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Chapter 7 › XIII.U Temporary Relocation of Essential Services

Can we move essential services to a temporary facility while ours is repaired?

FEMA term
Temporary relocation of essential services; temporary facilities
Short answer

Yes, for essential governmental services when the facility is unsafe, inaccessible or destroyed and can’t be fixed quickly, or lacks a critical utility a temporary site would restore sooner. FEMA generally pays the least costly practical option among leasing, buying or building.

What FEMA requires

  • Eligible services include education, elections, police, fire and rescue, emergency medical care, homeless and domestic violence shelters, prisons, utilities, and their essential support facilities.
  • Not eligible: museums, zoos, community centers, libraries, houses of worship, senior centers, childcare and similar services.
  • Provide a cost analysis of at least three options; buying or building (other than modular units) needs FEMA approval first.
  • Eligible costs include replacing destroyed furniture and equipment once, alterations, restoring the temporary site, moving, required code upgrades and public notices. Utilities and operating costs are not.
  • The deadline is 6 months; only FEMA can extend it, up to 12 months if restoration will take longer, and further only if construction starts within 12 months.
  • If you buy or build, you must return FEMA’s share of the equity afterward.

Documentation

The three-option cost analysis, the damage assessment showing why the facility can’t be used, leases or purchase records, and the restoration schedule for the original facility.

Watch out · Govstar practitioner advice

Improved or alternate projects cut off temporary facility funding early. Decide your permanent strategy before committing to a long temporary lease.

Govstar summarizes FEMA’s Public Assistance Program and Policy Guide in plain language and links to the official text. Govstar is independent and not affiliated with FEMA. This is general guidance, not legal advice.