In October, 2012, Hurricane Sandy struck the United States, causing severe damage to property, loss of life, and the displacement of families and individuals from their homes and communities. On March 25, 2013, HUD and FEMA executed an Interagency Agreement (IAA) to implement DHAP-Sandy.  The DHAP-Sandy provides monthly rent subsidies, security deposit assistance, and utility deposit assistance to assist eligible New York State residents displaced by Hurricane Sandy.  Pursuant to FEMA’s grant authority, a grant will be provided to the New York State’s Office of Homes and Community Renewal (HCR) to administer DHAP-Sandy to eligible residents of the State of New York.  The HCR will make rental assistance payments, on behalf of eligible families, to participating landlords for a period of up to 12 months commencing from the effective date of the initial Disaster Rent Subsidy Contract (DRSC).

To be eligible for DHAP-Sandy, the family must have been displaced by Hurricane Sandy and referred to HUD by FEMA.  FEMA is solely responsible for determining if the family is initially eligible to receive assistance under DHAP-Sandy.

Under DHAP-Sandy, HCR will assume responsibility not only to provide a monthly rent subsidy on behalf of the family but also to assist the family in locating an eligible unit. DHAP-Sandy is a temporary housing assistance program that terminates on December 31, 2014.  In order to prepare the family for this eventuality, Disaster Case Management is provided and required for the entire duration of DHAP-Sandy through the Disaster Case Management Program (DCMP). The Disaster Case Management Program is administered by local social service entities and is not a responsibility of the PHA under DHAP-Sandy. 

Required Program Forms

Sample Letters and Forms

Related Notices and Guidelines 

Disaster Case Management Program

During the time the family is assisted under DHAP-Sandy, each family head of household will participate in disaster case management. The Disaster Case Management Program, administered by various local social service entities, enables a whole community approach through funding support to voluntary, faith-based and nonprofit organizations.

Disaster case management involves a partnership between a case manager and a disaster survivor to develop and carry out a Disaster Recovery Plan.  This process involves an assessment of the disaster survivor’s verified disaster-caused unmet needs, development of a goal-oriented plan that outlines the steps necessary to achieve recovery, organization and coordination of information on available resources that match the disaster-caused unmet needs, the monitoring of progress toward reaching the recovery plan goals, and when necessary, client advocacy.  The case manager will also assist the family in developing, and progressing in, a permanent housing plan.

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