SACRAMENTO, CA (MPG) - Individuals and families who lost their homes in last November’s Camp Fire are beginning to move back to the burn area. FEMA has leased space at the first available commercial housing site located within the burn area. Survivors will start moving into their new FEMA travel trailers the week of June 24th.

FEMA is developing other temporary housing solutions across Butte County as well, which will eventually house approximately 1,000 households. One of those communities is Silver Dollar Fairgrounds in Chico. Survivors started moving into that site the week of June 10th. To date, FEMA has disbursed nearly $85.5 million in financial assistance to almost 8,000 homeowners and renters in Butte, Los Angeles and Ventura counties. More than $80 million of the total amount disbursed has gone to Butte County survivors where the Camp Fire destroyed approximately 19,000 structures.

“FEMA is committed, as an agency, to provide housing for eligible Camp Fire survivors,” said Federal Coordinating Officer David Samaniego. “It’s our hope this will bring some comfort and stability to survivors as they continue to recover.”

FEMA’s program for temporary housing may provide survivors with assistance for up to 18 months from the date a Presidential Disaster Declaration is approved. However, the license for housing survivors in all disasters depends on when the survivor is approved for temporary housing by FEMA. From that time on, the survivors would reside in the unit on a month-by-month, case-by-case basis.

Once a survivor takes possession of a FEMA unit, he/she is required to do three things every 30 days:

1) Demonstrate a continued need for housing assistance. 2) Recertify their eligibility. 3) Show he/she is making progress toward a permanent housing solution.

Members of the media requiring additional information, or those who would like access to one of the housing sites, are asked to call the FEMA News Desk at (916) 718-8540.

All FEMA disaster assistance will be provided without discrimination on the grounds of race, color, sex (including sexual harassment), religion, national origin, age, disability, limited English proficiency, economic status, or retaliation. If you believe your civil rights are being violated, call 800-621-3362 or 800-462-7585(TTY/TDD).

FEMA’s mission: Helping people before, during and after disasters.