FEMA Asks Disaster Victims to Pay Rent; Saga Is not Over Yet
Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA) decision came after an extension to the temporary housing program was granted in Iowa. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Administrator Fugate extended temporary housing availability, to Iowa disaster victims, by another seven months. IowaPolitics.com states, "extension of the temporary housing program for an additional seven months until June 27, 2010." This decision seems to provide increased Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) aid to Iowa disaster victims. Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA) extension does come with the stipulation that Iowa disaster victims pay "fair market value" for their temporary housing.
Iowa Congressman Dave Loebsack is working to remove the stipulation to pay rent. Congressman Loebsack lists several reasons for requesting Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Administrator Fugate to waive the rent. Iowa Real Estate Rama reports the letter as stating, "Many of the families that remain in temporary housing have children in the middle of the school year. Uprooting families at this time could create significant and unnecessary problems. In addition, there continues to be a lack of affordable housing options in the Cedar Rapids area in particular. As we enter the traditionally harsh winter months in Iowa, transitioning to new homes will also be difficult."
On the surface, this seems like a turf battle between Iowa legislators in Iowa and Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). However, the story is much deeper than that. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) gets its authority for disaster relief from the Stafford ACT. The Stafford ACT does allow the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Administrator to charge rent for temporary housing. However, the big question comes from past precedent. While Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has the ability to charge for temporary housing, there are no documented cases of this ever being done.
This precedent is adding credenance and backing to Congressman Dave Loebsack's request. Congressman Dave Loebsack's request has been endorsed by Senator Chuck Grassley, Senator Tom Harkin, Congressman Tom Latham, Congressman Leonard Boswell, Congressman Steve King, and Congressman Bruce Braley. I realize that the federal government is looking for new ways to bring in money. Charging disaster victims for temporary housing is probably not the best choice.
References
Congressman Dave Loebsack Urges FEMA to Waive Rent for Temporary Housing Program. November 2009. Iowa Real Estate Rama.
U.S. Rep. Loebsack: Urges FEMA to waive rent for temporary housing program. November 2009.
Published by Bruce Ziebarth
I work full time in the Emergency Management fields as a planner and trainer. I also am pursuing a second career as a freelance writer. View profile
- Gannett Victorious in Suit against FEMAGannett Co. Inc. won its suit over the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), according to the paper. They wanted more than 600,000 household addresses that received 1.2 billion dollars in financial aid from the...
- FEMA Announces Efforts in Quelling California FiresAs the wildfires in Southern California continue to burn hundreds of homes, thousands of acres, and push scores of people out of their homes, FEMA details the efforts they have made in fighting this natural disaster a...
- Risk Assessment in Emergency ManagementRisk assessment should be the cornerstone of any emergency management program. It is through risk assessment that managers determine the likelihood of various risks facing a community and then decide where to allocate...
Get a Kit: How to Make an Emergency Supply Kit for Your FamilySeptember is National Preparedness Month in the United States. It's a good month to make sure that your household is prepared for a disaster. Here are the basics on preparing a...- University of Maryland Gets $650,000 Grant for Emergency Preparedness and Governme...What can cities and government jurisdictions do to ensure their continued operation in case of an emergency? This grant funds additional emergency continuity training. Training is delivered both to individuals and to...
- South Dakota Indians to Benefit from FEMA Trailers Meant for Katrina Victims
- FEMA: An Examination of the Housing Assistance Program
- FEMA is Auctioning Off Thousands of Trailers
- How Can You Prepare for a National Emergency?
- CDC to Test Formaldehyde Levels in FEMA Trailers in Hurricane Katrina Areas
- Dealing with FEMA - Is it the Evil Management Agency?
- Legislation Proposed to Restore FEMA to Cabinet-Level Status
- Disaster victims from Cedar Rapids, Iowa have been in temporary trailers for 18 months or more
- Extension of the temporary housing program for an additional seven months until June 27, 2010
- While Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) can charge rent, there are no documented occurances