FEMA to Reimburse Houston $2.4 million

[editor]

CITY OF HOUSTON WINS APPEAL TO FEMA FOR UNPAID KATRINA ASSISTANCE EXPENSES

Mayor Bill White announced that the City of Houston has prevailed in two appeals to FEMA, which will grant the City over $2.4 million in reimbursements for expenses related to Hurricane Katrina emergency housing assistance. The mayor lauded the work of City Council Members Anne Clutterbuck and Ronald C. Green, as well as City staff members, in securing the favorable appeals.

"This is the kind of teamwork we work hard to deliver every day at City Hall," said Mayor White. "Obviously, it pays off and my colleagues on Council deserve credit."

In May, Council Members Clutterbuck and Green traveled to Washington, D.C., with members of the City's Finance and Legal Departments to meet with representatives from FEMA Disaster Assistance and defend the City's second appeals. In late June, the City was informed that both appeals had been approved, for a total of $2,404,088 in additional reimbursement.

"I am tremendously pleased that the City's appeals have now been approved, and that we will finally receive the outstanding federal funds that Houston is entitled to be repaid for our considerable financial commitment in the wake of Hurricane Katrina," said Council Member Clutterbuck. "It was an honor to represent the City in Washington and help bring closure to this unresolved issue."

"I was very pleased to have played a key role in recovering these funds and preserving taxpayer dollars," said Council Member Green. "The Mayor and senior staff at the City should be congratulated for their tireless efforts not to let tax payer money go to waste."

During the aftermath of Katrina in 2005, the City of Houston volunteered to serve as FEMA's agent in the region to organize disaster-related assistance for hurricane evacuees. In particular, the City managed the Interim Housing program, which secured provisional housing for over 150,000 evacuees until the spring of 2007.

Although $48,962,351 was reimbursed to the City by FEMA for project management costs related to the interim housing program, two repayment requests for additional expenses incurred were originally denied by FEMA administrators. A first appeal for both of these requests was again rejected, under the incorrect assumption that FEMA had already been billed for these costs.