Housing Extended For Storm Victims
FEMA: Katrina, Rita Evacuees Can Stay In Hotels Until Jan. 7
-
Play CBS Video Video Gruesome Finds In New Orleans The official Hurricane Katrina death toll has topped 1,000, as residents returning home for the first time are still coming across the remains of the dead. Kelly Cobiella reports.
-
Video Brown Scrutinized Over E-Mails Former FEMA director Mike Brown is facing renewed criticism after congressional investigators released embarrassing e-mails he sent during the Katrina disaster. Bob Orr has more on their contents.
-
Video FEMA Head Urges Strong Caution CBS News RAW: The Federal Emergency Management Agency Acting Director R. David Paulison issued a stern warning for Florida residents after Hurricane Wilma barreled through the state.
-
Federal Emergency Management Agency Acting Director David Paulison, speaks to reporters during a news conference, Tuesday, Nov. 22, 2005 in Washington. FEMA extended its hotel housing program Tuesday by a month in 10 states. (AP)
-
Special Report Gulf Coast Disaster Complete coverage of the effects of Hurricane Katrina on the Gulf Coast, including anniversary coverage.
-
Video Hurricane Katrina Video Coverage: The storm's devastating impact on the U.S. Gulf Coast.
-
Photo Essay Katrina: New Orleans A major U.S. city struggles with the devastation wrought by the deadly storm.
Evacuees from 10 states who are still housed in hotels now have until Jan. 7 before FEMA stops paying the bill.
The agency's been stung by charges it was pushing victims out before the holidays.
Evacuees are getting a reprieve in Texas, Louisiana, Florida, Mississippi, Alabama, California, Tennessee, Arkansas and Nevada. Evacuees in all other states are facing a December 15th deadline.
FEMA acting director David Paulison insists that people will not be kicked out into the street. He says FEMA just wants to move them from hotels and motels and into apartments that will continue to be paid for.
The agency said last week that it will stop paying hotel bills by the end of the month for most of the families devastated by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, even though housing advocates fear they won't have enough time to find other places.
Most of the people still staying in hotels and motels are in Texas, Louisiana, Georgia and Mississippi.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency had previously set the December deadline as a goal to have evacuees out of hotels and into travel trailers, mobile homes or apartments until they find permanent homes.
Last week's announcement marked the first time the agency said it would cease directly paying for hotel rooms that have cost FEMA $274 million since the storms struck.
FEMA had granted exceptions to evacuees in hotels in Louisiana and Mississippi, where there is a shortage of housing. Evacuees in those states have until Jan. 7 to find homes, said David Garratt, FEMA's acting director of recovery. He said 9,830 households remain in hotels in Louisiana and 2,508 in Mississippi.
© MMV, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Michelle Obama tells how her role as the First Lady has changed her perspective.
