ACORN members spoke at a New Orleans press conference in December 2006 to urge FEMA to restore housing aid.

FEMA has extended rental assistance for more than 120,000 of Katrina and Rita victims through March 1, 2009.

Federal officials made a major announcement on April 26, promosing extended assistance to the estimated 80,000 Gulf Coast residents still living in FEMA housing trailers.

"ACORN has been asking to extend housing aid for Katrina survivors and put the program in the hands of HUD and away from FEMA for some time and we’re glad to see this happen. Hopefully, the run-around tactics FEMA forced to stop by the judge who ruled in ACORN vs. FEMA will be a thing of the past," said Toni McElroy, president of Texas ACORN.

The Department of Housing and Urban Development will take over management of evacuee housing assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency on Sept. 1. Starting March 1, 2008, evacuees receiving assistance will be required to make small monthly payments, starting at $50 per month and increasing to $100 monthly in June 2008.

Gwendolyn Adams, co-chair of the Lower 9th Ward chapter of ACORN, said, "Charging rent for people to live in FEMA trailers is unfair. No one chose to have their home deluged and destroyed. Folks are working hard against all sorts of barriers to return and rebuild ...  and this is yet another obstacle."

McElroy continued: "The next step, long overdue, will be for the administration to get serious about rebuilding housing and infrastructure in New Orleans and the Gulf Coast, so that our people can finally come home. A good first step would be for the President to support H.R. 1227, The Gulf Coast Hurricane Recovery Act."

"The Gulf Coast Hurricane Recovery Act" includes the following provisions:

• Forbid HUD from demolishing public housing and require one for one replacement if demolition is necessary. 
• Require HUD to prioritize applications to repair or rebuild Section 8 housing.
• Encourage affordable housing development by extending the deadline for developers to use GO ZONE tax credits.