FEMA RECOVERY POLICY RP9523.18 I. TITLE: Host-State Evacuation and Sheltering Reimbursement II. DATE: III. PURPOSE: To establish the procedures for reimbursing host-States for the cost of evacuation and/or sheltering support provided to impact-States when the impact-State or FEMA request such support. IV. SCOPE AND AUDIENCE: This guidance applies to host-States that provide evacuation and/or sheltering support to evacuees from an impact-State when the impact-State or FEMA requests, and a host-State agrees to provide, evacuation and/or sheltering support. This guidance is effective upon the date of issuance. All FEMA personnel are directed to follow this guidance. V. AUTHORITY: Titles IV and V of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (Stafford Act), 42 U.S.C. §§5170a, 5170b, and 5192, as amended, and implementing regulations at Title 44 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 206, Subparts A, B, C, G and H. VI. POLICY: A. Definitions: 1. Host-State: A State or Indian Tribal Government that by agreement with FEMA provides sheltering and evacuation support to evacuees from an impact-State. An Indian Tribal government may also be referred to as a “Host-Tribe.” 2. Impact-State: The State for which the President has declared an emergency or major disaster and that, due to a need to evacuate and/or shelter affected individuals outside the State, requests such assistance from FEMA pursuant to §206.208. B. Host-State Reimbursement: Title 44 CFR §206.223(a)(2), General work eligibility, General, authorizes reimbursement of eligible evacuation and sheltering costs that applicants incur outside of a designated area. See also 44 CFR §206.2(a)(6) for definition of “designated area.” Host-State sheltering and evacuation costs must meet Public Assistance Category B, Emergency Protective Measures, eligibility requirements found in 44 CFR §206.225, Emergency work, and FEMA Disaster Assistance Policy DAP9523.15, Eligible Costs Related to Evacuations and Sheltering, dated April 6, 2007. Host-States may receive assistance for evacuation and sheltering support provided to evacuees from an impact-State in two ways: 1. Mutual Aid Agreements: Host-States may receive assistance for evacuation and sheltering support through existing mutual aid agreements with an impact-State (e.g., the Emergency Management Assistance Compact) as specified in FEMA Recovery Policy 9523.6, Mutual Aid Agreements for Public Assistance and Fire Management Assistance, dated August 13, 2007. a. The impact-State may reimburse the host-State for 100 percent of eligible costs that the host-State incurred in providing evacuation and/or sheltering support. b. The impact-State may reimburse the host-State for the straight-time salaries of the host-State’s regular employees who performed eligible work. 2. Direct Reimbursement: Host-States may receive assistance for evacuation and sheltering support through direct reimbursement from FEMA. Host-States may receive direct reimbursement through a grant agreement, when an impact-State has requested assistance from FEMA in accordance with 44 CFR §206.208, Direct Federal assistance, to address evacuation and sheltering needs of disaster survivors that are beyond its ability to address in-state, and a host-State agrees to FEMA’s request to provide such assistance. In deciding whether to award a grant to the host-State, FEMA will consider whether a host-State has sufficient capability to meet some or all of the sheltering and/or evacuation needs of an impact-State and, depending on the circumstances, FEMA will consider whether the host-State will agree to accept impact-State evacuees via any requested mode of organized transportation. a. FEMA may reimburse the host-State for 100 percent of eligible evacuation and sheltering support costs, regardless of the impact-State’s cost share obligation under the declaration. b. The straight-time salaries and benefits of a host-State’s permanently employed personnel are eligible for reimbursement in accordance with 44 CFR §206.202(f)(1)(ii), Application procedures. c. The Impact-State will pay the non-Federal share of eligible costs for evacuation and/or sheltering provided by the host-State. C. Direct Reimbursement Commitments: The Governor of the host-State, or his/her designee, will sign the FEMA/host-State Agreement. The FEMA/host-State Agreement must meet the terms and conditions outlined in 44 CFR §206.44, FEMA-State Agreements, to establish the host-State as the grantee. The regulations, policies, guidance and procedures of the Public Assistance program will apply to reimbursement under the agreement. D. Cost Share: The Federal cost share for grant assistance to a host-State to evacuate and/or shelter disaster survivors from the impact-State is the Category B, Emergency Protective Measures, cost share approved for the declared emergency or major disaster. The impact-State is responsible for the non-Federal cost share, if any, of assistance FEMA provides to the host-State. When the impact-State requests that FEMA assist with evacuation and/or sheltering, it agrees to provide the non-Federal cost share for all eligible costs incurred by any host-State under the terms of paragraph VI (B)(2), above. Therefore, host-States will receive 100 percent reimbursement of their eligible costs. E. Coordination: The FEMA Administrator, or his/her designee, to include the Assistant Administrator for Recovery, Regional Administrator, or Federal Coordinating Officer, will coordinate with States to determine which state(s) are available and appropriate to support the evacuation and/or sheltering needs of individuals from the impact-State. F. Other: This policy establishes the procedures for reimbursing host-States for the cost of evacuation and/or sheltering support provided to impact-States when the impact-State or FEMA request such support, and does not limit the ability of a Governor to request or the President, in his discretion, to declare emergencies or major disasters. VII. RESPONSIBLE OFFICE: Recovery Directorate (Public Assistance Division). VIII. SUPERSESSION: This policy supersedes Disaster Assistance Interim Policy DAP9523.18, Host-State Evacuation and Sheltering Reimbursement, dated July 18, 2007, and all previous guidance on this subject. IX. REVIEW DATE: This policy does not automatically expire, but will be reviewed three years from the date of publication. _____________________________ Elizabeth A. Zimmerman Assistant Administrator Recovery Directorate