News

FEMA extends emergency sheltering in motels

By Lightning Reports, Published: November 26, 2024

FEMA is granting additional time for Helene survivors to stay in short-term emergency shelter in hotels and motels.

FEMA’s Transitional Sheltering Assistance was originally authorized for 60 days, until Dec. 3, but has been extended until Dec. 12. This will allow households additional time to identify another housing solution or make repairs to their home.
FEMA will continue to evaluate the need to extend the program as individuals’ housing plans develop. Applicants are encouraged to maintain contact with the state, voluntary agencies, local organizations, long-term recovery groups and other partners to find suitable housing.
FEMA will notify participants three to seven days before their checkout dates after determining if they are able to return to their residences. Notification is by automated phone call, text message and/or email, depending upon the method of communication they selected when originally applying for assistance. A message is also sent to their participants’ disaster assistance accounts if they have set them up on Disasterassistance.gov.
To date, 10,129 households have sheltered in Transitional Sheltering Assistance participating hotels; 4,950 have found suitable, longer-term housing and moved on with their recovery. As of Nov. 25, 5,179 households remain checked in at hotels.
Participants may no longer be eligible for this program if they:

• Have withdrawn from FEMA’s Individual Assistance program.
• Have missed a scheduled FEMA property inspection or been unreachable to set up one.;  Declined FEMA’s Direct Temporary Housing Assistance.
• Were not referred to FEMA’s Individuals and Households program.
• Are insured.
• Made duplicate or linked applications.
• Are registered as having no home damage.  Have no disaster-caused damage.
• Received rental assistance from FEMA.

This program is one of several ways FEMA is helping Helene survivors with emergency non-congregate sheltering. In addition to sheltering survivors in private living spaces like hotels or motels, FEMA is providing financial help and direct housing assistance with:

• Rental Assistance Homeowners and renters in North Carolina may be eligible for FEMA Rental Assistance if they cannot live in their homes because of damage due to Helene. This money provides survivors with a temporary place to live while they repair or rebuild their home. The initial grant is for two months and can be used to rent a place to live, such as a house, apartment, hotel room, RV or other options while your home is repaired, or while you look for a new home. Contact FEMA if you still have a housing need after two months.
• Direct Temporary Housing Assistance may be available to individuals and households where there is a lack of available housing resources due to Helene. This assistance is offered as an interim solution to survivors’ permanent housing needs, and is provided in three forms: Direct Lease, Multifamily Lease and Repair and Transportable Temporary Housing Units.

For more information, contact the FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362 or  go here for more FEMA information.