausted. The Associate Administrator may authorize 

the development of a community site, including installation of essential utilities by the Federal 

Government, following a recommendation from the FEMA Regional Director. Refer to NDHS 

Annex 4 for full details of the community site operations process, including determining the need 

for community sites and identifying potential sites, as well as constructing, populating, 

maintaining, depopulating, and deactivating community sites. All site types must meet the 

physical accessibility requirements for individuals with disabilities, and all are provided by the 

State or local government, by the owner of the site, or by the individual applicant who will occupy 

the unit. 

After the determination is made to use these types of housing, eligible applicants will be 

contacted to identify need and feasibility. Potential private sites are first assessed, and then 

commercial sites, if private sites are unavailable or infeasible. Community site placement is the 

last option for consideration. Units are transported to the site, installed and connected to utilities, 

and then declared ready for occupancy (RFO). Eligible applicants are then able to move into a 

unit. 

At the end of the housing mission, units are cleaned and made ready for future use, donated, or 

sold to the occupant to provide permanent housing for displaced applicants. Units shall be sold 

at prices that are fair and equitable to the purchaser and to the government. Additionally, the 

applicant must demonstrate ability to maintain the THU. The unit may not be placed in a 

designated SFHA unless the community in which the unit is to be located after the sale is, at the 

time of approval, participating in the NFIP. The purchaser must agree to buy and maintain an 

adequate flood insurance policy, which covers the basic sales price of the unit for as long as the 

purchaser owns it. The THU purchaser must show proof of the initial flood insurance policy. 

Permanent Housing Programs 

The intent of permanent housing programs is to facilitate and assist the disaster victims to 

achieve long term, sustainable housing near employment, schools, and essential and 

social services. Permanent housing is generally managed by Federal agencies such as HUD 

and HHS, as well as NGOs, including both private sector initiatives and non-profit organizations. 

The overall permanent housing strategy for a specific area affected by a disaster is organized and 

implemented by State and local officials through a State-led Joint Housing Solutions Task Force. 

However, when a catastrophic event occurs, the Federal Government may play a leading role in 

coordinating permanent housing solutions. Refer to the Strategy Chapter 3, page 58 – 73 and 

Annex #2. Examples of permanent housing programs include the full repair of single family 

homes, full home replacement, charitable housing, manufactured housing, full repair of rental 

housing, and permanent residential construction. These forms of assistance are more 

sustainable and robust than FEMA’s IHP Home Repair and Replacement temporary housing 

solutions. 

• IHP Permanent/Semi-Permanent Construction. Direct assistance or money for the 

construction of a home can be provided, as authorized under the Stafford Act, Section 408, in 

locations specified by FEMA where no other type of housing assistance is possible. 

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Stafford Act, 42 USC §5174 Sec. 408— Federal Assistance to 

Individuals and Households 

(c) Types of Housing Assistance - 

(4) Permanent or semi-permanent housing construction - The 

President may provide financial assistance or direct assistance to 

individuals or households to construct permanent or semipermanent housing in insular areas outside the continental United 

States and in other locations in cases in which 

(A) No alternative housing resources are available; and 

(B) The types of temporary housing assistance described in 

paragraph (1) are unavailable, infeasible, or not costeffective. 

Construction follows minimal local building codes and standards where they exist, or minimal 

acceptable construction industry standards in the area. Construction plans take the needs of 

the occupant into consideration and units constructed are generally of the average quality, 

size, and capacity for the surrounding area. If the home is located in an SFHA, the 

homeowner must comply with flood insurance purchase requirements as well as local flood 

codes and regulations. 

Mitigation of At-Risk Housing and Other Structures 

In addition to providing sheltering, interim and permanent housing to individuals and 

households, the Stafford Act also provides authorization for programs that take sustained 

action to reduce or eliminate long-term risk to life and property from a hazard event. 

Property acquisition is the most permanent form of hazard mitigation. Many communities and 

homeowners have taken this action and have rebuilt their homes and lives in safer places. Since 

1993, participating communities have purchased thousands of properties as part of these 

programs. Refer to Annex 1 of the Strategy for full details of all mitigation programs.

