FEMA Colorado Housing Mission Comes to a Close

DENVER – The FEMA temporary housing mission serving Colorado came to a close March 14, 2015.  In the aftermath of the 2013 Colorado flooding, FEMA brought in more than 50 manufactured homes to areas where a severe housing shortage was identified. In the past month, the final few remaining households have been moving out of the FEMA units.

“This is yet another sign of the recovery in Colorado,” said FEMA Region VIII Administrator Sharon Loper. “The FEMA housing mission provided a needed temporary housing resource for individuals and families in areas where the housing stock was depleted following the devastating floods.”

To address the housing needs of the Colorado flood survivors, FEMA placed housing units at manufactured home parks in Boulder, Larimer and Weld counties.  The first units were placed in November 2013.  The FEMA housing mission is designed to provide lodging for individuals and families while repairs are made to their disaster-damaged property or they seek alternative rental housing.

The diligent efforts of FEMA housing staff and the state’s Disaster Case Management caseworkers have assisted residents in finding available rental housing and/or coordinating additional funding sources for the completion of repairs to their homes. As part of the housing program, FEMA housing specialists met frequently with residents to assist them in their search for permanent housing.  The Colorado Division of Housing and numerous volunteer and local agencies also have provided critical support to these households. 

In addition to managing the temporary housing program, FEMA has provided more than
$56 million to Colorado households to make repairs to flood damaged properties or to pay rent while unable to live in a flood-damaged home.  Statewide, FEMA has provided more than $380 million in disaster assistance to individuals and governmental jurisdictions as a result of 2013 flooding.

FEMA’s mission is to support our citizens and first responders to ensure that as a nation we work together to build, sustain, and improve our capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate all hazards.