Additional time through the one-year anniversary of Hurricane Helene has been requested of FEMA and its Temporary Sheltering Assistance Program.
North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein penned a letter to outgoing Administrator Deanne Criswell on Thursday.
“Many of these families’ homes need long-term rebuilding and are not and will not be safe for some time,” Stein wrote in part.
He asked for a time just over eight months away “so that these folks have certainty that they will have a safe place to live until their home is safe and habitable.”
Helene made landfall as a Category 4 hurricane in Dekle Beach, Fla., on Sept. 26. It was expected to come north to the Appalachian Mountains; however, the rainfall total from its dissipation there exceeded all forecasts.
Helene killed 104 in North Carolina and 18 in Tennessee. Estimated damage in North Carolina was $53 billion, according to former Gov. Roy Cooper. Volunteer State lawmakers are expected to consider a $450 million disaster relief package during a special session; damage is estimated at $1.35 billion for the state.
