The Federal Emergency Management Agency announced Monday it is creating a reimbursement program for people who relocated because of hurricanes Katrina and Rita if they had not already received funds from any other subsidized travel home program.

To be eligible for the program, applicants must have been displaced from their primary residence in a disaster-declared area as a result of hurricanes Katrina and Rita and have incurred or will incur relocation travel expenses. The expenses must have occurred between Aug. 29, 2005, and Feb. 29, 2008, for Katrina, or Sept. 24, 2005, to Feb. 29, 2008, for Rita, according to a news release.

Eligibility criteria include:

— People returning to their pre-disaster state who do not use a hotel or motel or housing not provided by FEMA are eligible for relocation assistance.

— FEMA will pay moving expenses to a FEMA-funded rental resource anywhere in the continental United States for people that are already living in their pre-disaster state in FEMA travel trailers or mobile homes.

— However, FEMA will pay for an in-state move only if the new location is greater than 50 miles from the present location of the applicants. The program will reimburse eligible applicants for relocation expenses up to $4,000 during the designated time period.

People interested in additional information should contact (800) 621-FEMA (3362).

On the Net:

FEMA: www.fema.gov

Gulf Coast Recovery: www.fema.gov/gulfcoastrecovery