Statement of Gov. Rick Perry on FEMA Decision To Cut Housing Funding to Katrina Victims
AUSTIN - Gov. Rick Perry issued the following statement today in response to the Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA) decision to stop paying for housing assistance to Louisiana families left homeless by Hurricane Katrina.
"We recognize and agree with FEMA's decision to make personal responsibility a part of the hurricane recovery process," Perry said. "However my great concern is that there is still no long-term housing plan for the hundreds of thousands of Katrina victims who lost everything - including their homes - as a result of the storm, and come March 1 many of them may find themselves with no long-term housing options. We certainly hope that FEMA is successful in finding apartments for the estimated 54,000 Katrina evacuees still living in hotels and motels by the agency's Dec. 1 deadline."
FEMA announced today that:
* Effective Dec. 1 the agency will no longer provide reimbursements for hotel and motel rooms occupied by hurricane evacuees.
* Effective Dec. 1, states and local jurisdictions providing apartments to evacuated families will not be reimbursed for new apartment leases or lease extensions for more than three months.
* Effective March 1, FEMA will end all funding for housing assistance.
http://www.governor.state.tx.us/divisions/press/pressreleases/PressRelease.2005-11-15.2152