North Carolina Governor Josh Stein continues to utilize all available resources to help residents affected by Hurricane Helen stay warm as the winter storm batters the state, and to restore power lines affected by previous storms. It said it could affect networks and other critical infrastructure.
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) temporary housing assistance ends Saturday for thousands of North Carolinians, some of whom are facing frigid temperatures in the Appalachian Mountains this weekend.
Stein's office confirmed to FOX Business, “At our request, FEMA has extended temporary shelter assistance through Tuesday in light of the winter storm impacting western North Carolina.” .
Workers, community members and business owners clean up debris in the aftermath of Hurricane Helen on September 30, 2024 in Marshall, North Carolina. (Javin Botsford/The Washington Post via Getty Images)
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The Transitional Shelter Assistance (TSA) program, which cannot be requested and has been granted only to survivors identified by FEMA since October, was scheduled to end Friday but was later postponed to Saturday.
FEMA's local disaster recovery center will be closed until Monday “due to winter weather.”
“We will continue to use every resource at our disposal to evacuate people to safe and warm shelters,” Gov. Josh Stein said.
Fox News Digital reported that North Carolinians began receiving letters on January 3 informing them that their hotel and motel rooms would no longer be covered. Once your eligibility ends, you will receive a one week notice to check out.
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After Hurricane Helen in September, the program continues to support thousands of Hurricane Helen survivors in western North Carolina.
On September 28, 2024, heavy rains from Hurricane Helen caused record flooding and damage in Asheville, North Carolina. (Melissa Sue Gerrits/Getty Images)
According to FEMA, there are currently 5,600 households checked into hotels.
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The agency said anyone with questions about eligibility should contact the FEMA Helpline at 1-800-621-3362.
Fox News Digital’s Audrey Conklin and Brooke Singman contributed to this article.
