Hurricane Katrina Evacuees In North Carolina Get FEMA Aid
Release Date: August 25, 2006
Release Number: R4-06-037
ATLANTA, Ga. -- At the one-year mark since Hurricane Katrina struck the Gulf Coast, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has awarded more than $29.33 million to the storm’s evacuees in North Carolina for rent, personal property replacement, health and medical, and other approved expenses.
Most of the Gulf Coast residents who evacuated to North Carolina from Hurricane Katrina are still living near where they found emergency housing after the storm’s Aug. 29 landfall. More than 5,800 Gulf Coast households who evacuated to North Carolina from Hurricane Katrina are still there one year after the storm. In October, nearly 8,000 evacuee households were located in the state.
FEMA has obligated more than $1.98 million in reimbursements to state agencies and local governments that helped with evacuees in North Carolina. This money represents such goodwill efforts as the cost of providing food and emergency sheltering, apartment rentals, furniture and utilities for evacuees, labor and administrative costs of operating shelters, transportation and childcare for evacuees.
FEMA also has provided direct payments to hotels and motels for emergency sheltering until evacuees were able to get into more permanent housing arrangements. FEMA continues working with these families as they continue their recovery.
“FEMA Region IV had an enormous challenge following Hurricane Katrina to work with evacuees in five Southeastern states,” said Mary Lynne Miller, acting director of FEMA’s Region IV. “We needed the help of volunteers and our state partners to help meet the needs of the evacuees, and everyone really stepped up.”
Over 84,000 evacuee households in Georgia, Kentucky, Tennessee, North Carolina, and South Carolina have received more than $391 million in assistance through FEMA’s Individual Assistance program for housing assistance and replacement of personal possessions and other uninsured losses.
| STATE | CURRENT NUMBER OF APPLICANTS | PEAK NUMBER OF APPLICANTS | INDIVIDUAL ASSISTANCE AWARDED | PUBLIC ASSISTANCE OBLIGATED | HOTEL SHELTERING FUNDS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GA | 33,798 | 47,440 | $210,771,649 | $16,976,883 | $39,765,443 |
| KY | 2,212 | 3,126 | $10,65 9,358 | $4,259,405 | $71,106 |
| NC | 5,801 | 7,990 | $29,330,08 2 | $1,980,608 | $996,097 |
| SC | 3,038 | 4,456 | $14,856,637 | $3,507,849 | $997,314 |
| TN | 14,133 | 21,128 | $71,641,570 | $27,596,970 | $5,048,741 |
| TOTALS | 58,982 | 84,140 | $337,259,296 | $54,321,715 | $46,878,701 |
*These numbers reflect the latest data as of Aug. 21, 2006.
*Please note applicant numbers represent households based on current mailing addresses.
*The peak number of evacuees was recorded the week of Oct. 7, 2005.
FEMA manages federal response and recovery efforts following any national incident. FEMA also initiates mitigation activities, works with state and local emergency managers, and manages the National Flood Insurance Program. FEMA became part of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security on March 1, 2003
Last Modified: Friday, 25-Aug-2006 12:38:47