BATON ROUGE, LA (WAFB) – Residents wishing to apply for Louisiana’s Shelter at Home program are running out of time.

The deadline for the program is on October 15 and residents wishing to take advantage of the assistance need to act fast.

“We don’t want people going right up to the deadline and then try to take this step,” said Mike Steele, spokesperson for the Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness. “It’s important for people to start the application process as quickly as possible.”

It is important not to wait because the process can take some time. Applicants have to provide a number of items, including proof of ownership, proof of residency, a state issued ID and a signed right of entry form.

Work on the program is speeding along. In just over a month, close to 800 homes have been completed. Roughly 1,500 homes are complete but waiting on a final inspection, and another 5,700 more homes have been cleared for construction.

“It’s thousands of homes that are eligible for this program,” Steele said. “We’re trying to get everyone knocked out. The contractors are kind of full steam ahead at this point so we’re just asking the public to be patient and we’re trying to get this help available as quickly as possible.”

The program has not been without challenges, but as more people continue to apply, those with GOHSEP hope to get feedback to keep the process running smoothly.

“It’s important for us to make sure they’re done right. We’re trying to make sure that the contractors and everyone involved in this process is being held accountable for what’s going on,” Steele added.

The Shelter at Home deadline is not the only one that is fast approaching. The deadline to register for assistance with FEMA or apply for an SBA loan is October 13.