FEMA ending housing assistance for people who no longer qualify for the program following hurricanes
TREASURE ISLAND, Fla. - The Federal Emergency Management Agency is ending transitional shelter assistance Tuesday for families displaced by Hurricanes Helene and Milton, but who the agency determined no longer qualify for the program.
According to FEMA, nearly 47,000 Floridians have been staying in hotels and motels following Hurricanes Helene, Milton and Debby.
What we know:
A FEMA spokesperson told FOX 13 the agency reviewed eligibility for transitional shelter assistance earlier this month. Thousands of applicants received extensions to January 28. Many others, however, did not receive an extension and their assistance will end January 14.
Jason Rule is among those who have been staying at the Bilmar Beach Resort in Treasure Island after his home was deemed uninhabitable by Helene. He's unsure what he'll do after his assistance ends.
"If we didn't have the help [at the Bilmar]...where would we be? What would we do?" Rule said. "This has been such a blessing. And I appreciate every minute I'm able to be here.
What's next:
"My next step is to hopefully extend this out as long as we can and hope to God that they continue an extension because there's going to be thousands of people just like me who have no place to go, and we're wondering, what are we going to do?" he added.
Leah Campen and Steven Kovich, whose home was damaged during Helene, have been living in another hotel for nearly four months. Campen said she received an extension for assistance until January 28, but is nervous because she knows that date will come quickly.
"We need more time. We're going to call them and ask for an extension because our home is not back together," Campen said.
FEMA said people who no longer qualify for assistance should have received an automated phone call.
The agency said it will review eligibility every 14 days. Applicants who meet the conditions of continued eligibility may remain in the program.
What they're saying:
FEMA released the following list of reasons why an applicant may have been deemed ineligible for transitional shelter assistance:
- Pre-disaster primary residence is deemed safe to occupy through a FEMA inspection.
- The home noted in the applicant’s registration is not the applicant’s primary residence.
- An applicant is linked with another applicant who may be receiving FEMA assistance.
- The applicant has found alternative housing.
- The applicant refused direct housing.
- An inspector was not able to complete a home inspection after three attempts to contact the applicant or the applicant failed to show for one or more inspection appointments.
- The applicant received rental assistance from FEMA.
- The applicant has insurance that provides Additional Living Expenses or Loss of Use coverage or has not submitted documentation to prove they do not have these coverages.
- Failure to comply with the TSA Terms and Conditions.
- The applicant has violated the hotel terms and conditions.
- The applicant indicated they did not have damage to their primary residence at the time of application.
- An applicant has not checked into TSA in the last 30 days.
A FEMA spokesperson told FOX 13, if a homeowner was deemed ineligible and feels the determination was in error, they can call the FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362 or visit a disaster recover center to discuss their situation.
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