BATON ROUGE, La. – FEMA is seeking interested, qualified property owners to participate in its Multifamily Lease and Repair (MLR) program and its Direct Lease program.
Feasibility assessments must be conducted to determine if properties are eligible to participate in the MLR program. Eligible property owners will allow FEMA to make repairs to their property and allow FEMA to offer it to hurricane survivors in need of temporary housing.
Under the MLR program:
- Property repairs or improvements are not limited to damages caused by hurricanes Laura or Delta.
- FEMA can consider properties in which two or more units are available, including duplexes or other multifamily residential properties.
- Property owners must provide property management and maintenance services.
- Repairs to the property may include accommodations for those with access and functional needs.
- Grocery stores, laundromats and playgrounds within a reasonable commuting distance are required.
Under the Direct Lease program:
- FEMA may lease existing ready-to-occupy residential property from qualified property-management companies. These properties may include corporate apartments or other properties not typically available to the general public.
- FEMA is reaching out to property-management companies primarily in Allen, Beauregard, Calcasieu, Cameron, Grant, Jefferson Davis, Rapides and Vernon parishes or other areas within reasonable commuting distance of generally no more than 50 miles of these parishes.
- FEMA also encourages all interested property management companies across Louisiana to consider responding to the request for information (RFI) for possible participation.
- FEMA will enter into a lease agreement with the property owner/property management company and pay rent based on the HUD Fair Market Rent. The lease agreement between FEMA and the property owner/management company may go up to 18 months with an option to extend, if the period of assistance is approved beyond the initial 18 months.
- Modification or improvements may be made to accommodate those with access and functional needs
The deadline for property owners to register for participation in the MLR and direct lease programs has been extended to Dec. 28, 2020. FEMA encourages interested owners or property managers to submit inquiries even after the deadline.
Interested parties that meet the qualifications can visit sam.gov to register their property. Responses to the above statements can be emailed to Marvin R. Jennings at marvin.r.jennings@fema.dhs.gov or John Clemons at john.clemons@fema.dhs.gov no later than 5 p.m. EST Dec. 28, 2020. For the Direct Lease program: The subject line shall read RFI 70FBR621I00000002 Response: Direct Lease (DL), DR-4559-LA. For the MLR program, the subject line shall read RFI 70FBR621I00000001 Response: Multi-Lease and Repair (MLR), DR-4559-LA.
No phone calls will be accepted or returned.