Direct Housing eligible survivors of Hurricanes Helene and Milton in 13 Florida counties, whose homes are now uninhabitable, may be presented with Direct Lease as a temporary housing option to bridge the gap to their Permanent Housing Plan.
Citrus, Columbia, Dixie, Hamilton, Hernando, Lafayette, Levy, Madison, Okeechobee, Pasco, Pinellas, Suwannee and Taylor are the 13 counties eligible for Direct Housing Assistance, including Direct Lease.
FEMA enters into contracts directly with property management companies for use as temporary housing for eligible households displaced by the Helene and Milton Hurricanes. FEMA leases existing, ready-to-occupy residential properties to temporarily house eligible households while they work on their permanent housing plan. Direct Lease is different than FEMA’s Rental Assistance program, which provides monthly rent to survivors based on U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Fair Market Rent rates.
What Survivors Should Know About Direct Lease
- FEMA provides temporary housing units directly to survivors when rental resources are unavailable. Eligible properties may include single-family homes, apartments, condominiums or townhouses.
- Each unit will contain complete facilities for cooking, eating and sanitation.
- Units will be within reasonable access to community services such as public transportation, schools, fire and emergency services, grocery stores, etc.
- All essential utilities are included in the rent that FEMA pays.
- Applicants must sign/agree to terms and conditions outlined by FEMA and the landlord.
- Applicants will be contacted by FEMA if they are eligible for the Direct Lease program.
- FEMA re-evaluates occupants’ eligibility monthly, for the entire period of assistance to ensure the occupant continues to meet eligibility requirements, including a demonstrated need for continued assistance.
For the latest information about Hurricane Milton recovery, visit fema.gov/disaster/4834. For Hurricane Helene, visit fema.gov/disaster/4828. For Hurricane Debby, visit fema.gov/disaster/4806. Follow FEMA on X at x.com/femaregion4 or on Facebook at facebook.com/fema.