Ronald Reagan said: “I know you’re all aware that the nine most frightening words in English are: I’m from Government and I’m Here to Help.” This was doubly true under Joe Biden’s administration. The government’s involvement in disasters has been a major concern for most Americans in the past four years. As Californians deal with devastating wildfires, another group of victims continues to be ignored by the federal government.
Western North Carolina Hurricane Helene victims living in motels and hotels will be kicked to the streets starting tomorrow while snow falls and it’s 17 degrees. FEMA says 3,500 households don’t meet eligibility requirement for continued stays.
This is insanity.
Once again -… pic.twitter.com/U3bgCZfnyo
— Frank Fighting For Faith & Freedom 🕊️🇺🇸 (@thinktankfranks) January 9, 2025
Around 3,500 North Carolina households are scheduled to lose the Transitional Sheltering Aid provided by FEMA on Friday after their communities were destroyed by Hurricane Helene in late September 2024. Asheville is expected to receive two to four inches of snow this weekend, and temperatures will hover around the low 30s.
FEMA began notifying families receiving assistance on January 3 that they no longer qualified for the program. Ineligibility can be due to an inspection showing that the home is now habitable or because the family declined to have an inspection. FEMA also may not have been able to reach those still receiving housing assistance to provide an update on their situation. As of January 6, FEMA paid for hotels to house more than 5,600 families. Around 2,100 families met the requirements and will receive assistance.
FEMA may want you to believe that the process for some is smooth, but it’s not. In an interview with Asheville’s WLOS TV, one woman had a different story to share:
I’m stuck on the street. I’ve called several times, but they haven’t answered, they haven’t extended, and they told me that I had to leave by January 10th.
But no money for North Carolina hurricane victims who have lost everything. https://t.co/6OPlphHgnS
— Heidi Whitaker (@HeidiWhitaker) January 1, 2025
A woman stated that she has been waiting quite some time for FEMA to inspect her house. She said:
I am still waiting for the inspection from FEMA. I called yesterday and she told me, “Yes, there is an inspection coming up, but I don’t know if they will contact you.” You must be out of the house by Saturday. I will use my Friday paycheck to pay for my dog’s boarding. I have already contacted the animal shelter because I won’t leave my dog in the streets. I don’t know what will happen in two weeks, like not being able to sleep or stay warm at night.
On Wednesday, those facing the loss of their FEMA housing assistance gathered in a downtown Asheville town square to demand that FEMA continue its assistance.
FEMA’s response was sketchy right from the beginning. Residents in the small town of Bat Cave reported that they had not seen many FEMA personnel. One resident claimed to have an inspection planned, but inspectors refused to drive around a sign saying “road closed”. Some residents began living in Yurts as early as the first half of December.
FEMA released the standard “we are doing our best” statement.
Our inspectors have completed 98 percent of the current inspection requests. They have completed nearly 91,500 inspections. Currently, it takes between 4-5 working days to complete an inspection request.
It’s not reassuring to be told that you have to leave your hotel room on Friday. It is an indication of the failures of the Biden Administration and the federal Government that people are still living under these conditions. The federal government is soon to be under new leadership, which will benefit the California wildfire victims.
Residents of Bat Cave were able to do a lot of the cleaning and recovery work themselves. They later stated that they didn’t really need FEMA, and didn’t even want them there. It’s probably a good plan.
. I wonder why the O’Biden Admin didn’t make these same California emergency funds & help available to the people of North Carolina? 104 verified storm-related fatalities in North Carolina as of Dec 23, 2024 due to Hurricane Helene
— Dave Spurlock (@spurlockda) January 9, 2025
