FEMA Jan. 25 voucher extension granted at the last minute

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced Monday night that it had granted an extension of the Transitional Sheltering Assistance program, which provides hotel stays, until Jan. 25 for the over 3,000 eligible western North Carolina (WNC) residents affected by Hurricane Helene.

The announcement came less than four hours before the previous extension was set to expire.

FEMA’s Transitional Sheltering Assistance program provides hotel stays to those who’ve lost homes and don’t have other housing options. According to FEMA’s website, more than 10,000 people initially received assistance through the program following Helene. As of last week, more than 5,000 remain in temporary accommodations, but 3,500 of those were due to check out by Friday because either their home was now inhabitable or FEMA has been unable to reach them to update their status. FEMA initially extended the stay until Jan. 11 because of a snowstorm and then granted another extension that was set to expire on Jan. 14.

Both North Carolina Republican US Sens. Ted Budd and Thom Tillis posted on X that they were glad the extension was granted. Tillis added, “Of the 3,500 households facing the expiration of hotel vouchers, roughly 1,600 were ‘no contacts.’ This provides more time to address communications issues and make sure no family falls through the cracks.”

FEMA has been widely criticized for its handling of the situation in WNC, including the extensions of housing assistance like this one, which comes at the last minute, putting additional stress on those wondering if they will have a place to seek shelter.

Worried that FEMA might pull resources from WNC in light of the wildfires occurring in southern California, Republican US Rep. Chuck Edwards, NC-11, led a bicameral letter of the Republican North Carolina contingent Monday urging President Joe Biden and FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell to keep vital resources needed in the western part of the state.

“As members of Congress from the state of North Carolina, we are familiar with the destruction and despair communities experience during and following a natural disaster,” the letter states. “While we recognize the urgency of addressing the devastation caused by these fires and extend our support in whatever other ways possible, we implore you to recognize the urgent needs that remain in North Carolina. Now that the $110 billion disaster relief package has been signed into law, it is critical that FEMA maintain its presence in the affected North Carolina counties to help deploy these resources and help our region recover from the most devastating natural disaster we have ever experienced. We also request that you notify us in advance should you otherwise determine resources should be removed from our great state.”

Helene survivors have until Feb. 6 to apply for assistance with FEMA by visiting  DisasterAssistance.gov.

The post FEMA Jan. 25 voucher extension granted at the last minute first appeared on Carolina Journal.

 

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