Two months after Hurricane Ian, 13 families have been set up with FEMA direct housing program

The flooding and debris from Hurricane Ian left thousands of families with uninhabitable homes, with some 16,000 households qualifying for a federal direct housing program that provides temporary home solutions.

But it appears things are slow moving in the program.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency has set up housing for only 13 households, according to Thomas McCool, a FEMA federal coordinating officer, in a Friday teleconference update on direct housing following Hurricane Ian.

That’s just 10 households in Desoto County and three in Charlotte County in two months after Hurricane Ian swept through the state, according to McCool.

The federal direct housing program offers those who qualify the opportunity to get set up with temporary housing solutions for 18 months, through travel trailers, manufactured homes, and rental assistance.

McCool said that there were various reasons that complicate providing housing for Ian victims, including clearing debris, setting up water and septic systems, and working around local ordinances on where temporary housing units can be set up.

“There is debris on commercial parks and we’re working with park owners now to reimburse. That debris is moved, and then we can bring units,” McCool said.

“Some local ordinances and HOA (Homeowner Associations) in those commercial parks do not allow temporary — you have to be there permanent. And when we sign a contract with the commercial park owner, it’s got to be for up to 18 months. Sometimes there’s environmental or historical preservation issues.”

He also said that for every housing alternative, FEMA try to keep survivors close to their community, place of worship, doctors or schools.

There are other FEMA and state emergency programs to help assist survivors for the storm in need of housing, including temporary sheltering assistance where people and families can stay in hotels.

The 16,000 families who qualify for the FEMA direct housing program is likely not the full scope of how many Florida families who may need help with housing. McCool did not provide data on how many households that did not qualify for the direct housing program.

The teleconference comes just days after the 2022 Hurricane Season ended on Nov. 30. Ian’s impact on Florida could mean that recovery is a long way off in areas most affected by the storm.