Rental Resources Still Needed More Than Three Years After Hurricane Katrina; FEMA Urges Landlords To Register Rental Property

BILOXI, MS – January 23, 2009 – (RealEstateRama) — Federal officials have stepped up efforts to help Mississippi families continue their recovery and transition to permanent housing following Hurricane Katrina. The Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Housing Resource department has identified 5,684 available rental resources on the Mississippi Gulf Coast.

Landlords with available property are encouraged to contact FEMA so additional units can be listed. There are three phone numbers available to call:  (228) 594-3507, (228) 594-2996 or toll-free (866) 877-6075, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.  You may also leave a message during non-working hours and a FEMA representative will respond.

Landlords calling to register their properties should be prepared to answer a few basic questions related to rental units, such as type of dwelling, number of bedrooms and baths, handicapped accessibility, pet policy, monthly rental amount and other possible items of interest to renters.

Individuals and families with Internet access can find resources on FEMA’s website, www.fema.gov. Select ‘Recover & Rebuild’ at the top of the page, click on ‘Find a place to stay’ on the left, then click on ‘Search for information about housing rental resources’ at the bottom of the page.

Families can find additional resources by accessing www.mshousingsearch.org or the National Housing Locator Service at portal.hud.gov/app_nhls/, a site maintained by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).

Web sites are updated continuously, so applicants should check often.

More than 2,600 Mississippi families continue to occupy FEMA travel trailers and mobile homes. FEMA estimates 1,027 of those people were renters prior to Hurricane Katrina and will likely return to a rental unit.

FEMA will work with applicants on a case-by-case basis to address their individual needs.  This additional effort by FEMA Individual Assistance caseworkers can help occupants achieve their permanent housing plan.

FEMA coordinates the federal government’s role in preparing for, preventing, mitigating the effects of, responding to, and recovering from all domestic disasters, whether natural or man-made, including acts of terror.