Home

General Information on Disaster Housing

The Louisiana Road Home Program (NEW)
The Louisiana Road Home program was developed to help Louisiana residents get back into their homes as quickly and as fairly as possible. Through the Road Home, homeowners affected by Katrina or Rita may be eligible to receive up to $150,000 in compensation for their losses to get them back into their homes.

New Orleans Home Cleanup Deadline
Official website of "The City of New Orleans Good Neighbor Plan,"which gives homeowners until August 29, 2006 to conduct mold remediation, cleaning, gutting, and securing of all properties. Elderly property owners and those on waiting lists to have their homes gutted can get hardship exemptions under the ordinance, and Lower Ninth Ward residents are exempt. Fox News article explaining the city ordinance.

FEMA Halts Evictions From Trailers in Mississippi
The Federal Emergency Management Agency has suspended the eviction of 3,000 families who are living in government trailers in Mississippi.

The Hurricane Katrina Homeowner's Grant Program: Mississippi(NEW)
The Program is designed to provide financial assistance to those homeowners outside the flood plain whose homeowner's insurance did not cover structural flood damage. Single-family homes, owner-occupied duplexes and manufactured housing including mobile homes are eligible for grants under this program.

Know Your Rights: What to do About Housing Issues After Hurricane Katrina (NEW)
A pamphlet sponsored by NOLAC/Southern Louisiana Legal Services and produced by the ALCU with housing FAQs for Louisiana residents and evacuees.

New Orleans Property Owners' Rights After Hurricane Katrina (NEW)
This guide was prepared by lawyers at Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP in Houston, TX working with the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law. The guide was prepared to help New Orleans homeowners understand steps they can take to preserve their property rights in their damaged homes as the City and state move forward with plans to demolish and clear property. The Guide addresses several issues, including:
•The notice the City must give property owners, should it attempt to bulldoze their homes;
•Where to find out if the City intends to demolish your home;
•What to do if the City improperly designates your home for demolition; and
•The importance of the percentage of flood damage City inspectors assign to your home, and how to get it changed.

Katrina victims in TX on voucher program have week to apply for free furniture (NEW)
Hurricane Katrina victims have until Feb. 17 to apply for free furniture for houses or apartments at which they are living under a city voucher program. To apply, call 713-715-4100 and have your Federal Emergency Management Agency number and voucher information available.

Hurricane Katrina Recovery Resources from Rural Development (NEW)
Residents living in Rural Development-financed apartments who have been displaced are qualified to receive priority admission to any of our vacant apartment units in the U.S. Please contact us so that we can help you get shelter. This is a link to phone numbers and apartment listings.

Katrina Disaster Housing Assistance Program-Special Needs (KDHAP-SN) Fact Sheet (NEW) This is a PDF Document
The Katrina Disaster Housing Assistance Program (KDHAP) has been enhanced to better target assistance to persons who were homeless prior to Hurricane Katrina, were displaced by Hurricane Katrina, and have special needs. All KDHAP evacuee individuals and families, including those that may need the special assistance described in this fact sheet must first register with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and obtain a FEMA registration number.

HUD Announces Mortgage Assistance for Disaster Victims
Under the Mortgage Assistance Initiative, HUD will make mortgage payments for up to one year for disaster victims with FHA-insured mortgages who want to start living in their homes again. This assistance is available to FHA homeowners who: Have a property that is damaged by the hurricanes but can be rebuilt given adequate time; have access to funds from insurance proceeds, loans or personal resources to complete the repairs; and, are currently employed or are very likely to return to work within a short period of time. HUD is asking lenders to contact as many families as possible that may be eligible for this special assistance. FHA homebuyers can also contact their lender or HUD's National Servicing Center at: 1 (888) 297-8685.

Find And List Disaster Housing Online
People in need of housing in the aftermath of a huricane can access a special, free Web site to locate available rental property in their areas. Individuals can search Disaster Housing Resources, www.DHRonline.org, to find properties by price, location and housing options such as number of bedrooms and bathrooms. They can also find information about temporary housing programs and assistance programs offered by the Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the State Emergency Response Team (SERT).

Tips For Your Return Home
Prepared by the Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under Law

Displaced Residents of New Orleans
The ACORN Katrina Survivors Association (AKSA) seeks to unite displaced New Orleans residents in order to further a more effective relief effort and rebuilding process.

Katrina Mortgage and Insurance Hotlines
Many mortgage lenders and insurers have implemented deferment policies for their customers who have been displaced by the hurricanes. Many evacuees are not aware of the availability of these exceptions. This is a list of several mortgage and insurance company hotlines. Every homeowner should contact his/her lender or insurance company to take advantage of these deferment policies and to make the necessary arrangements.

Texas State Bar Resource Manual
Resource materials with the answers to frequently asked legal questions for those displaced by Katrina. The Housing section begins at page 21.

Morrison & Foerster Katrina Helping Handbook - Housing
Resource materials with the answers to frequently asked legal questions for those displaced by Katrina. The Housing section begins at page 27.