Jacob Ogles
Gov. Rick Scott on Sunday said a request for transitional sheltering assistance has been approved for Bay County.
The news means the Federal Emergency Management Agency will provide more options for places for families to stay, including hotel rooms, for individuals displaced by Hurricane Michael.
“They’ll begin accepting applications tomorrow,” Scott said on social media.
Just learned that my request for Transitional Sheltering Assistance has been approved for Bay Co, meaning that @FEMA will be providing more options for places for families to stay, including hotel rooms. They’ll begin accepting applications tomorrow. We’ll put out more info asap.
— Rick Scott (@SenRickScott) October 14, 2018
FEMA may provide such assistance to state governments in areas where disaster survivors cannot return to their residence because their home remains uninhabitable or sits in an area that’s inaccessible due to a Presidential-declared disaster.
TSA funding will be subject to cost-sharing with state government, according to FEMA guidelines. Those eligible will have hotel and motel lodging covered for a limited period, minus incidental costs such as phone calls, room service, and food.
FEMA most recently offered such assistance to areas struckb by Hurricane Florence in September.
To be eligible, individuals or households must register with FEMA, pass an identity verification, prove they live in the affected area (in this case Bay County) and that they have been displaced from their pre-disaster residence.
FEMA will fund the short-term accommodations through a vendor-managed payment system to shelter providers.
This assistance won’t count toward an applicant’s amount of assistance available under the Individuals and Households Program.
FEMA maintains a database online of evacuee hotels for TSA-eligible individuals.
Sen. Marco Rubio today stressed that in Bay County, a high concentration of residents remain isolated.
The assistance becomes available after major storms, but state Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis, who has been working in Bay County since the storm struck, credited Scott’s relationship to President Donald Trump for the fast approval of TSA service.
There is no way we would have received this assistance so quickly without the relationship between @flgovscott and @potus. More help is on the way! https://t.co/UngFPxyCkn
— Jimmy Patronis (@JimmyPatronis) October 14, 2018
State officials continue rescue and recovery efforts in storm-struck areas and will work with individuals impacted by the hurricane to learn of available services and assistance.
