Inviting Hurricane Evacuees Into Your Home May Prove Risky

Many Americans have taken it upon themselves to contact authorities and let them know they are willing to take in survivors of the devastation wrought in New Orleans by Hurricane Katrina. Such noble gestures are to be applauded and admired, especially because of the tremendous numbers of people who have lost everything they owned including their homes. The generosity of the American spirit is legendary and not easily quashed. But everyone in America who is considering opening up their homes to hurricane evacuees should do so with a certain measure of caution, to ensure that their kindness is not taken advantage of.

Housing officials across the country are warning potential temporary hosts that several things should be considered before they open their homes up to people they don’t know. First and foremost on that list is ensuring that the person or people you are offering to take in are actually Katrina evacuees. Shelters in New Orleans and other cities taking in hurricane survivors would have such information; the information can also be found on the Internet and by contacting local FEMA offices or the Red Cross. Be sure that the people you take into your home are funneled through an official agency to get to you, and you may even want to contact a local Red Cross office to let them know you are taking someone in. At the very least, be sure to let a friend or family member know of your plans, so you will have someone to rely on should things go awry.

Officials suggest that you conduct a criminal background check so you will have more information about the person who will be living in your home. If a person does have a criminal record, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t offer them housing—it just means that you need to keep that in mind while they are living with you. And even though you will most likely allow the person to stay in your home for free, housing officials suggest that guests still sign a lease. Doing so will ensure that your temporary guest understands the rules of the house and what you will expect from them while living there.

Seeing the ravaged faces of the people displaced by Hurricane Katrina has led many Americans to open their hearts and their homes to these stricken people. Giving them a hand up and not a handout allows them to return to a sense of normalcy, and gives them time to rest and reclaim the strength and energy that will be required of them to rebuild. But be sure that when you open up your home to victims of this disaster, you do not open up your home to a potential disaster of your own.