[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 162 (Wednesday, August 22, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 47060-47061]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-16602]


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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

Federal Emergency Management Agency


Disaster Housing Assistance Program (DHAP)

AGENCY: Federal Emergency Management Agency, DHS.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: This document provides notice that the Federal Emergency 
Management Agency (FEMA) and the Department of Housing and Urban 
Development (HUD) executed an Interagency Agreement (IAA) establishing 
a pilot grant program called the Disaster Housing Assistance Program 
(DHAP). DHAP is a temporary housing rental assistance and case 
management program for identified individuals and households displaced 
by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Under the IAA, HUD acts as the 
servicing agency of the DHAP. Monthly rental assistance payments under 
the DHAP will commence November 1, 2007. Case management services will 
begin on or after September 1, 2007.

DATES: FEMA and the HUD executed the Interagency Agreement establishing 
the DHAP on July 26, 2007.

ADDRESSES: Details about the DHAP will be published by HUD in a Federal 
Register Notice. In addition, a copy of the full text of the FEMA-HUD 
IAA can be accessed via the FEMA Web site at http://www.fema.gov. 
Periodic updates on DHAP will be posted on FEMA's Web site.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Donna M. Dannels, Director, Individual 
Assistance Division, Disaster Assistance Directorate, Federal Emergency 
Management Agency, Department of Homeland Security, 500 C Street, SW., 
Washington, DC 20472, telephone (202) 646-7082 (this is not a toll-free 
number). Individuals with speech or hearing impairments may access this 
number through TTY by calling the toll-free Federal Information Relay 
Service at 800-877-8339.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In late August 2005, Hurricane Katrina 
struck the Gulf Coast area of the United States causing unprecedented 
and catastrophic damage to property, significant loss of life, and the 
displacement of tens of thousands of individuals from their homes and 
communities. In September 2005, Hurricane Rita hit the Gulf Coast area 
of the United States and added to the damage to property and 
displacement of individuals and families from their homes and 
communities.
    Under section 408 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and 
Emergency Assistance Act (Stafford Act), 42 U.S.C. 5174, the Federal 
Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) disaster housing programs are short-
term assistance programs with a limitation of 18 months, unless 
extended by the President. Due to the severity of Hurricanes Katrina 
and Rita and the Department of Housing and Urban Development's (HUD) 
expertise in assisting families with long-term housing needs through 
its existing infrastructure of Public Housing Agencies (PHAs), the 
President determined that housing assistance should be transitioned to 
HUD to address this continuing need.
    Since HUD is responsible for administering the Housing Choice 
Voucher Program (HCVP), the nation's largest tenant-based subsidy 
program, and since HUD assisted those Hurricane Katrina and Rita 
disaster victims already in HUD programs by implementing the Katrina 
Disaster Housing Assistance Program (KDHAP) and the Disaster Voucher 
Program (DVP), FEMA worked with HUD to create the new pilot Disaster 
Housing Assistance Program (DHAP).
    The local PHAs that currently administer the HCVP will be 
designated by HUD to administer the DHAP in their jurisdiction. PHAs 
will be awarded grants from FEMA to provide rent subsidies to eligible 
families for a period not to exceed 16 months commencing November 1, 
2007 and ending March 1, 2009. Families eligible for DHAP are those 
identified by FEMA who: (1) Currently receive rental assistance 
authorized under section 408 of the Stafford Act, 42 U.S.C. 5174 
pursuant to the Presidential major disaster declarations resulting from 
Hurricanes Katrina or Rita, and are determined by FEMA to be eligible 
for continued rental assistance; (2) currently receive other housing 
assistance from FEMA (e.g., a FEMA-provided trailer) and are determined 
by FEMA to be eligible for rental assistance; (3) have not received 
rental assistance from FEMA but are determined by FEMA to be eligible 
for rental assistance before the DHAP ends; or (4) currently reside in 
a HUD-provided Real-Estate Owned (REO) property through an arrangement 
between HUD and FEMA, and who are be determined by FEMA to be eligible 
for continued rental assistance after relocating out of the REO 
property. FEMA will rely on the eligibility standards established for 
its temporary housing program at 44 CFR 206.113 in determining who is 
eligible for referral to the DHAP. All eligible families will be 
contacted by a PHA and families who agree to participate in the DHAP 
must sign and execute a HUD-provided DHAP lease addendum to their 
current lease with their landlord, which sets forth the new obligations 
to receive the rental subsidy. Similarly, landlords will be contacted 
by PHAs and those who agree to participate in the DHAP must sign and 
execute a Disaster Rent Subsidy Contract (DRSC) with the PHA outlining 
the new conditions and obligations, in addition to signing a lease 
addendum with the tenant.

[[Page 47061]]

    The designated PHAs will begin the rent subsidy on November 1, 
2007. Beginning in March 1, 2008, the rent subsidy will decrease $50 
per month per family, with the goal of leading the family closer to 
complete housing self-sufficiency at the end of the 16-month program. 
When the DHAP assistance ends on March 1, 2009, all families are 
responsible for the full amount of the rent.
    The designated PHAs will also provide case management services, 
which will include a needs assessment and individual development plan 
(IDP) for each family. The objective of HUD case management services is 
to promote self-sufficiency for the participating family. Case 
management services will begin on or after September 1, 2007, for those 
families transitioning to the DHAP during the initial implementation 
phase.
    Details about DHAP will be published by HUD in a Federal Register 
Notice. In addition, a copy of the full text of the FEMA-HUD IAA can be 
accessed via the FEMA Web site at http://www.fema.gov. Periodic updates 
on DHAP will be posted on FEMA's Web sites.

Authority

    Legal authority for DHAP is based on the Department of Homeland 
Security's (DHS) general grant authority under section 102(b)(2) of the 
Homeland Security Act, 6 U.S.C. 112, and sections 306(a), 408(b)(1), 
and 426 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency 
Assistance Act (Stafford Act), 42 U.S.C. 5149(a), 5174(b)(1), and 
5189d, respectively. As a servicing agency under a grant from FEMA, and 
consistent with the Economy Act, HUD derives all authority under the 
program from FEMA.

    Dated: August 17, 2007.
R. David Paulison,
Administrator, Federal Emergency Management Agency.
 [FR Doc. E7-16602 Filed 8-21-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 9110-10-P