SEATTLE—April 10, 2006—Evacuees from the Gulf Coast area who have relocated to Seattle have begun to receive letters informing them of their eligibility or ineligibility for further housing assistance through FEMA.
These letters are the result of FEMA’s move to transfer Hurricane Katrina evacuees from the Public Assistance Interim Housing Program, also called the 403 program, to a new Individual Assistance Program called the 408 program. As many as half of the 160 Katrina families in the Seattle area may be found ineligible for the new program.
The letters, from the State of Washington Emergency Management Division, inform evacuees of their status for continued assistance. For those who have been found to be ineligible, the letter serves as a 30-day notice and advises them that, “You must prepare now to move, negotiate a new lease agreement with the landlord, or arrange with the landlord to assume the rent payments on your existing lease.”
For evacuees who continue to be eligible, the letter lets them know of their continued eligibility and also states that “…the payment process is a bit complex, so please read the following information carefully.” Eligible residents are instructed to execute new leases with their current landlords.
After May 31, the Seattle Housing Authority will no longer make rent payments to landlords housing Katrina evacuees. Instead, as the letter states, the payments will be made directly by FEMA.
According to Deputy Executive Director Andrew Lofton, “We are cooperating with FEMA in trying to help evacuees understand their options. We intend to find ways to continue assisting Katrina evacuees, and we hope to work out details with the State for an alternate voucher assistance program. We recognize that this may well be one more difficult transition time for these residents, and we want to continue assisting as many as possible.”
SHA has also received information from the State’s Emergency Management Division regarding the eligibility status of the households that have been assisted through the Housing Authority. Within the next week, the Housing Authority will send letters to those deemed to be ineligible for further assistance with suggestions for next steps.