SPENCER, Iowa, December 8th. The long season of temporary shelter that followed the devastating floods of the summer of twenty twenty four is nearing its close, as officials in the city of Spencer have confirmed that the final families who remain in federal temporary housing will be transitioned into permanent homes before the end of the month. The update was delivered during a regular meeting of the Spencer City Council, where Spencer City Manager Kevin Robinson presented the most recent information regarding the wind down of federal disaster housing within the community. His statement stands at this hour as the only direct account of the timetable and the transition plan for the remaining displaced households.
According to the first hand remarks given by Spencer City Manager Kevin Robinson, eight families still occupied temporary housing at the beginning of December. Each of these households has now been assigned a placement pathway that will return them either to a restored home or to a rental property arranged for long term living. The transition is set to conclude by December 31st, with no family expected to remain in temporary units beyond that date. The announcement marks a significant turning point in the city’s recovery, for the movement from temporary shelter to permanent residence brings stability to those who have endured many months of uncertainty.
The floods that struck Spencer and surrounding Clay County last year prompted the federal disaster declaration known as DR 4784 IA, through which THE FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY activated its Individual Assistance program for the region. This authority permitted the federal agency to establish temporary housing for residents whose homes were rendered uninhabitable, and to provide grants and other forms of assistance to support cleanup and rebuilding. The official declaration remains the foundation upon which all subsequent housing support has been constructed, including the temporary units that are now being retired.
The State of Iowa has operated its own housing assistance efforts alongside the federal program, offering additional help through the State Disaster Recovery Housing Assistance Program, which assists qualified residents in navigating the rebuilding process and securing long term housing. These state level efforts have worked in coordination with federal resources, ensuring that families receiving temporary shelter could move toward a more stable future once repairs, rentals, or reconstruction became available.
With the final households preparing to depart temporary units, the city’s focus will shift from emergency sheltering toward the larger and slower work of long term recovery. Many families have already returned to restored homes, while others have entered rental properties as they await full reconstruction. The conclusion of the temporary housing program stands as a sign that the immediate crisis has passed, though the broader work of rebuilding homes, infrastructure, and community life continues.
City officials encourage any remaining residents who face complications in their transition to contact local authorities promptly so that no individual or family is left without proper arrangements as the program sunset approaches. The city also notes that while the physical flood waters receded many months ago, the effects of the disaster remained visible in the ongoing repairs, the altered routines of families, and the long path that leads from emergency to restoration.
The announcement delivered by Spencer City Manager Kevin Robinson provides the public with the only direct and confirmed information regarding the closure of temporary housing in Spencer. All additional reporting on the subject has been drawn from his statement and from the disaster records maintained by federal and state authorities. As December advances toward its final days, the city moves forward with the assurance that every displaced household has a destination, and that the period of temporary shelter that began in the wake of the twenty twenty four flood is drawing to its appointed end.
The Appalachian Post is an independent West Virginia news outlet dedicated to clean, verified, first-hand reporting. We do not publish rumors. We do not run speculation. Every fact we present must be supported by original documentation, official statements, or direct evidence. When secondary sources are used, we clearly identify them and never treat them as first-hand confirmation. We avoid loaded language, emotional framing, or accusatory wording, and we do not attack individuals, organizations, or other news outlets. Our role is to report only what can be verified through first-hand sources and allow readers to form their own interpretations. If we cannot confirm a claim using original evidence, we state clearly that we reviewed first-hand sources and could not find documentation confirming it. Our commitment is simple: honest reporting, transparent sourcing, and zero speculation.
Primary First Hand Sources
• Statement delivered by Spencer City Manager Kevin Robinson during a Spencer City Council meeting regarding the wind down of FEMA temporary housing for flood displaced residents
• Federal Emergency Management Agency disaster declaration DR 4784 IA establishing Individual Assistance for Spencer and Clay County following the twenty twenty four flood
• State of Iowa Disaster Recovery Housing Assistance Program documentation confirming eligibility pathways for flood related long term housing support
Secondary Attribution Based Sources
• Reporting from KTIV Siouxland’s News Source summarizing the city manager’s first hand statement
• Reporting from KIWA Radio recounting the same council briefing
• Reporting from Dakota News Now reflecting the city’s confirmation that temporary housing will close by the end of December
Appalachian Post 
Leave a comment