By Eugene T. Lowe
September 12, 2005

Responding to a Conference of Mayors Survey to identify housing stock for victims of Gulf Coast Hurricane Katrina, mayors indicate that there are thousands of units available. More than 100 cities have so far responded to the survey. Conference President Long Beach Mayor Beverly O'Neill is encouraging mayors to continue to identify housing units.

Housing and Urban Development Secretary Alphonso Jackson contacted Conference of Mayors Executive Director Tom Cochran following the hurricane and requested that mayors help identify vacant homes, apartments, schools, hospitals, and other suitable structures that might temporarily house displaced persons and families. Jackson also requested the National Association of Counties to participate in the effort.

Mayors in both small and large cities have identified units. Some of these cities include Detroit, Chicago, Louisville Metro, Columbia (SC), Atlanta, Cedar Falls, Rome (NY)., Lima, Harrisburg, New Berlin (WI), Grapevine (TX), and Stow (OH). Housing units ranged from a thousand or more units in some cities to ten or fewer units in others. The type of units identified include apartments, single family homes, motels, military installations, dormitory rooms, and school buildings.

Jackson reports that HUD has identified 3,200 vacant single-family HUD-owned properties in five states near the affected areas. The department has also identified 5,600 vacant public housing units within a 500-mile radius of New Orleans that can be used by the evacuees.

In order for a city to be reimbursed for expenses for housing displaced persons, it will be necessary for the city's state to seek an emergency declaration from the President. HUD has also indicated that CDBG, HOME, HOPWA and ESG grantees may reprogram previously awarded grants to redirect their focus to disaster recovery activities. It is probably prudent to notify HUD of such reprogramming.