FEMA Souris Valley Housing Mission Continues Progress

MINOT, N.D. – Just one month into 2013, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) today announced that the number of temporary housing units (THU) still occupied in Ward County has fallen to 476.  The drop is another sign that recovery efforts continue, even in the chilly winter months.

There are only 79 FEMA THUs still on private property in the Souris Valley, down from a high of nearly 1100. In addition 25 units are still occupied at DeSour Valley Heights in Burlington and 298 are occupied at Virgil Workman Village just east of Minot.  The remaining 74 occupied units are at four manufactured home parks in the area.

FEMA is also proceeding with the sale of THUs to current residents.  As of Jan. 31, a total of 50 sales have been finalized.  Purchasing the unit they are living in is one of several options that displaced residents have in securing permanent housing.  FEMA continues to meet with residents on a monthly basis to assist them with developing a long-term housing plan, and those meetings will continue until FEMA’s housing mission concludes in June 2013.

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.