AUSTIN, Texas — A recent extension to the temporary housing program provided by the Texas General Land Office (GLO) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) may provide Hurricane Harvey survivors a manufactured housing unit, travel-trailer or direct-lease apartment until Aug. 25, 2019. The program was originally set to end Feb. 25, 2019.

Currently more than 1,500 homeowners and renters live in GLO/FEMA temporary housing units. More than 60 percent of these survivors were not expected to finish repairs or find new housing by the Feb. 25, 2019, deadline. The magnitude of Hurricane Harvey has made contractors scarce to make repairs for survivors, the GLO noted in a release.

Although the housing program will continue until August 2019, those who remain in the program after February 25, 2019, will be expected to pay rent. Survivors who cannot afford the rent are able to petition for a rent reduction by contacting FEMA.

FEMA staff will work with survivors to determine how much rent they can afford based on their incomes and current housing expenses such as mortgage payments on their pre-disaster residence. More than 60 percent of the survivors in temporary housing units are low-income families, according to the GLO.

During the extension period, all occupants must continue to work on their permanent housing plan and meet with their FEMA/GLO recertification advisers. The GLO is connecting residents with housing resources such as rental resources, disaster case management and long-term recovery groups, and is ensuring eligible households are aware of the Community Development Block Grant for Disaster Recovery.

For additional information on Hurricane Harvey and Texas recovery, visit the Hurricane Harvey disaster web page at www.fema.gov/disaster/4332, Facebook at www.facebook.com/FEMAharvey, the FEMA Region 6 Twitter account at www.twitter.com/FEMARegion6, the Texas Division of Emergency Management website at www.dps.texas.gov/dem or the Texas General Land Office website at www.glo.texas.gov.