FORT MYERS, FLA — Tonight FOX 4 is working on getting you answers when it comes to additional housing for those devastated by Hurricane Ian.
This comes as Habitat for Humanity has teamed up with FEMA for a land-lease agreement that will provide property for temporary housing in the Heritage Heights neighborhood for families displaced.
Habitat for Humanity owns 24 acres of land, the Heritage Heights Development, is leasing it to FEMA to put trailers on site and provide housing to 58 families displaced by Hurricane Ian.
Habitat for Humanity says the temporary housing is so families have a place to live who were displaced from Hurricane Ian.
The area will be enclosed by a privacy fence as well. Today the CEO of Habitat for Humanity Becky Lucas explained what it's like personally to see this rebuilding process continue.
"As a housing ministry we are so excited to be able to utilize habitat assets in order to help our community recover from the storm to be able to utilize our undeveloped land to house over 50 families means so much to us as a housing ministry this is why we exist," said Lucas.
The area is northwest of HealthPark Medical Center so Habitat for Humanity says it offers residents a quick commute to Fort Myers Beach, Sanibel Island, Cape Coral, and Fort Myers.
Debra Young, a FEMA Spokesperson adds, "Construction is starting this week and it should take about 60 days to get all of the sites prepared and get the trailers in and ready to get some applicants in."
And when it comes to the applications...
"The application for this disaster is over. We have to identify people who still need disaster housing and those people have been notified and they will be notified and we will keep continuing to reach out to them just to make sure that they’re still in need of housing," says Young.
"We still own this land and in the future when the temporary housing is complete and this project is complete we will build single-family and townhomes for families in need to make between 30 and 80% of the area median income. So one day this will be a habitat community that we’ll develop," says Lucas.
Some questions were asked directly to FEMA regarding the new housing such as: Are these families already assigned? As in do they know they will be living here? Also how long will these temporary trailers stay here since they are being called temporary?
FEMA didn't give an answer to these questions.
FEMA replied saying... approximately 60 days to completion and 58 sites. The direct Housing program runs for 18 months from the date of the declaration so until March 2024.
An Engineer with the Army Corp of Engineers did provide us with more insight.
James Mcrae, "We’re executing a contract with FEMA for a temporary group site with 58 units with a construction duration of about 60 days the contract is awarded around the 18 of May and we look to finish about June 20, depending on supply issues and or the weather then we pushed out a little bit but we’re soon to get everything done by the 20 of June."
Mcrae explained to us that once they complete that contract then the subcontractor with FEMA comes in and installs trailers.
