FEMA Rent Rates | Video

Jenny Castro | 8/30/2012

Individuals living in temporary housing units in Ward County now have a six month extension. Along with that, FEMA will start charging rent in the first month of next year.

The initial rates that FEMA has set is $686 for a two-bedroom unit and $947 for a three-bedroom unit. These rates are based on the HUD fiscal year fair market rate for 2012 and could be adjusted upward when the 2013 assessment is published.

FEMA says that even though they`re using these standards, the rent is still based on the individual`s ability to pay.

"So while that`s the baseline, our case workers are going to be working with each resident in the THU to make a determination on the ability to pay. The resident will have to, if they wish to, will have to file that appeal within 60 days of receiving that official notification of the rent program,” said Federal Disaster Recovery Coordinator Dan Alexander.

Governor Jack Dalrymple requested the extension from FEMA earlier this month, and he says that he will be pushing FEMA to significantly reduce or eliminate the rental fee requirement since most of these residents are still financially recovering from the flood.

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