• FEMA’s Hazard Mitigation Grant Program. FEMA's Hazard Mitigation Grant Program 

(HMGP) takes a percentage of the Federal money spent on recovering from a disaster and 

uses it for projects to reduce future risk. By law, FEMA can contribute 15 to 20 percent of 

their cost for the disaster to this grant program, which is administered by the State and local 

communities. FEMA funds up to 75 percent of the total cost. The community purchases 

private property, acquires title to it, and then clears it by either relocating the structures to a 

new non-hazard prone location or demolishing them. Communities have the option of 

offering the current market value or up to the pre-event market value of the structure to 

homeowners who voluntarily agree to participate. By law, once acquired, the land must 

forever remain as open space land. The community can use it to create public parks, wildlife 

refuges, etc. but can neither develop the land nor sell it to private individuals. 

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Acquisition projects are strictly voluntary. Individual homeowners apply directly to the 

community and not to the State. Money is limited and, in most cases, the amount of funds 

set aside for mitigation cannot meet all the mitigation needs following a disaster. States 

prioritize mitigation programs with input from local communities. FEMA reviews the 

applications to ensure that they follow the program rules, are environmentally sound, and are 

a cost-effective use of the assistance. 

• Cora C. Brown Fund. The Cora Brown Fund is made possible by a bequest from the late 

Cora C. Brown of Kansas City, Missouri, who left a portion of her estate to the United States 

for the purpose of helping victims of natural disasters not caused by or attributed to war. This 

assistance provides for disaster related needs that have not or will not be met by 

governmental agencies or any other organization which has programs to address such 

needs. 

• National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). The Mitigation Directorate, a component of 

FEMA, manages the NFIP. The NFIP makes available federally backed flood insurance to 

homeowners, renters, and business owners. Community participation in the NFIP is 

voluntary, and nearly 20,000 communities across the United States and its territories 

participate in the NFIP by adopting and enforcing floodplain management ordinances to 

reduce possible future flood damage. 

Flood insurance is designed to provide an alternative to disaster assistance to reduce the 

escalating costs of repairing damage to buildings and their contents caused by floods. Flood 

damage is reduced by nearly $1 billion a year through communities implementing sound 

floodplain management requirements and property owners purchasing flood insurance. 

Additionally, buildings constructed in compliance with NFIP building standards suffer 

approximately 80 percent less damage annually than those not in compliance. 

Application Procedures for FEMA Housing Assistance 

FEMA Individual Assistance provides all types of appropriate Federal assistance to all 

victims of Presidentially declared disasters resulting from all hazards. The FEMA Individual 

Assistance (IA) Division assists persons who have serious and necessary needs resulting from a 

major disaster. Applicant registrations are taken and inspections are completed by FEMA or 

FEMA contractors, and incoming and outgoing communication with applicants is conducted 

through centralized FEMA locations, the National Processing Service Centers (NPSC).

Initial Application 

The standard FEMA application period begins the date the President declares an emergency or 

major disaster and continues for 60 days. FEMA offers two primary methods to apply for FEMA 

disaster assistance; the individual or household may apply by telephone or apply online through 

the Individual Assistance Center (IAC) at www.fema.gov. Each disaster requires a separate 

registration. However, only one registration is required per applicant for both home and business 

losses. 

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The data elements that the applicant provides are the same regardless if they register by 

telephone or online. These data elements include personal identification and household 

information, description of the losses caused by the disaster, insurance information, and 

identification of emergency needs. The National Emergency Management Information System 

(NEMIS) is used to securely store and process applications for disaster assistance. After 

registering, the applicant will be provided with a registration identification number and directions 

to create an online account which can be used to check the status of their registration. 

For applicants with property damage who do not have insurance, an inspector will make contact 

within 10 days after the application is submitted to schedule an inspection time. However, in 

areas where access is still severely limited, it may take longer for an inspection to take place. 

Applicants who have insurance must submit their insurance claim first and provide FEMA with a 

decision letter (settlement or denial) from their insurance company before a FEMA inspection will 

take place, except in cases of flooding damage. On average, 10 days after the inspection, FEMA 

will decide if the applicant qualifies for assistance and will inform the applicant of the 

determination. 

Appeals 

An appeal to a FEMA decision may result from dissatisfaction with assistance benefits that have 

been provided, either limited by standard limitations or an inability to meet criteria for eligibility. 

