Governor's Office of Housing Development
to Assist with Long-term Fire Recovery Efforts

July 3, 2002 - The Governor's Office of Housing Development (GOHD) announced today that it is working with officials from Navajo County, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the Northern Arizona Council of Government (NACOG) to devise a plan for long-term housing and infrastructure recovery in the wildfire ravaged areas of the state.

GOHD will funnel financial assistance to the area that may be used to assist with such efforts as assisting homeowners with removal of debris, water treatment, and assistance to individual homeowners to repair or replace homes lost to fire. Such funding from the State will match federal dollars being provided for relief efforts by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

GOHD has been charged by Governor Jane Dee Hull with leading the housing recovery efforts on behalf of the State and will be coming up with a plan to address the most pressing housing and community-recovery related issues. The State's primary focus will be to assist low- and moderate- income residents who have had their primary residences affected. According to Dr. Sheila D. Harris, Director of GOHD, "From the State's perspective we're looking at ways to help alleviate any gaps that may exist for homeowners who have lost their primary residences and due to their financial situation will not qualify for the low-interest loans available through FEMA for recovery. We're well aware that as recovery efforts proceed there will be many unmet needs that will emerge and our office will be looking at ways to assist, as well as working with other agencies to identify other resources."

Area residents and businesses seeking recovery assistance are urged by the State to register with FEMA at 1-800-621-FEMA (3362). Once residents have exhausted available resources from FEMA referrals will be given for assistance through other voluntary and interfaith organizations. Any State assistance that may be available to individual homeowners will be made available through such a network of organizations, through NACOG or directly from the County. Residents must register through FEMA in order to be considered for further assistance that may be available through the State.

For more information related to this press release, contact Carol Ditmore (carold@housingaz.com) at (602) 280-1458.