North Carolina governor pushes FEMA to extend temporary shelter assistance as winter storm rolls in

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Hurricane Helene recovery volunteer discusses winter efforts in North Carolina

Some North Carolinians are still living in tents, months after Hurricane Helene destroyed their homes on Sept. 27, 2024.

North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein said he will continue to use every resource at his disposal to ensure that residents impacted by Hurricane Helene stay warm, as winter storms sweep across the state – potentially affecting power grids and other critical infrastructure impacted by the prior storm.

Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) temporary housing assistance will end Saturday for thousands of North Carolina residents, some of whom are facing frigid temperatures this weekend in the Appalachian Mountain region.

“At our request, FEMA has extended temporary shelter assistance through Tuesday in light of the winter storm impacting western North Carolina,” Stein’s office confirmed to FOX Business.

Workers, community members, and business owners clean up debris in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene in Marshall, N.C., Sept. 30, 2024. (Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post via Getty Images)

AMERICANS SPENDING THANKSGIVING IN TENTS AS HEAT, ELECTRICITY, FOOD STILL HARD TO FIND

The Transitional Sheltering Assistance (TSA) program, which cannot be requested and was only granted to survivors identified by FEMA beginning in October, was set to end on Friday and later pushed back to Saturday.

FEMA’s local disaster recovery centers will be closed through Monday, “due to winter weather.”

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“I will continue to use every resource at my disposal to get folks into safe and warm shelter,” said Gov. Josh Stein.

North Carolinians started receiving letters on Jan. 3 informing them their hotel or motel rooms would no longer be covered, Fox News Digital reported. When eligibility ends, they are given a week’s notice to check out.

HUNDREDS OF LA HOMES EXPECTED TO BURN IN WILDFIRES

Thousands of Hurricane Helene survivors continue to be supported by the program in western North Carolina, following the September storm.

Heavy rains from Hurricane Helene caused record flooding and damage on Sept. 28, 2024, in Asheville, N.C. (Melissa Sue Gerrits/Getty Images)

There are currently 5,600 households currently checked into hotels, according to FEMA.

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The agency said those 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.

Alexandra Koch is a breaking news writer for Fox News Digital. Prior to joining Fox News, Alexandra covered breaking news, crime, religion, and the military in the southeast.

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• FEMA
• North Carolina
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• Hurricanes