All applicants may request reconsideration of the FEMA decision for assistance benefits received 

under Stafford Act programs. Appeal requests must be received by FEMA within 60 calendar 

days from the date the decision letter is mailed to the applicant or, for insurance specific 

concerns, 12 months from the date of registration. Specific processes and methods for appealing 

are made available under Stafford Act Section 423 and communicated to the applicant. 

To appeal, applicants should provide additional evidence to support their claim, which may 

include a description of previously unidentified damages, photographs of disaster-related 

damages, estimates, or receipts to better explain the applicant’s situation and concerns. 

Applicant appeals are reviewed by the specialized Appeals Group in the Texas NPSC, who will 

work with each applicant to resolve their concerns and explain their final determination. 

Registration Controls 

NEMIS provides registration controls for FEMA disaster assistance, which allow the Disaster 

Recovery Managers to institute an early registration period or accept late applications. 

• Early Registrations. If a Presidential Disaster Declaration has not occurred but appears 

imminent, an Early Registration period may be activated. The registrations are submitted by 

potential disaster victims in the same manner as traditional registrations and are stored until 

the disaster is officially declared. If the registration meets the criteria for a disaster that is 

declared subsequently, the early application will be processed. 

• Late Applications. The FEMA Regional Administrator may extend the application period 

when it is anticipated that more time is needed to collect applications from the affected 

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population or to establish the same application deadline for contiguous counties or States. 

After the application period has ended, FEMA will accept and process applications for an 

additional 60 days only from persons who can provide an acceptable explanation, with 

substantiating documentation, for not contacting FEMA before the application period ended. 

Accepted reasons for late applications include record of hospitalization, illness, handicap, or 

death of immediate family members; proof of personal or business travel keeping the 

applicant out of the area for the full application period; proof that an insurance claim filed 

during the application period has been denied; and proof that insurance benefits for ALE 

were used appropriately during the application period but have been exhausted. Not knowing 

about the disaster declaration and/or not knowing about the application deadline are not 

considered to be justifiable reasons for submitting a late application. 

• Applicant Verification. A key focus of disaster assistance processing is ensuring the 

validity of applications. In support of this, a variety of automatic enhancements and 

specifications to NEMIS have been developed to verify each applicant’s identity and confirm 

that they have not already received assistance. 

Referrals 

In addition to disaster housing assistance funds available through FEMA’s Individuals and 

Households Program, applicants are also referred to other government agencies or NGOs to 

provide specific types of assistance. 

• Small Business Administration (SBA). The SBA provides low interest disaster loans to 

homeowners, renters, and businesses of all sizes as well as private and non-profit 

organizations to repair or replace real estate, personal property, machinery and equipment, 

inventory, and business assets that have been damaged or destroyed in a declared disaster. 

FEMA refers applicants who meet a minimum income requirement to SBA. These applicants 

are then eligible to apply for a home or business disaster loan, which is limited to $200,000, 

for primary residences and $2 million for businesses to repair or replace disaster related 

damages to real estate or personal property. Loan amounts may be increased by up to 20% 

of the verified loss for devices which may prevent the same type of damage to real property. 

SBA determines the term of each loan in accordance with the borrower's ability to repay and 

determines the appropriate installment payments based on the financial circumstances of 

each borrower. 

• Other Referrals. Based on stated needs and specific situations, applicants may be referred 

to other organizations for additional assistance. Referrals to appropriate resources are an 

important component of disaster housing programs under the Stafford Act, and State 

governments, often through coordination with local governments, are responsible for 

providing accurate and pertinent referral information. 

Disaster Assistance Improvement Plan 

On August 29, 2006, the President issued the Executive Order: Improving Assistance for Disaster 

Victims, directing the Secretary of Homeland Security to lead an interagency task force with the 

mission of improving the promptness and efficiency with which disaster victims obtain access to 

eligible Federal disaster assistance. The Executive Order required the Task Force to develop 

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and, by March 1, 2007, deliver a Disaster Assistance Improvement Plan (DAIP) outlining a 

coordinated, actionable strategy to implement a single, consolidated system that will get Federal 

assistance to disaster victims more quickly and efficiently. This solution became available 

December 31, 2008 for disaster assistance programs administered at the Federal level. Full 

implementation, to include all disaster assistance programs at all levels of State, local and nongovernment agencies, will occur by 2014. 

