Disaster Voucher Program (DVP)

Fact Sheet: HUD Extends Temporary Disaster Housing Assistance for Residents Affected by Gulf Coast Hurricanes

The Bush Administration continues to provide coordinated, long-term housing solutions for Gulf Coast residents displaced by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has extended its temporary Disaster Voucher Program (DVP) for 11,400 families who were displaced by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita and are currently registered in the program. This program remains vital for helping families rebuild their lives, get on a path to self-sufficiency and have the opportunity to return home, if they choose.

Disaster Voucher Program (DVP)

The DVP, which covers housing costs for families who lived in public housing or received other HUD rental assistance but were displaced by the hurricanes, was originally scheduled to end on September 30, 2007. The extension will provide assistance to displaced residents until June 30, 2008. No additional families may be admitted to the DVP after September 1, 2007. For more information on this extension, please go to: www.hud.gov/offices/pih/publications/notices/07/pih2007-17.pdf
The DVP extension will be implemented as follows:

• Families who lived in public housing prior to the storm are projected to continue receiving DVP assistance until June 30, 2008, based on current available funding and the number of families assisted. This extension also covers families who are assisted by other HUD housing programs, including those in senior and disabled housing, those in multifamily housing and families who were homeless prior to the storms.
  
  
• Families who participated in HUD's regular housing voucher program, known as Section 8 or the Housing Choice Voucher Program (HCV), prior to the storms will return to the HCV program that covered the cost of their housing. These families were transferred to DVP assistance temporarily to ensure they continued to receive their housing subsidy during the recovery period. These 7,600 families will be reverted to the original program on December 31, 2007.
  
  
• Vouchers can be used anywhere in United States, as long as residents can find housing and the voucher is accepted by another public housing agency.

Families who are currently receiving assistance or think they may be eligible for the DVP, but have not signed up, should immediately call toll-free at 1-866-373-9509 to ensure residents questions and concerns are promptly addressed. Operators are available beginning August 1, 2007, Monday through Friday from 9:00am - 7:00pm EDT, and 9:00am - 4:00pm EDT on Saturday and Sunday.

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