Evacuated and evicted, many of Hurricane Florence’s victims have nowhere to go
With their mobile home ruined, he planned on living inside the truck at least temporarily, but a social worker found them and ordered them into a shelter in nearby
On Saturday, he and dozens of others flooded into
"I'm pretty much lost," said Carias, 60. "I'm going to have to sneak back into the trailer park and get my truck."
Carias is taking refuge along with about 40 others at the
After The N&O inquired on Sunday afternoon, the
"They walked that back," said
At the peak of the need, more than 20,000 people were in shelters across the state, according to the
"You may have 12 people staying in a house made for two and three people," said
Recovery aid for the victims of
In the three weeks since
Also, Wade said, the federal
Forced out of their homes
But many households are facing the same stubborn truth displaced residents learned after Hurricane Floyd in 1999 and after Hurricane Matthew in 2016: Many areas of rural
The initial hit from
At the housing fair in
"They only gave us, like, three days," said Keenan, 69, who walks with a cane. "Old folks running around like chickens with their heads cut off. I've talked to the
She has been sleeping in a recliner at the
"I just want a place to put my head down at night and know it's mine," Grant said, "and nobody can tell me to get out."
For some,
Right now, Wade said,
"I'm worried about not having space to house these people, to have a roof over their heads and be able to sleep at night," Rea said. "We have nowhere for these people to go.
"We need the housing to come from
Rea said he has been visiting the shelter, which has taken over a senior community center, daily since it opened, and that things improved recently when laundry and shower facilities were added.
"Most of them are in good spirits when I talk to them," Rea said of the 44 people still living in the shelter as of last week. "But it's not like living with family. You're living with strangers. It's hard on people."
Trailers needed
After Hurricane Floyd,
The communities became known as
By the time Hurricane Matthew hit
Wade said last week that
The trailers came as welcome news to shelter residents in
He came away from the housing fair Saturday with no solid leads on new housing, and like
"Quit holding the trailers up," he said. "Get them down here."
In the meantime, the state rolled out a new program last week to try to help those who receive little or no help from
DHHS Secretary
"It's not a huge number, but it's a real need," Cohen said.
Back@Home is based on the notion that rapid rehousing is the best way to prevent long-term homelessness. It will provide help to eligible recipients in finding a place to live, paying security deposits and up to six months' rent. The money will be paid to qualifying landlords.
At the church in
"I know people aren't going to find all they need," he said, asked about the waiting lists where shelter residents were adding their names. "Maybe God will make something beautiful out of it."
How to help
County emergency officials are hoping that people who own a vacation home or seasonal rental in eastern
Anyone who has a rental property that could accommodate displaced residents and repair crews is asked to contact
In
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