After a disaster, individuals will register at the DisasterAssistance.gov online portal. This provides 

access to all disaster assistance programs from multiple Federal, State, local and nongovernmental participating agencies as well as program and contact information for pertinent 

non-Federal programs. The portal will significantly reduce delays and ease the burden of disaster 

victims while maximizing the assistance delivered by providing them with more targeted and 

effective assistance and consolidating federally funded forms of assistance information, 

application intake, and status information into a unified system. 

References 

Additional documents and sources were used to develop this Annex and can provide 

further information on the topics discussed herein.

• Coastal Barrier Resources Act (CBRA) of 1982 (Public Law 97-348) 

• National Flood Protection Act of 1968 

• The Flood Disaster Protection Act of 1973 (Public Law 93-234) 

• The National Flood Insurance Reform Act (NFIRA) of 1994 (Public Law 103-325). The 

application of the NFIRA to the IHP is described in 44 CFR §206.110. 

• The Coastal Barrier Improvement Act of 1990 

• The Code of Federal Regulations, 44 CFR 206.110-117 

• Executive Orders 11988 (Floodplain Management) and 11990 (Protection of the 

Wetlands), issued in 1977 

• National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (Public Law 91-190) 

• Executive Order 12898 (Environmental Justice), issued in 1994 

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ANNEX GLOSSARY 

Standard definitions provide clarity to the terminology used in these Annexes. The 

definitions are based on those used by Federal agencies as well as industry standards; however, 

some of these terms have been tailored to fit the specific context of the Annexes and should not 

be considered standard definitions. The definitions and terminology used in the National Disaster 

Housing Strategy (NDHS) and its Annexes are consistent. 

• 211 System. A telephone service reference system for applicants and case managers. 

Similar to the 411 general information system, the 211 system expedites the process of 

searching for services by phone. 

• Applicant. An individual or the head of a household who has applied for Federal disaster 

assistance. 44 CFR 206.111 

• Client. An applicant that has registered with FEMA and determined eligible for Federal 

assistance by FEMA. This term is used in conjunction with disaster case management 

services. 

• Commercial Site. A site customarily leased for a fee, which is fully equipped to 

accommodate a housing unit. 

• Community Site. A site provided by the State or local government that accommodates two 

or more units and is complete with utilities. 

• Dependent. Someone who is normally claimed as such on the Federal tax return of another, 

according to the Internal Revenue Code. It may also mean the minor children of a couple not 

living together, where the children live in the affected residence with the parent or guardian 

who does not actually claim them on the tax return. 44 CFR 206.111

• Direct Assistance. Assistance provided to disaster victims by the Federal Government in 

the form of physical resources; essentially all assistance that is not provided monetarily. This 

includes housing units that are acquired by purchase or lease, directly for individuals or 

households who, because of a lack of available housing resources, would be unable to make 

use of financial assistance as well as direct activities by the government to repair or rent 

units, such as contracting with a company to repair a rental property. 

• Duplication of Benefits. Assistance provided from different sources for the same specific 

need. 

• Essential Services. Services necessary to a basic standard of living and the general 

welfare of society. Services may include any of the following: electricity services, gas 

services, water and sewerage services, etc. 

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• Existing Rental Property. Property that has been used prior to a disaster as rental property. 

This includes mobile units, single family units, and multi-family units. 

• Fair Market Rent (FMR). An amount determined by the U.S. Department of Housing and 

Urban Development (HUD) to be the monthly cost of modest, non-luxury rental units in a 

specific market area, plus the cost of utilities, excluding telephone service. 

• Financial Assistance. Monetary assistance provided to individuals and households to rent 

alternative housing accommodations, existing rental units, manufactured housing, 

recreational vehicles, or other readily fabricated dwellings. Such assistance may include the 

payment of the cost of utilities (excluding telephone service) or funds to be used for repair 

and replacement of housing and/or personal property. 

• Government Owned Property. Property that is owned by government for reasons including 

foreclosure and prior ownership. This applies to governments at all levels, including local, 

State and Federal, and applies to single family units as well as multi-family units. 

• Host State. A State, territory, commonwealth, or tribe that, by agreement with an impactState or the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), provides evacuation and 

sheltering support to individuals from another State that has received a Presidential 

emergency or major disaster declaration, due to an incident. 

