FEMA has began contacting Tropical Storm Helene survivors who are staying in hotel rooms paid for by FEMA to ensure their continued need for the Transitional Sheltering Assistance program.
The short-term sheltering program pays for hotel rooms for homeowners and renters displaced by Helene while they find permanent housing solutions or make repairs to their homes. To date, almost 13,000 Western North Carolina survivor households have used the program. A key part of the program’s management are eligibility reviews. These reviews occur every two weeks and ensure that available rooms are being used by those in need.
“I want to be clear, this program is not ending for Western North Carolina,” said Federal Coordinating Officer Brett Howard. “We understand the great need survivors have at the time and this program will last as long as necessary. That said, the length of eligibility for an individual survivor will be based on their individual circumstances. FEMA staff are working daily with survivors and on their cases to help them find permanent housing solutions.”
Survivors who still need assistance with their recovery should stay in touch with FEMA to provide regular updates on their housing status and update contact information, so their recovery process is not delayed. Anyone who has received a notification and still needs housing assistance, should call the helpline at 800-621-FEMA (3362) or visit a Disaster Recovery Center. No appointment is needed and to find those center locations, go to fema.gov/drc or text “DRC” and a ZIP code to 43362.
Due to the extenuating circumstances in Western North Carolina, FEMA representatives will be calling any survivors who may become ineligible, to work with them and to give them additional time to check out of their hotel room. Now, instead of seven days, survivors who are no longer eligible for the program will have three-weeks’ notice.
The following conditions indicate a survivor or household no longer needs housing assistance:
• A home inspection indicated no eligible damages to a home or rental unit caused by Helene.
• A home inspection determined their home is now habitable.
• FEMA has been unable, after multiple attempts from case worker or inspector, to reach the survivor.
• A survivor has missed multiple home inspections.
• A survivor withdrew from FEMA’s Individual Assistance program.
• A survivor was unhoused prior to the disaster.
After a review of FEMA’s eligibility, out of the 2,700 households checked in, approximately 740 are no longer eligible to remain in the TSA program. FEMA is in contact with these individuals to let them know that they are no longer eligible and that they need to relocate. If any family feels they are eligible and that they need to remain in the program, we urge them to contact us immediately.
FEMA has provided more than $316 million in cash grants to Western North Carolina survivors, including more than $6.2 million in rental assistance. The U.S. Small Business Administration has also approved more than $213 million in low-interest loans to help survivors. Those loans are 0% interest for the first year. FEMA, the state of North Carolina, other federal agencies and volunteer organizations continue working with families to help them begin their recovery.
