The Disaster Housing Assistance Program (DHAP- Ike) officially began in Galveston on November 1, 2008 and is scheduled to end January 31, 2012.

As a brief overview, the DHAP- Ike eligibility criteria and process is as follows:

1. Family eligibility for DHAP-Ike is determined by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
   
2. FEMA then provides that information to the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)
   
3. HUD then performs several checks and then assigns a family to the appropriate Housing Authority as requested by the family.
   
4. The Public Housing Authority (PHA), including the Galveston Housing Authority (GHA), contacts the family, provides an orientation to the family about the DHAP program and supplies ALL required paperwork (Lease addendum, Disaster Rent Subsidy Contract form)
   
5. The family is required to sign a family obligation statement stating they understand and accept the obligations in order to receive benefits from FEMA/HUD.
   
6. When the family finds a suitable unit of their choice, the PHA and owner of the proposed property execute what is called the Disaster Rent Subsidy Contract (DRSC) in order to begin the DHAP-Ike assistance on behalf of the family.
   
7. The monthly rent subsidy is paid directly to the owner under the DRSC by the first of the following month if the appropriate paperwork has been received prior to the cutoff date.
   
8. An incremental rent transition of $50 per month will commence beginning May of 2009 where the tenant's portion of the rent will go up by $50 per month until the entire rent amount is paid by the tenant.