FEMA: Evacuees in Hotels Get New Deadline

Jan. 2, 2006, 1:31PM
FEMA: Evacuees in Hotels Get New Deadline

By KEVIN McGILL Associated Press Writer
© 2006 The Associated Press

NEW ORLEANS — Hurricane Katrina evacuees around the nation who faced a Jan. 7 deadline for checking
out of their government-funded hotel rooms have received a reprieve: Federal officials will keep
paying for the rooms beyond that date as they iron out issues arising from a class-action lawsuit.

One issue: The Federal Emergency Management Agency, which inherited the program from the American
Red Cross, still does not have up-to-date records on the identities of evacuees in the hotel program
or where they are staying, according to court papers filed last week by government lawyers.

Under a federal judge's ruling last month, FEMA is required to keep the hotel program running until
Feb. 7. However, U.S. District Judge Stanwood Duval said FEMA could stop paying for hotel rooms
beginning Jan. 7 _ Saturday _ for evacuees who have been approved or disapproved for other FEMA
housing aid, such as a trailer or rental assistance.

Now, the Jan. 7 date no longer holds, according to a flier being distributed to hotels in the program.
It says: "The program will continue for all evacuees in all states until further notice pending the
resolution of certain issues now in litigation."