Families in Western North Carolina were left without homes after Hurricane Helen tore through the Appalachian Mountains last year He received some devastating news EARLIER THIS MONTH – FEMA's temporary housing assistance could soon expire, leaving them with nowhere to turn as temperatures drop below freezing.
The agency has begun notifying some families who have checked into hotel or motel rooms that they are no longer eligible for the Transitional Shelter Assistance Program due to one of the following reasons: an inspection indicated their home was habitable, they refused the inspection or FEMA was unable to So contact them to update their housing needs.
The deadline, which began on Friday, now falls on January 14. Deanne Criswell, administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), says those who receive the notice and still need housing are still eligible, but they need to contact the agency.
“There are a number of reasons why someone might receive this notice,” Cresswell explained on Sunday.
Some North Carolina families fear losing their temporary housing after being displaced by Hurricane Helen. (Peter Zai/Anadolu via Getty Images (left) and Win McNamee/Getty Images (right))
“What we do is we call everyone. We call them every two weeks to check where they are, what their condition is, can their house be occupied again, but one of the most important things is when we call them, if we don't hear from them, the only thing we can do is To assume they're back home is one of the things I want to make sure, if someone receives this notification, but they don't I talked to someone at FEMA And their case is still in need, they are still eligible. We just need them to contact us so we can talk to them. Everyone will have unique circumstances. “Everyone will have a unique situation,” she added.
“We need to work with all of them individually to make sure we provide them with the right resources so they can continue to remain in a safe place until their home is rebuilt or accessible.”
North Carolinians who still need assistance can call 1-800-621-FEMA or visit a Disaster Recovery Center to speak to someone face-to-face.
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Married couple Victoria (left) and Jeff, staying on the street with their dog and holding a sign reading “Need Help, Lost Everything in Flood,” after Hurricane Helen destroyed their mobile home about a month ago, in Asheville, North Carolina, on October 29, 2024. (Photo by Yasuyoshi Chiba/AFP via Getty Images)
Already strained by the crisis left behind by Helen, FEMA must now also meet the needs of families displaced by the Southern California wildfires, which are still burning after causing billions of dollars in damage.
Cresswell said Fox News Shannon Brehm For which California residents who need assistance must register Disaster assistance website And contact their personal insurance company to find out what they will cover.
“But more importantly, they will not cover (what they will do) until they are eligible for different programs within our system,” she added.
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Fox News' Audrey Conklin and Brooke Singman contributed to this report.
