Local officials say the federal agency's response, since Hurricane Katrina evacuees started streaming into Portland two months ago, has been confusing and slow.

Because federal rent assistance has not yet been dispensed, Portland and Multnomah County have picked up the rent tab for evacuees. Officials are unsure what costs, other than rent, FEMA will reimburse.

"It's been very difficult to work with FEMA," said Mary Li, who is coordinating Multnomah County's relief efforts. "It's been very difficult to get a clear answer to, yes we're going to reimburse this and no we're not going to reimburse that."

In Washington, D.C., a spokeswoman for the federal agency told The Oregonian that counties and cities nationwide will be reimbursed for facilities opened to evacuees, but she could not comment specifically about what they would be reimbursed for.

So far, the city and county have helped pay for the operation of a welcome center in Portland, as well as rent, utilities and furnishings for evacuees.

In Portland, the welcome center that used to fill several rooms at the old Washington-Monroe High School was moved Nov. 1 to a smaller building on the same grounds, after FEMA directed local agencies to focus only on providing evacuees with temporary housing.

The smaller facility is expected to be closed by the end of the month, Li said. Last week, between 20 to 30 people were still arriving daily.

Will White, director of the city's bureau of housing and community development, said FEMA told him that federal rent subsidies have been mailed to only about 40 percent of the eligible families so far. To make up the difference, the city and the county have pledged $200,000 to help evacuees.

"I'm glad we're able to do it," said City Commissioner Erik Sten, who oversees the Bureau of Housing and Community Development. "But we shouldn't have to."

(Copyright 2005 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)