CITY’S PLANNING AND COMMUNITY

DEVELOPMENT OFFICE ASSISTING IN DISPLACEMENT

EFFORTS FOLLOWING HURRICANE KATRINA

The City, in cooperation with state and federal agencies, has been working with Midland citizens and organizations to find housing for a portion of the up to 10,000 victims of Hurricane Katrina who are being displaced to Michigan.

As of the end of the day on Wednesday, September 7, the City of Midland Planning and Community Development Office sent information on approximately 250 local housing units to Governor Jennifer Granholm’s office, which is coordinating the statewide effort.

“We are grateful to the Midlanders who are providing assistance to the unfortunate victims of this catastrophe by helping them find safe, clean housing,” said City Manager Karl Tomion. “In addition, we are being asked to individually adopt the displaced Mississippi and Louisiana citizens through our churches, schools and volunteer organizations, to facilitate their relocation into our community and make them feel welcome here.”

The City of Midland will continue to take information on additional housing facilities for the displaced families, who will need temporary housing for up to nine months. Vacant apartments and hotels are options that could be considered. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is discouraging individuals from offering their own homes as housing options.

Those who may have housing available for evacuees are encouraged to call the Planning and Community Development Office at 989-837-3381 or fill out an online form on the City’s website (www.midland-mi.org) with pertinent information such as the location of the housing unit(s), how many people could be accommodated in each unit, and the length of time the housing will be available to the displaced families. The online form can be found under the What’s New/Updates header.

In addition, anyone with job opportunities for the displaced citizens may contact the Planning and Community Development Office, and details will be shared with the appropriate local coordinating agencies.

The Governor’s office is working with FEMA to pursue answers to the questions of how reimbursements will be handled for housing the evacuees. In the meantime, those who would like to make monetary donations toward housing the Hurricane Katrina victims can do so through any number of non-profit organizations, as listed on the State of Michigan website (http://www.michigan.gov/).

Donations of food, clothing, services and other non-monetary items can be made by calling a toll free hotline: Katrina Relief Hotline: 1-888-535-6136. This hotline number is available from 7 a.m. until midnight, seven days a week.

The City’s website will be updated as new information about this relief effort is received.