BATON ROUGE, LA — January 19, 2018 — Mayor Broome has introduced a resolution to the East Baton Rouge Metropolitan Council opposing FEMA’s decision to charge rent to citizens still occupying a Manufactured Housing Unit as a result of the August 2016 flood. FEMA issued a decision in November 2017 extending Direct Housing Assistance and the use of MHUs to homeowners and renters until May 15, 2018. In that approval, FEMA also outlined that all eligible occupants who remain in FEMA MHU’s between February 14, 2018 and the new deadline will be charged rent.

The resolution being introduced by Mayor Broome opposes charging rent to residents who are still in the midst of rebuilding their homes and working toward their recovery.

“I am grateful for the extension for residents to continue utilizing FEMA MHU's as they continue their recovery,” said Broome. “But to charge rent to our citizens who are not in these MHUs by their own choice is unfathomable. As Mayor-President, I want to be on record in conjunction with the state in opposing this decision to charge rent.”

The resolution outlines that citizens in recovery have experienced hardships with rebuilding for a number of reasons, such as complications with accessing funds, contractor availability, supply of building materials, contractor fraud, limited affordable rental housing units, and landlord leasing requirements.