FEMA extends lodging aid for storm survivors

Jan. 05--The Federal Emergency Management Agency has extended the deadline for families living in hotel rooms after being displaced by Hurricane Matthew, officials announced Wednesday.

Nearly two-dozen Wilson County families who have spent the last three months in hotels thanks to federal aid used to pay for their lodging will have more time based on their eligibility.

FEMA's transitional housing aid, which was set to expire Saturday, has been extended by increments of two weeks through Feb. 4, according to officials.

Hurricane survivors will have to demonstrate they are working toward a permanent housing solution to be eligible for continued housing during that period.

More than 1,600 North Carolina households are in the program, including more than 300 Edgecombe County families who are being housed in FEMA-paid hotel rooms because their homes were left uninhabitable by Hurricane Matthew, according to Shirley Tracey, a spokeswoman for FEMA.

Survivors, including the 23 families in Wilson County, who are eligible to stay in lodging will be contacted before the end of each 14-day period and be made aware of their continued eligibility and new deadline.

Those no longer eligible for the program after the current Jan. 7 deadline or future deadline will also be contacted, Tracey said.

FEMA's Transitional Shelter Assistance Program is provided as a stopgap measure to help survivors in an emergency. The goal is to get families out of hotels and into permanent housing.

Monday, Jan. 9 is the final day for Matthew survivors to register for federal disaster assistance from FEMA and the U.S. Small Business Administration.

Officials say all Wilson County residents who sustained storm damage to a home, vehicle or business should complete the application process -- even those who have flood insurance and believe they'll be fully covered.

While FEMA won't duplicate insurance payments, registering for assistance preserves a survivor's ability to qualify for federal funding in the event that insurers don't pay.

When neither private insurance nor FEMA cover a disaster survivor's full losses, officials say survivors may qualify for a low-interest loan from the Small Business Administration. The agency provides loans for individuals as well as business owners and applications can be coordinated through FEMA.

Roughly $86 million in federal disaster aid has been earmarked for North Carolina in Matthew's wake. The hurricane hugged the state's coastline Oct. 8-9, drenching eastern counties with more than a foot of rain that caused rivers to spill from their banks and flood low-lying areas.

In Wilson County, which was included in President Barack Obama's federal disaster declaration, the storm claimed two lives, caused 230 water rescues and resulted in 2,500 emergency calls for service over a three-day span.

To file an application for federal disaster assistance, call the FEMA Helpline at 1-800-621-3362 or visit www.disasterassistance.gov. Those who are deaf, hard of hearing or have a speech disability are asked to call 1-800-462-7585.

[email protected] -- 265-7879

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