Since Hurricane Helene devastated parts of North Carolina in September, thousands of displaced residents have relied on FEMA's Transitional Sheltering Assistance (TSA) program to keep a roof over their heads, but for many, the process has been a nightmare.
"We got donated a camper, not from FEMA. FEMA sucks," said LeaAnn Bowlin, a displaced resident forced to leave her hotel after being told her FEMA housing voucher had expired.
Bowlin's story, as reported by CNN, is one of many, as residents navigate the red tape of the program. After filing for assistance as a household with her boyfriend, Bowlin said she was promised she could later switch her claim to an individual account. However, when her voucher ended, she received no help with the situation.
"I've called, nothing," Bowlin said. Without support, she and her belongings ended up at a campground during freezing temperatures in single digits. "We're just mountain people that nobody cares about. We're just thrown out like garbage."
Meagan Stelchook, another displaced resident, shared similar frustrations with CNN reporter Meena Duerson. After her home flooded during the storm, she moved from shelter to shelter until a FEMA voucher allowed her to stay at a hotel. But uncertainty looms as her current voucher is set to expire on February 7.
"I'm terrified that I'll wake up and get a phone call saying, 'Yeah, your voucher is no longer active,'" said Stelchook. "It makes it hard to breathe. It's very difficult to sleep. It's the most disabling feeling I've ever felt."
FEMA has repeatedly extended North Carolina's TSA program, with nearly 13,000 households using it since the hurricane struck.
Yet, many residents describe the process as "confusing and stressful." Stelchook recounted spending countless hours at FEMA offices, trying to ensure her filings were correct.
"I am really limited on funds, trying to make sure that I'm filing correctly so that I can get the assistance I really, really need," she said.
Hotel owners, like Brian Williams of the Blue Ridge Tourist Court, have a more direct line to FEMA's third-party administrators. Williams acknowledged that while hotel owners can navigate the system relatively easy, displaced residents often lack that access.
FEMA has stated that the voucher program will remain active until at least the end of March. The agency has pledged to notify residents whose vouchers may become ineligible with three weeks' notice, a change from the previous seven-day warning. FEMA also reported that over 2,700 people are still supported through the program.
Despite these assurances, residents like Bowlin feel abandoned.
Stelchook, too, is disheartened by the system. "I hope that we haven't been left behind. There's got to be a better way."
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