While many are fortunate enough to say they've moved on since Hurricane Sandy, others haven't been so lucky. It’s because of this New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo announced yesterday that FEMA approved a 30-day extension to the Transitional Sheltering Assistance program. This FEMA housing extension came at the request of New York State and will begin on July 7.
“By extending the Transitional Sheltering Assistance program, we are securing an important resource for those victims of Superstorm Sandy that are still, after months, unable to return home,” Governor Cuomo said. “This program continues to provide essential assistance to those who are still feeling the terrible effects of the damage from the storm.”
The extension allows eligible survivors of the storm who still cannot return to their homes to continue staying in hotels up until August 6, 2013. FEMA will contact those eligible of the extension's new August checkout date. Cuomo says, “This is a short-term program that places families in hotels while they work toward a longer-term housing plan.”
The Transitional Sheltering Assistance program is funded under Section 403 of the Stafford Act. According to FEMA, “Under TSA, disaster survivors may be eligible to stay in hotel or motel lodging for a limited period of time and have the cost of the room and taxes covered by FEMA. However, FEMA does not cover the cost of incidental room charges or amenities, such as telephone, room service, food, etc.”
This Transitional Sheltering Assistance extension has been one of many extensions in New York and New Jersey. It’s helped those still displaced from the biggest storm the East Coast has seen in recent memory since Hurricane Sandy hit in late October.
For more information, disaster survivors should call 1-800-621-FEMA (3362). The website to apply online is disasterassistance.gov.
Photo Courtesy of Thomas Gernon
[Source: Governor Cuomo Press Release, FEMA]