FEMA Seeks Property Management Companies in Georgia for Direct Lease

FEMA is seeking information from property management companies with ready-for-occupancy residential or rental properties in Georgia communities affected by Hurricane Helene. These units must meet local, state and federal housing regulations. 

Property management companies for consideration should be doing business in and around communities affected by Hurricane Helene, to include Appling, Berrien, Burke, Clinch, Coffee, Emanuel, Jeff Davis, Jefferson, Lanier, Lowndes, McDuffie and Toombs counties, as well as surrounding communities. FEMA encourages all interested property management companies to consider participating.

The deadline for companies to reply to this request for information is Wednesday, Feb. 12, 2025. 

What is Direct Lease program?

Direct Lease is a form of Direct Temporary Housing Assistance that allows FEMA to enter into contracts directly with property management companies to lease properties not generally available to the public. Properties must be available for no less than 18 months, with an option for lease extension. The properties will then be offered as temporary housing to eligible disaster survivors. This includes corporate apartments, vacation rentals, secondary homes, bank-owned properties, condominiums, townhouses and other dwellings. FEMA may use these units for eligible applicants who are unable to use rental assistance due to lack of available resources. 

What conditions does the property need to meet?

The property must be an existing residential property not typically available to the public (i.e. corporate apartments, vacation rentals, and second homes), for use as temporary housing. 

• Units occupied using a form of FEMA Rental Assistance cannot be combined with FEMA Direct Lease Assistance.
• Hotels, motels and other transient accommodations will not be acquired for Direct Lease.
• The property must comply with Housing Quality Standards established by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and all relevant state building and occupancy standards and regulations. All utilities, appliances, and other furnishings must be functional.
• Each unit must provide complete living facilities, including provisions for cooking, eating and sanitation within the unit.
• The property must be located within reasonable access to community and wrap-around services, such as accessible public transportation, schools, fire and emergency services, grocery stores, etc.
• All property management companies or owners must register to do business with FEMA through the System for Award Management (SAM) at SAM.gov.

What terms or conditions are there?

• A provision granting FEMA exclusive use of the units and sole discretion to identify and select occupants during the term of the lease agreement.
• A provision granting FEMA the option of releasing the unit to the owner and ceasing all monthly payments for the unit at any time by providing 30 days’ notice.
• A provision allowing FEMA to make, at FEMA’s expense, reasonable modifications or improvements to the property to provide a reasonable accommodation for an eligible applicant with a disability or other access and functional needs.
• A provision allowing FEMA to restore the property to its original condition before any reasonable modifications or improvements as requested by the property owner.
• A provision incorporating a lease addendum containing FEMA’s conditions of eligibility and termination of tenancy and eviction into any lease between the property owner and the occupant.
• A provision agreeing to waive credit screening for eligible applicants.
• A provision allowing FEMA to reassign a vacated unit when eligible applicants need temporary housing assistance, and a unit becomes available before the end of the period of assistance.
• Property owners must provide all building maintenance services.
• Property owners must be current and in good standing with property mortgage payments and have a current rental license verification.

What information is requested?

Interested property owners should provide the following information:

• Name of complex, location, owner name and phone number or contact information (if not property owner).
• Number of vacant units containing a separate bathroom, kitchen and living space available for FEMA exclusive use and the number of bedrooms each unit contains.
• Number of units compliant with Uniform Federal Accessibility Standards and/or features that provide accessibility for individuals with disabilities.
• Confirmation the property owner is current and up to date with the property’s mortgage payments.
• Confirmation that the property is readily available for applicants to move in.
• History of the building’s use (dates used as a rental, etc.) if applicable.
• Utilities included in rent.
• Numbers of units fully furnished.
• Rental range for property, including any associated fees.
• Pet restrictions, such as type, number, or size, and applicable pet deposits; and
• Number of parking spaces (including accessible and van-accessible) available for each housing unit.

Where do I respond to the request for information?

• Interested property owners or management companies must provide responses and comments by Wednesday, Feb. 12, 2025 to fema-dr4830ga-directleaserfi@fema.dhs.gov. The email subject line should read RFI# 70FBR425I00000007.
• More information about this opportunity can be found at SAM.gov.

The RFI does not constitute a Request for Proposal (RFP0), Invitation for Bid (IFB), or Request for Quotation (RFQ), and it is not to be construed as a commitment by the government to enter into a contract, nor will the government pay for the information submitted in response to this request. Response to this notification will be used to determine which properties meet the Direct Lease criteria and provide the most timely and cost-effective means of providing direct assistance to eligible disaster survivors. FEMA wants to obtain market information or capabilities for planning purposes. 

For the latest information about Georgia’s recovery, visit fema.gov/helene/georgia. Follow FEMA Region 4 @FEMARegion4 on X or follow FEMA on social media at: FEMA Blog on fema.gov, @FEMA or @FEMAEspanol on X, FEMA or FEMA Espanol on Facebook, @FEMA on Instagram, and via FEMA YouTube channel. Also, follow Acting Administrator Cameron Hamilton on X @FEMA_Cam.

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FEMA’s mission is helping people before, during and after disasters.