Katrina victims now face Nov. 30 deadline to
find housing
Convention Center event on Nov. 22 will
connect evacuees with housing and other services
SEATTLE—November 17, 2005—Facing a deadline imposed by the recent
announcement by FEMA that it will not reimburse Gulf Coast evacuees
for hotel or motel expenses after Nov. 30, local government and
non-profit agencies are hosting a "Day of Housing and Resource
Assistance" on Nov. 22. It will take place at the Washington State
Trade & Convention Center from 10 - 5 p.m.
For information on the event,
click here.
According to SHA Deputy Executive Director
Andrew Lofton, "We are hoping that those in need of housing will
come to this event on Tuesday so that we can assist them. It's vital
that we reach as many Gulf Coast evacuees in the Seattle area as
possible and encourage them to attend." Seattle Housing Authority
staff will join with staff from King County and Renton Housing
Authorities to assist in hooking up those in need with suitable
housing. Representatives from non-profit housing providers will also
be present.
So far, the Seattle Housing Authority has worked
with over 175 households from the Gulf Coast who are seeking either
temporary or permanent housing in the Puget Sound area. Over 45
people have signed leases and moved into housing, and an additional
20 households are involved in the leasing process.
SHA has offered up 60 of its own housing units
to house the new arrivals, most of which are located in West
Seattle. Admissions Manager Dennis Hall expects that all of those
apartments will be leased by the Dec. 1 deadline. "We have streamlined
our process as much as possible," noted Hall, "so that we can move
people into housing with a minimum of processing time."
Working with the City of Seattle's Office of
Housing, SHA will continue to assist Gulf Coast evacuees with
referrals to other housing providers, form both the private and the
non-profit sectors. The Office of Housing is maintaining an
inventory of available units. FEMA will reimburse the agencies or
individuals for the rental costs of the housing for Katrina victims.
FEMA is contracting with the Washington State Department of
Community, Trade and Economic Development to forward these
reimbursements directly to the housing providers.
SHA is working closely with the City of
Seattle, the Urban League, and others to ensure a coordinated
response to each household’s needs. John Manning has been hired
to coordinate services for these households. He is acting as an
ombudsman for those in SHA housing, making sure they are
connected with other providers for furniture, utility hook-ups,
and all the other necessary steps of moving into a new home in a
strange city. That position is expected to be of a limited
duration of three or four months and will be reimbursed by FEMA.
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SHA Employee Judy Fani sorts donations for Katrina
households. |
SHA employees have also been working
as volunteers to help these households get set up in
their new housing. Employees have enlisted the help of
friends and neighbors to provide household goods,
clothing and furniture.
Windermere Foundation donated $2,500
to help provide for the households, and many volunteers
have assisted in sorting and categorizing the offerings.
An temporary distribution center has been set up in a
vacant unit at High Point. One of the
coordinators, Judy Fani, remarked, “It looks like a
regular little second hand store now.”
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