An aerial view of destroyed and damaged homes in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene flooding on Oct. 8, 2024 in Bat Cave, North Carolina. Bat Cave was particularly hard hit by flooding. (Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images)
Time is running out for residential property owners to respond to the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s call to make rental housing available for Hurricane Helene survivors through the agency’s Direct Lease program.
FEMA will close its solicitation process on Monday, Jan. 13.
Under the agency’s Direct Lease program, FEMA leases existing, ready-to-occupy residential properties for survivors whose temporary housing needs cannot be met with other forms of assistance. FEMA pays property management companies/vendors the cost of rent, while survivors are responsible for utility costs and other expenses not covered in the lease.
Nearly 200,000 homes were damaged in western North Carolina during Hurricane Helene and thousands of residents were displaced. Total damage to the region is estimated at nearly $60 billion.
Gov. Josh Stein issued an executive order last week that allows the state to purchase up to 1,000 temporary housing units for Hurricane Helene victims without going through the regular, lengthy procurement process. The governor said the state will be reimbursed by FEMA for the temporary housing units.
FEMA’s solicitation for rental properties applies to the following counties: Alexander, Alleghany, Ashe, Avery, Buncombe, Burke, Caldwell, Catawba, Clay, Cleveland, Gaston, Haywood, Henderson, Jackson, Lincoln, Macon, Madison, McDowell, Mitchell, Polk, Rutherford, Transylvania, Watauga, Wilkes and Yancey.
Counties and property management companies can find out more about the Direct Lease solicitation by clicking here.