• Household. All residents of the pre-disaster residence who request temporary housing 

assistance, plus any additions during the temporary housing period, such as infants, 

spouses, or part-time residents who were not present at the time of the disaster but who are 

expected to return during the temporary housing period. 44 CFR 206.111

• Individual with Disabilities. Any person who has a physical or mental impairment that 

substantially limits one or more major life activities, has a record of such impairment, or is 

regarded as having such impairment. ADA definition

• Interim Housing. The intermediate period of housing assistance that covers the gap 

between sheltering and the return of disaster victims to permanent housing. Generally, this 

period may span from the day after the disaster is declared through up to 18 months.

• Joint Field Office (JFO). A temporary Federal multi-agency coordination center established 

locally to facilitate field-level domestic incident management activities, and provides a central 

location for coordination of Federal, State, local, tribal, nongovernmental, and private-sector 

organizations with primary responsibility for activities associated with threat response and 

incident support. 

 

• Local Government. (A) a county, municipality, city, town, township, local public authority, 

school district, special district, intrastate district, council of governments (regardless of 

whether the council of governments is incorporated as a nonprofit corporation under State 

law), regional or interstate government entity, or agency or instrumentality of a local 

government; (B) an Indian tribe or authorized tribal organization, or Alaska Native village or 

organization; and (C) a rural community, unincorporated town or village, or other public entity, 

for which an application for assistance is made by a State. 44 CFR 206.111

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• Long-Term Housing. Safe, sanitary, and secure housing that can be sustained without 

continued disaster-related assistance.

 

• Low Income. Federal agencies and programs may—within the boundaries set by Federal 

law—establish their own guidelines for defining low-income populations. For the purposes of 

this document, low-income populations are defined as such by the agencies determining 

program eligibility:

o HUD. HUD defines a low-income household as a household whose total income does 

not exceed 80 percent of the median income for the area, as determined by HUD, with 

adjustments for smaller and larger families, except that HUD may establish income 

ceilings higher or lower than 80 percent of the median for the area on the basis of HUD's 

findings that such variations are necessary because of prevailing levels of construction 

costs or fair market rents, or unusually high or low family incomes. HUD income limits 

are updated annually and are available from local HUD offices for the appropriate 

jurisdictions. 

o HHS. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) does not define “lowincome,” but it issues poverty guidelines in the Federal Register each year for use in 

determining eligibility for certain of its means-tested programs. These guidelines simplify 

poverty thresholds issued by the Census Bureau for use for administrative purposes such 

as determining financial eligibility for certain Federal programs. For example, the 2008 

HHS poverty guidelines indicate that the poverty level for a family of four in the 48 

contiguous States and the District of Columbia was $21,200. 

o USDA. USDA Rural Development follows HUD’s definition for a low-income household. 

• Major Disaster. Any natural catastrophe (including any hurricane, tornado, storm, high 

water, winddriven water, tidal wave, tsunami, earthquake, volcanic eruption, landslide, 

mudslide, snowstorm, or drought), or, regardless of cause, any fire, flood, or explosion, in any 

part of the United States, which in the determination of the President causes damage of 

sufficient severity and magnitude to warrant major disaster assistance under this Act to 

supplement the efforts and available resources of States, local governments, and disaster 

relief organizations in alleviating the damage, loss, hardship, or suffering caused thereby. 44 

CFR 206.111

• Multi-family Housing. The definition of multi-family housing varies from agency to agency. 

The definitions include: 

o DHS/FEMA. For the purposes of the Rental Repair Pilot, multi-family housing means a 

property consisting of more than four units (dwellings). The term includes apartments, 

cooperative buildings and condominium.

o HUD. A property consisting of five or more units, also including health care facilities.

o VA. A property consisting of two or more rental units.

• National Emergency Management Information System (NEMIS). An integrated data 

management system that automates management of disaster response and recovery 

operations, including application registration, processing, and payment of assistance to 

disaster victims. 

