Oct. 29--The Federal Emergency Management Agency delivered some much-appreciated news last week in that it was extending its temporary housing program.
The cheer was diminished upon learning this week that those who don't get into their homes -- after being washed out by the historic 2008 Flood -- by the end of next month will begin to be charged fair-market housing rates.
Sen. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, said an additional expense is not what recovering families need as another holiday season out of their homes approaches. In a letter to FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate on Oct. 27, the senator requested that the agency reevaluate its timing and its rent rates.
"It will be very difficult for those flood victims still in temporary housing units to be able to start paying such high rent during the holidays and hard economic times," Grassley wrote in his letter to Fugate.
Grassley added during a conference call with reporters on Wednesday that the problem is also compounded by the fact that fair-market rates have gone up substantially compared to pre-flood rates because rental property isn't eligible for FEMA assistance.
"It's taken longer to get it rehabilitated and rebuilt, and as a result, the rent has gone up," Grassley said.
Oakville Mayor Benita Grooms said about 10 families are still making FEMA housing their temporary home while their rebuilding efforts continue.
"There's probably a couple that are really close to leaving, and there's probably three to four more that are going to be gone in a month or so," Grooms speculated.
She said when FEMA trailers were first made available, about 30 families took advantage of the opportunity to live in their community, or nearby, while rebuilding or finding other housing. Oakville was the worst hit community in southeast Iowa after a levee breach left the city of about 400 completely inundated for a couple weeks in June 2008.
Grassley said last week that the need for an extension for people living in FEMA trailers 16 months after the flood hit underscores the severity of the natural disaster.
In assessing the disaster 16 months later, Grassley said Wednesday that he's less concerned about residents, specifically in the Cedar Rapids area, who were living in the 100-year floodplain, since they are likely to qualify for a buyout. He said he was more concerned about those in the 200- to 300-year floodplain who are likely forced to rebuild or relocate with little more than they initially received from FEMA.
"For people that are wondering about X-number of dollars that it takes to meet the federal government's commitment to be available for what the law has been for a long period of time, that money's going to be available, but it may not be paid out as quickly as people need to have it paid out," Grassley said.
Grassley made the point that the families need more time to adjust to higher rates, adding that he may start negotiating with the agency about the possibility of phasing in rent.
"I hope to be able to work with FEMA to come up with a workable plan for flood victims who must either cough up a lot of money in short amount of time or be forced out of their housing during the holiday season," Grassley said.
According to the Associated Press, a FEMA spokesman said charging rent after a time is standard practice deemed necessary to extend a program. Prior to the extension, displaced residents faced a Nov. 27 deadline to be out of the FEMA housing.
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