Disaster Voucher Program
The Housing of Urban Development Notice PIH 2006-12 issued February 2, 2006 provided instruction for the continuation of temporary rental assistance for the HUD-assisted families and special needs/homeless families displaced as a result of Hurricane Katrina through implementation of the Disaster Voucher Program (DVP). The DVP also provides temporary rental assistance for certain HUD-assisted and special needs/homeless families displaced as a result of Hurricane Rita.
Beginning in October, 2005 rental assistance was made available to HUD-assisted and special needs/homeless families displaced by Hurricane Katrina through KDHAP. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) provided funding for the KDHAP through a Mission Agreement with HUD. Under the KDHAP, HUD provided rent subsidy assistance, security deposit assistance, utility deposit assistance, and housing search assistance. The KDHAP was administered through PHAs currently administering the Housing Choice Voucher Program.
Unless expressly renewed or extended by Congress, DVP assistance is time limited. Funding must be obligated by HUD by September 30, 2007, and for purpose of administering the DVP, HUD is using September 30, 2007 as the date by which assistance to DVP participants is expected to end.
The general overview of the DVP Programs is as follows:
The DVP replaces the KDHAP and provides a temporary monthly rent subsidy to assist certain families displaced by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita to obtain decent, safe and sanitary housing in the privately owned rental market. In order to participate, the PHA must already be administering the Housing Choice Voucher Program. Family eligibility is dependent on several criteria. The family must have been displace by Hurricane Katrina or Rita and must have either been previously assisted under certain HUD-assisted housing programs or must qualify as a pre-disaster special needs/homeless family. Family income is not a consideration for eligibility.
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