WPBN: Just as a winter storm was about to hit the Carolinas, 3,500 families’ hotel vouchers that had been given to those displaced by Hurricane Helene were about to expire this weekend.
The voucher program, which FEMA refers to as the “Transitional Sheltering Assistance” program, was extended in December until Saturday, January 11. At that time, FEMA stated that survivors of Helene would be permitted to spend Friday night at the hotels and would need to check out on Saturday.
While they restore their houses and/or look for permanent housing, survivors can stay in hotels and motels for free through the FEMA program.
Extensions for the hotel program until January 11 were given to both North Carolina and South Carolina. FEMA stated that there are no intentions to renew the program, nevertheless.
On Friday, January 10, a winter storm was predicted to make landfall. Because of the chilly temperatures, snow was more likely to fall in western North Carolina, while sleet and freezing rain were more likely to fall in the south and east.
More than 10,000 families had used the program at some time after Hurricane Helene, according to FEMA, which issued the most recent extension in December. About half of those families, according to FEMA at the time, had secured longer-term lodging.
Families will be notified roughly seven days before to checkout dates, according to FEMA. Beginning on January 3, the 3,500 families who must depart on Saturday were informed that they are no longer qualified for the program due to at least one of the following reasons:
- A house inspection that determined the applicant’s residence was now “habitable.”
- The applicant refused to have their house inspected.
- FEMA was unable to get in touch with the applicant on their housing needs despite several tries.
Additional crucial prerequisites for candidates are as follows:
- Current contact details on the FEMA website.
- The FEMA application was not withdrawn by the applicant.
- The applicant kept up their adherence to the terms and conditions of the program.
You can visit a FEMA Disaster Recovery Center to speak with someone in person or phone the assistance line at 800-621-3362 if you think your hotel voucher is being incorrectly terminated.
Senator Thom Tillis of North Carolina reacted to the announcement that, in spite of the winter forecast, FEMA has chosen not to extend the program for thousands of families.
This week, snow is predicted in the mountains of North Carolina and Charlotte.
A weather system that might bring 2–6 inches of snow to the North Carolina mountains and an inch or two closer to Charlotte coincides with the voucher program’s expiration date.
This weekend, temperatures in the mountains will drop into the teens and single digits, and the chill of a chilly wind will make it feel even colder.
Overnight highs around Charlotte will barely reach the 30s and early 40s, with highs in the teens and 20s.
Indiana Lawmakers Propose Bill to Restrict Social Media Access for Minors Without Parental Consent
In 2025, more temporary housing is anticipated.
FEMA and recently appointed Governor Josh Stein anticipate that more temporary housing will be provided to Helene survivors in 2025, even though the hotel voucher program is about to expire.
The goal of Stein’s first executive order was to speed up the distribution of FEMA’s temporary emergency trailer homes to survivors.
FEMA had delivered 27 homes in 2024, two days before Thanksgiving. That number increased to 46 dwellings on Dec. 4, 2024, according to FEMA, which is less than half of what the government had pledged at that point.
FEMA announced on Wednesday, January 8, that 90 prefabricated homes and travel trailers had been delivered to date.
FEMA reported that around 800 people are currently receiving rental assistance in addition to these trailers and prefabricated homes. More than 5,600 families were lodging in FEMA-funded hotel rooms as of January 8.
REFERENCE
