BUSH ADMINISTRATION REQUESTS PERMANENT HOUSING ASSISTANCE FOR SOME DISPLACED GULF COAST HURRICANE FAMILIES
5,000 Seniors, Disabled Persons Will Get Vouchers To Continue Government Assistance

WASHINGTON- The Bush Administration is requesting $39 million to keep seniors and disabled persons who were displaced by the 2005 Gulf Coast Hurricanes in housing permanently as part of the Fiscal Year 2009 budget.

"When Hurricanes Katrina and Rita devastated the GulfCoast, many of our most vulnerable citizens - the elderly and disabled - lost the only homes they had known," said HUD Secretary Alphonso Jackson. "We recognized last year that some of those families affected by the storm needed additional time to recover, which is why we extended government housing assistance another 18 months to 30,000 families. Now we are going one step further by providing permanent housing aid for the elderly and disabled who were impacted by the storm. HUD's call for this funding illustrates this Administration's long-term commitment to protect this vulnerable population."

These Disaster Displacement Assistance vouchers will provide rental assistance to approximately 5,000 eligible elderly and disabled families, while the remaining storm victims who are not on fixed incomes continue on the path towards self-sufficiency. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development will administer these vouchers as part of the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program and will make rental assistance payments on behalf of these families, whether they have relocated or returned home.

Eligible elderly or disabled families thatw will receive a Disaster Displacement Assistance voucher are currently participating in the Disaster Housing Assistance Program (DHAP) - a temporary rental assistance program. HUD created DHAP through an interagency agreement with Federal Emergency Management Administration (FEMA), when it took over long-term rental assistance for approximately 30,000 eligible families displaced by the hurricanes from FEMA in December 2007. The DHAP program is scheduled to end on March 1, 2009. An elderly or disabled family that subsequently receives a Disaster Displacement Assistance voucher will continue to receive rental assistance, so long as the family remains eligible and in need of long-term affordable housing.

It is not too late for eligible families to apply for DHAP. Families displaced by Hurricanes Katrina or Rita considered to be eligible by FEMA and were receiving rental assistance directly from FEMA or its contractor, Corporate Lodging Consultants (CLC.), may still be eligible. Families who meet these criteria should call toll-free: (866) 373-9509.

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HUD is the nation's housing agency committed to increasing homeownership, particularly among minorities; creating affordable housing opportunities for low-income Americans; and supporting the homeless, elderly, people with disabilities and people living with AIDS. The Department also promotes economic and community development and enforces the nation's fair housing laws. More information about HUD and its programs is available on the Internet and espanol.hud.gov