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Direct Temporary Housing Approved for Hurricane Helene and Hurricane Milton Survivors in Florida

News release posted on behalf of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)

Release Date: November 8, 2024

TALLAHASSEE, FL. – At the request of the State of Florida, FEMA approved Direct Temporary Housing Assistance, which may be provided to eligible applicants to meet their temporary housing needs. 

FEMA is providing three forms of Direct Temporary Housing Assistance to eligible applicants in 13 counties: Citrus, Columbia, Dixie, Hamilton, Hernando, Lafayette, Levy, Madison, Okeechobee, Pasco, Pinellas, Suwannee and Taylor.

  • Multi-Family Lease and Repair allows FEMA to enter into lease agreements with owners of multi-family rental properties and to make repairs or improvements to those properties to provide temporary housing to applicants.
  • Direct Lease utilizes existing ready-for-occupancy residential property leased for use as temporary housing for eligible applicants, and, if necessary, these units can be modified or improved to provide reasonable accommodations for eligible applicants and any household members with a disability and others with access and functional needs.
  • Transportable Temporary Housing Units are readily fabricated dwellings such as travel trailers or mobile homes. These dwellings are purchased by FEMA and provided to eligible applicants for use as temporary housing for a limited period.

Applicants do not need to apply for direct temporary housing. Applicants will be notified by FEMA of their eligibility.

Direct temporary housing takes significant time to implement and is not an immediate solution for a survivor’s interim and longer-term housing needs. The process involves ordering, transporting, site preparation, installation, inspection, permitting and utility hookup, among other steps.

Applicants who are displaced from their homes and currently staying in hotels may continue to participate in the state’s non-congregate sheltering program and FEMA’s Transitional Sheltering Assistance for immediate housing needs. FEMA also is providing displacement assistance, rental assistance and other financial help for those who cannot remain in their homes. These options remain FEMA’s primary means of helping survivors. 

The quickest way to apply for FEMA assistance is online at DisasterAssistance.gov. You can also apply using the FEMA mobile App or by calling FEMA’s helpline toll-free at 800-621-3362. Lines are open every day and help is available in most languages. If you choose to apply by phone, please understand calls to FEMA’s helpline are experiencing delays because of the increased volume due to multiple recent disasters. If you use a relay service, such as Video Relay Service (VRS), captioned telephone or other service, give FEMA your number for that service. To view an accessible video on how to apply visit Three Ways to Apply for FEMA Disaster Assistance – YouTube. 

After survivors apply for federal disaster assistance, FEMA contacts households that may qualify for one of the three housing options to conduct a pre-placement interview to determine whether the applicant needs direct housing and, if so, what type of housing. This determination is based on the size and needs of the household, including any people with disabilities or other access or functional needs.

The State of Florida and FEMA are coordinating with municipalities and counties regarding local ordinances, permitting, zoning, transportation requirements, setbacks, utility connections and inspections. When installation is complete and the unit passes an occupancy inspection, it is ready for use. At that point, the applicant will sign a license-in agreement to occupy the unit.

For the latest information about Hurricane Milton recovery, visit fema.gov/disaster/4834. For Hurricane Helene, visit fema.gov/disaster/4828. Follow FEMA on X at x.com/femaregion4 or on Facebook at facebook.com/fema.