FEMA Cracks Down: Lahaina Renters Face Heat for Non-Payment
LAHAINA, Hawaii (KHON2) — At the beginning of the week, approximately 200 out of roughly 1,000 households participating in FEMA’s temporary housing program hadn’t made their rental payments. However, this number has now dropped by half, leaving about one in ten yet to pay.
Over the course of a year and a half following the catastrophic August 2023 Lahaina fire, thousands turned to FEMA for assistance with recovery, which included support for federally financed rental housing.
These units were no longer available starting this spring, with the initial payments scheduled for April 1st.
"I understand many individuals are finding this extremely difficult, however, we've entered a different stage now—it's about disaster recovery rather than disaster response. This signifies that the federal government will no longer be responsible for covering everyone's rental costs," stated Senator Brian Schatz (D), Hawaii.
"Approximately 91% of those currently living in FEMA-provided direct housing following the fire were tenants before the incident. We believe that these individuals are accustomed to paying rent, so we aim to restore this sense of routine since our main objective is to help families move towards their long-term housing solutions. It's important to remember that FEMA's program is designed primarily for providing temporary accommodation," explained Ali Slous from FEMA.
From almost 1,000 homes participating in the short-term rental program, slightly above 100 haven't covered their March rent yet, with an additional number being overdue only a couple of days prior.
Receive Hawaii’s most recent morning news directly in your mailbox; subscribe to News 2 You now.
FEMA mentioned they have conducted thorough outreach efforts with these families to ensure they comprehend potential outcomes, which might involve relocating.
So it will require some time to sort things out with our finance department post-May 1, as certain individuals have yet to settle their rental payments. This delay could ultimately initiate what we refer to as a revocation procedure.
The procedure begins with a 15-day alert followed by a notification of revocation, culminating in an instruction to relinquish the asset. Moreover, the outstanding invoice remains unsettled.
It reaches the Treasury level, after which the U.S. Treasury will take over. There are various methods for the federal government to recover these funds, such as wage garnishment or deductions from Social Security.
Charitable collaborators continue to provide support to aid individuals in getting back on their feet.
That aid isn't exclusively meant for paying rent; however, it might assist with covering other upcoming expenses they currently face, and we recognize the financial strain during this recovery process.
So, what's the monthly rental price again?
FEMA’s permissible charges range from $1,750 for a studio up to approximately $3,600 for a four-bedroom or larger homes.
The majority of the approximately 1,000 tenants applied for financial assistance, with around 836 receiving approval to pay as low as $50 per month. The landlords receive payment from FEMA irrespective of whether the tenant sends money to the federal agency.
Check out more news from around Hawaii
Authorities stated that property owners ought not to experience the effect of the delayed rental payments from the occupants of their units.
Everything will conclude after February 2026 according to these plans. FEMA informed KHON2 that they do not expect any danger to the federal funding until that point.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This content must not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or distributed without permission.To stay updated with the most recent news, weather forecasts, sports updates, and live streams, visit KHON2.
Post a Comment for "FEMA Cracks Down: Lahaina Renters Face Heat for Non-Payment"
Post a Comment