Residents in Western North Carolina are growing increasingly concerned about the federal emergency management agency’s (FEMA) response to disaster recovery following Hurricane Helene, with confusion mounting over the agency’s sudden plans to end temporary housing assistance, Fox News reports.
FEMA has announced that it will be ending housing vouchers for around 2,000 residents on Saturday, just as a snowstorm is expected to blanket the Appalachian Mountain region with temperatures dropping below 20 degrees. Initially, the program was set to end on Friday, but FEMA extended the deadline to Saturday.
Ryan McClymonds, founder of the volunteer group Operation Boots on the Ground, shared his concerns with Fox News Digital, saying, “People are terrified they’ll have nowhere to stay for their families after today. We found out late last night that FEMA is extending it by a whole whopping 24 hours.”
FEMA has been providing hotel rooms to thousands of survivors of Hurricane Helene. However, the eligibility for this program has been determined on a case-by-case basis.
FEMA’s notices to some families stated they are no longer eligible because inspections have shown their homes are now habitable, they declined an inspection, or FEMA has been unable to contact them. Currently, around 3,600 households will still be able to access hotel rooms beyond Saturday, a slight increase from the 2,100 initially reported by local news outlet WLOS.
Unfortunately, approximately 2,000 households will still need to vacate their rooms on Saturday. FEMA has notified survivors approximately seven days prior to their expected checkout date. The agency has also announced the closure of disaster recovery centers in the area until Monday, due to winter weather.
“Biden and Mayorkas bankrupted FEMA to pay for illegal immigrant housing,” Trump spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt told Fox News Digital. “Now American citizens who lost their homes in Hurricane Helene are being left to fend for themselves. This is unfair and arguably criminal.”
FEMA stated it has provided shelter to 13,000 families displaced by Hurricane Helene since late September 2024, with 5,600 currently checked into hotels. “We are with you. We’re not going anywhere,” the agency assured residents.
The storm, which left 104 people dead in North Carolina, caused massive flooding across the region. Local residents are still struggling to recover. Asha Wild, a Swannanoa-area resident who lost her home to nine feet of floodwaters, described her concerns: “We’re told to expect power outages and possibly water shortages. I’m not thrilled about that—especially with these cold temperatures.”
Power grids and other critical infrastructure remain fragile, and residents fear another major storm could leave them without essential services. Many volunteers and local organisations have been working tirelessly to provide aid. Generous donors have supplied campers and other temporary housing solutions.
Zach Bumgarner, vice president of Bumgarner Oil, explained how his company has donated over 22,000 gallons of fuel and hosted multiple propane drives. “You throw really cold temperatures on top of it, and it makes for a dangerous situation,” Bumgarner said. “Hopefully what we’re doing helps bridge some of those gaps a little bit.”
Steve Antle, a retired Asheville police officer, has been helping his community since the storm. While some areas are recovering, others remain “frozen in time.” He has partnered with others to deliver critical supplies, but many are still living in tents or campers. “I want to think it’s government incompetence,” Antle said. “I hate to think otherwise.”
Ryan McClymonds, deeply involved in helping local families, expressed his frustration, saying, “Don’t forget about them. I’ve prayed with so many people, held grieving family members. They’ve lost everything and need help. It’s heartbreaking.”
