Thousands of families in western North Carolina still reeling from the devastation caused by Hurricane Helen received some good news just as the Trump administration was taking office. FEMA has approved the extension of hotel vouchers, giving people peace of mind during the frigid winter.
Last month, then…Vice President-elect J.D. Vance toured the area and promised that once his government is in power, local storm victims will receive the support they need.
“Certainly, once we have a change of government in the next 45 days, we will do everything we can to help people rebuild, get back on their feet and bring commerce back to this region, but most importantly, This is so people can live in their homes,” Vance said on Dec. 6.
“We haven't forgotten about you. We love you.”
Vance's visit comes just days after a bombshell report revealed that FEMA discriminated against Trump supporters during the election.
“The temperature tonight is 20 degrees.”
Despite Vance's assurances, be 1 week agoIn the waning days of the Biden-Harris administration, North Carolina leaders sounded the alarm as voters were forced out of their hotel rooms because their FEMA vouchers had expired.
“Today, my office is supporting dozens of Helen victims who were told their hotel vouchers had expired, even though they were unable to return to a safe and livable home. There's mold in their house and broken windows…It's 20 degrees tonight,'' the Republican said. senator thom tillis Posted in X on January 14th.
“This is a complete failure on FEMA's part,” he added.
By Thursday, Gov. Josh Stein (D) contacted FEMA and asked it to continue providing assistance to North Carolinians who remain homeless.
Pressure from state officials and the incoming Trump administration appears to be working. on sunday, FEMA responded It responded to Stein's letter by extending the voucher deadline until May 26 as part of the Transitional Shelter Assistance Program.
On Monday, the day President Donald Trump took office, FEMA released the following statement: press release Confirm voucher extension.
“To be clear, this program does not end in Western North Carolina,” said Federal Coordinator Brett Howard. “We understand that survivors have great needs at this time, and this program will continue as long as necessary. …FEMA staff works with survivors every day to help them find permanent housing. We work on their cases to help find solutions.”
Additionally, FEMA announced that residents will receive more advance notice if they lose eligibility for the program. Prior to Monday's press release, FEMA provided just seven days' notice. But this time, authorities will give at least three weeks' notice.
“For FEMA to live up to its name, we must act as if an emergency is a true emergency and be able and willing to help people… I'm not blaming you for what happened.”
Since Helen was attacked at the end of September, a total of nearly 13,000 households in the besieged areas have taken part in the transitional evacuation assistance programme. Since then, the number of eligible households has decreased to about 2,000.
Howard seemed to point out that FEMA's resources are not unlimited, and cautioned that “each survivor's eligibility period is based on their individual circumstances.”
Losing eligibility in the face of such hardship may seem cruel, but it only happens when conditions on the ground improve, or when the applicant withdraws the application. ” only if they did not respond to attempts to contact them, or if they did not have permanent resident status. First, it is stated in the press release.
Matt Von Swoll, an Asheville resident who has been documenting the ongoing devastation in Western North Carolina since Helen's attack, is excited about the extension of relief from FEMA. “The Trump effect is here!!!” he wrote on Tuesday.
Still, von Swoll is frustrated that relief personnel were not available in the first place.
“FEMA dropped the ball from the beginning of the storm. They failed to act quickly. They failed to communicate effectively. They failed to respond appropriately to the survivors we have personally helped. We have seen with our own eyes how bureaucrats are involved in providing real help to victims. Thousands of slow cuts lead to death.” von Swoll said in a statement to Blaze News.
“For FEMA to live up to its name, it must act as if the emergency is a true emergency and help people quickly and fairly, rather than blaming people for not filling out forms correctly. We need to be able and willing to help.”
FEMA claimed in a press release that it has already provided $316 million in cash assistance and an additional $6.2 million in rental assistance to Helen, North Carolina victims. Some small business owners in the region may also be eligible for a one-year interest-free loan to help them rebuild.
Helen victims in neighboring South Carolina have only a few days left to apply. FEMA support.
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