BEAUMONT — Some housing relief is on the way for those who have the most desperate needs.

Jeff Branick, Jefferson County judge, said on Monday 6,000 FEMA trailers are on the way for Jefferson County. He said the 6,000 were authorized for those who are eligible. He didn’t have an arrival date but some will be sent to South-County and some to northern portion of the county.

“We had one shipped in Saturday. A dozen more are en route,” he said. “They will increase logistically. They just need a place to put them.”

Branick, however, hopes FEMA’s direct housing repair program will be in place so the displaced will have place to stay and travel trailers scattered over the landscape.

“I’d rather have the people in their homes. The program I’m most excited about is DAHLR — Direct Assistance Housing Limited Repair,” he said. “People can get up to $60,000 to repair homes that got at least 18 inches of water inside or that had $17,000 worth of damages.”

Branick said Congress approves Community Development Block Grants for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development at the federal level. The feds contract with the states with the Texas General Land Office managing the program. The GLO, likewise, subcontracts locally with the South East Texas Regional Planning Commission.

The federal contract has been completed while the local subcontract is still being worked on.

The GLO will request qualifications from construction companies to work the program. Companies that worked the aftermath of Hurricane Ike will be looked at.

“It will take a couple of months to get the program underway. I’m happy with the way the GLO operates their program,” Branick said. “There should be a lot of construction companies interested.”

Branick believes there’s enough money in the program for the homeowner to get the sheetrock, trim, some electrical work, etc. done. The application process will be done through the SETRPC.