Labor Day update

Many visitors to this site over the weekend have come in on Google queries asking what disaster relief vouchers will be offered and/or how landlords who provide emergency housing are going to get paid. What we know so far is in our main AHF hurricane coverage and in the posts on this page. Among government sites, see especially the contacts listed on the HUD Katrina page, the federal registration for people with resources to offer at www.swern.gov, and the Treasury Department Sec. 42 waiver announcement for low-income tax credit housing, discussed more fully below.

FEMA's summary of its own emergency housing efforts says, "Every available alternative, including creative options for immediate housing, is on the table."

One effort not noted here previously: the Alabama state government's "Operation Golden Rule" is fixing up military police dormitories at Fort McClellan to house about 1000 disaster victims. The site states: "Contractors have already begun work on getting the buildings in shape. The federal government will reimburse the Joint Powers Authority for funds already spent. The Joint Powers Authority is a non-profit association created to redevelop Fort McClellan after it was closed."

[UPDATE: USDA Rural Development progress in Missouri... and general USDA Rural Development information including for apartment landlords and tenants (see next item above)]
[UPDATE: Here's a federal link for "Hurricane Katrina emergency contracting information" including state-level contacts.]