The Austin Chronicle: News: Council Notes: FEMA Makes Good So Far

The Austin Chronicle: News: Council Notes: FEMA Makes Good So Far

"Council Notes: FEMA Makes Good So Far
BY WELLS DUNBAR

The Federal Emergency Management Agency may not be worth a damn (or a levee), but the embattled 1-800-number dispensers at FEMA appear to be doing a heckuva job for Austin. Last week, City Council unanimously approved accepting over $17 million in federal housing funds for evacuees of Hurricane Katrina. Simultaneously, a smaller yet substantive amount of federal funding began trickling down to the city, covering the bulk of emergency shelter costs incurred at the Convention Center.

The $17 million covers up to 2,000 housing units (in any of 180 participating apartment complexes) for up to six months, said Deputy Chief Financial Officer Leslie Browder; about 1,200 units are currently filled. The funds, flowing from FEMA to the state to the city, could be stretched out as long as 18 months FEMA's absolute cutoff for assistance. 'If we need to assist people for a longer time, we'll amend the grant,' said Browder. Aside from paying the rent, the grant covers utilities, deposits, moving costs, contract costs incurred in placing special needs residents, and any applicable leasing costs. "

73 fer nw,
Bob N5IET

10X# 37210, FP#-1141, SMIRK#-5177
http://www.n5iet.com/
Code may be taking a back seat for now,
but the pioneering spirit that put the code
there in the first place is out front of it all.