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• Nongovernmental Organization (NGO). An entity with an association that is based on 

interests of its members, individuals, or institutions. It is not created by a government, but it 

may work cooperatively with government. Such organizations serve a public purpose, not a 

private benefit. Examples of NGOs include faith-based charity organizations and the 

American Red Cross. NGOs, including voluntary and faith-based groups, provide relief 

services to sustain life, reduce physical and emotional distress, and promote the recovery of 

disaster victims. Often these groups provide specialized services that help individuals with 

disabilities. NGOs and voluntary organizations play a major role in assisting emergency 

managers before, during, and after an emergency. 

• Permanent Housing. This refers to the state of “long-term housing.” 

• Preliminary Damage Assessment (PDA). A joint assessment used to determine the 

magnitude and impact of an event's damage. A FEMA/State team will usually visit local 

applicants and view their damage first-hand to assess the scope of damage and estimate 

repair costs. The State uses the results of the PDA to determine if the situation is beyond the 

combined capabilities of the State and local resources and to verify the need for 

supplemental Federal assistance. The PDA also identifies any unmet needs that may require 

immediate attention. 

• Private Site. A site provided or obtained by the applicant at no cost to the Federal 

Government. 44 CFR 206.111

• Reasonable commuting distance. A commuting distance that does not place undue 

hardship on an applicant. This also takes into consideration the traveling time involved due 

to road conditions, e.g., mountainous regions or bridges out, and the normal commuting 

patterns of the area. The US Census Bureau publishes the average travel time to work (in 

minutes) by State and county, as well as the percentage of residents who work within the 

county they live in as opposed to adjoining counties. The US Census Bureau is the preferred 

method of quantifying the “normal commuting patterns of the area” when attempting to 

determine the availability of housing resources. 

• Recertification. The process for determining an applicant’s need for continued temporary 

housing assistance. 

• Rehabilitation. The return of infrastructure damaged by a major disaster to a safe and 

sanitary living or functioning condition. Specifically refers to returning infrastructure to a 

habitable condition. 

• Repair. The return of infrastructure damaged by a major disaster to a safe and sanitary living 

or functioning condition. 

• Recovery Information Management System (RIMS). A web based information 

management system designed to expand disaster data access in order to increase data 

accuracy and streamline reporting processes. 

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• Service Animals. Any guide dog, signal dog, assistive dog, seizure dog, or other animal 

individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of an individual with a disability, 

including but not limited to guiding individuals with impaired vision, alerting individuals with 

impaired hearing to intruders or sounds, providing minimal protection or rescue work, pulling 

a wheelchair, or fetching dropped items. Service animals shall be treated as required by laws 

such as the Americans with Disabilities Act.

• Shelter. A place of refuge that provides life-sustaining services in a congregate facility for 

individuals who have been displaced by an emergency or a disaster.

• Sheltering. Housing that provides short-term refuge and life-sustaining services for disaster 

victims who have been displaced from their homes and are unable to meet their own 

immediate post-disaster housing needs.

• Short Term Housing. This refers to the states of “sheltering” and “interim housing.” 

• Social Services. Services designated to provide meaningful opportunities for social and 

economic growth of the disadvantaged sector of the population in order to develop them into 

productive and self-reliant citizens and promote social equity. Basic social services of the 

government include self-employment assistance and practical skills development assistance. 

• Special Needs Populations. As defined in the National Response Framework, special 

needs populations are those whose members may have additional needs before, during, and 

after an incident in functional areas, including but not limited to: maintaining independence, 

communication, transportation, supervision, and medical care. Individuals in need of 

additional response assistance may include those who have disabilities, live in 

institutionalized settings, are elderly, are children, are from diverse cultures, have limited 

English proficiency or are non-English speaking, or are transportation disadvantaged.

• Temporary Housing. Temporary accommodations provided by the Federal Government to 

individuals or families whose homes are made unlivable by an emergency or a major 

disaster. 44 CFR 206.111

• Unmet Needs. The deficit between verified disaster-caused damages and obtainable 

disaster aid, including insurance assistance, Federal and State assistance, and personal 

resources. 

• Very Low Income. For federal housing programs, a household income of 50 percent of the 

area median by household size. HUD data is used to calculate very low-income limits. 

• Wrap-Around Services. The delivery of infrastructure and additional essential services to 

address disaster-related needs of affected residents living in temporary housing sites. These 

services go beyond the physical need for housing or political subdivision of a State and 

typically include basic social services and access to utilities, transportation, grocery stores, 

and medical and employment facilities. 

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