SAIPAN — Rota residents who still need temporary shelter after Super Typhoon Bavi have one week to apply. The Rota Mayor’s Office announced the STRONG Tent Program will close August 14, with applications accepted until the deadline for residents in need of shelter assistance.
Applicants should bring a valid government-issued ID and photos of their damages, and renters must show proof of their living arrangement. Applications can be made by calling or visiting the Rota Mayor’s Office at (670) 532-9451 or (670) 532-9452, with Lou Rosario as the point of contact. The office noted applicants should make sure there is a clean and flat area to erect the tent.
The deadline arrives with the program’s momentum well established: as of August 5, 45 STRONG tents had been delivered and installed for families across Rota, with 175 applications received. The program, launched July 29 by the Municipality of Rota with CNMI Homeland Security and Emergency Management and FEMA, prioritizes displaced residents so families can move from emergency shelters back to their own properties, a step toward the gradual closure of shelters that have operated for over a month.
The closing date lands in a week of accelerating recovery on Rota, where CUC energized Feeder 2 Friday morning and federal assistance is open through FEMA, SBA disaster loans and Medicaid disaster flexibilities.
