Nearly half of the 10,129 households displaced by Hurricane Helene in North Carolina have been placed in temporary shelters by FEMA, such as hotels, apartments, and mobile homes. The remaining households have already found long-term housing. While the temporary housing program was supposed to end on Dec. 12, FEMA officials have stated that they will not force people from their temporary quarters and will work urgently to find them permanent shelter.
FEMA has spent $262 million on individual rental assistance and home repairs for Hurricane Helene survivors in North Carolina, in addition to $274 million on infrastructure repairs and debris removal. More financial help is expected, but the exact amount has not been determined yet.
Local officials, including Asheville Mayor Esther Manheimer, have requested $25 billion from President Joe Biden and Congress to repair homes, roads, bridges, and other infrastructure in western North Carolina. They are seeking exceptions and broad interpretations of rules due to the unique challenges posed by Hurricane Helene, which caused landslides, massive flooding, wind damage, and extensive debris.
Manheimer noted that private road and bridge repairs are expensive, and there is no specific federal program designed to address them. Additional aid will be crucial in restoring areas like Asheville, Biltmore Village, and surrounding regions back to their pre-hurricane conditions.
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