KENTUCKY TODAY

To assist survivors displaced by this summer’s eastern Kentucky floods, the Federal Emergency Management Agency has approved direct temporary housing assistance for Pike County.

That brings the total number of approved counties for that benefit to six: Breathitt, Floyd, Knott, Letcher, Perry and Pike.

This program makes available to disaster survivors several additional short-term housing solutions, with two primary options:

• Multi-Family Lease and Repair, where FEMA enters into a lease agreement with the owner of multi-family rental properties (i.e., three or more units) and makes repairs to provide temporary housing for applicants.

• Temporary Housing Units such as a travel trailer or manufactured home.

FEMA points out that direct temporary housing takes significant time to implement and is not an immediate solution for the interim and longer-term housing needs of those affected by the flood.  In addition, not everyone impacted by the disaster will be eligible for direct housing. Therefore, it is important that FEMA’s partners at all levels – local government, the state, other federal agencies, nonprofit and private sector organizations – work together to fill any gaps.

Those affected who have already applied with FEMA for assistance do not need to reapply to be eligible for Direct Housing. FEMA reviews applications to identify those with housing needs.  Those impacted by the flood who need to update their FEMA application, or inform FEMA about changes in their housing situation, can do so by going to DisasterAssistance.gov, or by calling the FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362.

For the latest information on Kentucky flooding recovery, visit fema.gov/disaster/4663

Thus far, more than $138.4 million has been approved by FEMA and the U.S. Small Business Administration for eastern Kentucky flood recovery efforts.

FEMA has approved $83.3 million for individual assistance: $71 million for housing and $12.3 million for other needs, while the SBA has approved $55.1 million.

In addition to those, the National Flood Insurance Program has approved $23.3 million in aid.