FRANKFORT, Ky. – A little more than a month after historic flooding hit Eastern Kentucky, survivors who lost their homes are beginning to move into FEMA Temporary Housing Units. The units are being placed on private sites—when feasible—and in commercial parks. FEMA has leased spaces at available commercial housing sites located within the affected area.
“Reaching this milestone, this early in a disaster, is a major accomplishment,” said Federal Coordinating Officer in Charge of Kentucky Recovery, Brett Howard “but this is just the beginning, we have more than 200 Kentucky families and individuals waiting for temporary housing solutions in five counties.”
Myra Shird, Federal Coordinating Officer in Charge of Direct Housing added, “We’re off to a great start, but there’s still a lot of work to do before this housing mission has been completed.”
Once a survivor moves into a FEMA temporary housing unit, they are required to do three things (every 30 days for owners and bi-weekly for renters):
- Demonstrate a continued need for housing assistance.
- Recertify their eligibility.
- Show they are making progress toward a permanent housing solution.
FEMA has approved direct temporary housing assistance in five counties: Breathitt, Floyd, Knott, Letcher and Perry. This program makes available several additional short-term housing solutions to disaster survivors. Survivors who have applied with FEMA for assistance do not need to reapply to be eligible for Direct Housing. If a survivor has not yet applied with FEMA, they can do so by visiting www.disasterassistance.gov; by calling the FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362; or downloading the FEMA mobile app available on iOS and Android. The registration deadline is Sept. 28, 2022.
Survivors are asked to please stay in touch with FEMA as their plans and contact information change. When phone numbers or mailing addresses change, FEMA can’t reach you. So, after you apply for disaster assistance, you need to let FEMA know each time your information changes. Individuals and households may be eligible for different programs as they move forward with their recovery.