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FEMA Temporary Sheltering Assistance program set to end, hundreds still in hotels after hurricanes

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Published  March 24, 2025 8:27pm EDT
St. Petersburg
FOX 13 News

FEMA ending hotel stays for some hurricane victims

FOX 13’s Kylie Jones speaks to St. Pete homeowners living in FEMA-provided hotels who received news that their temporary housing will be cut off in about two weeks despite their homes remaining unlivable.

The Brief

    • FEMA notified residents that they are ending their temporary hotel housing program on April 9.
    • Many residents say they still do not have homes to go back to.
    • FEMA says that temporary housing is meant to be temporary and that support is still available.

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Nearly six months after Hurricane Helene, some people around Tampa Bay still live out of hotel rooms.    

That’s because many homes are gutted, still waiting to be repaired.

One St. Pete couple, who've been living in a hotel since their condo flooded, received a call from FEMA last week telling them their hotel stay would not be extended past April 9.

What they're saying:

Susan Brancato and her husband lived in their St. Pete condo for almost a decade before experiencing a major hurricane from Helene for the first time.

READ: Trump’s executive order gives states more control during disaster response

Hurricane damage to Brancato's St. Pete home.

"Here we are, six months later, in a hotel," Brancato said.

The backstory:

Brancato says Helene left several feet of flooding inside their first-floor unit.

Their home is still gutted after several feet of drywall had to be torn out, and the floors had to be ripped up. 

Brancato says that hardly anything was salvageable. 

"I can see right through my neighbor here," Brancato said. "I can see right through, and you smell it, too." 

Hurricane damage to Brancato's St. Pete home.

Brancato says she's been searching for a new home for several months. She says her husband is bedridden and recovering from a stroke, needing intense daily care.

"He’s in a hospital bed, which weighs 500 pounds," Brancato said. "Then, you have the lifts, the wheelchairs. You have all this stuff, so I’m like, ‘Okay, where am I supposed to go (on) April 9?’ So, we’re out looking for a place, and I need (a) first floor. As you know, all of Pinellas County, there’s no place to go."

Big picture view:

Brancato says there are a lot of other people in similar situations who are also looking for new apartments and houses and that the supply doesn't seem to be keeping up with the demand.

"It’s hard finding a first-floor place," Brancato said. "My husband needs wheelchair accessibility."

Susan Brancato and her husband.

Brancato says that FEMA gave them $3,200 for displacement costs in addition to the hotel voucher, but that it hardly covers the storage and other daily expenses over the last several months.

She says they're still paying their condo fees and utility bills while looking for a new place.

Dig deeper:

On Friday, Brancato says the call from FEMA came out of left field.

"She goes, ‘We’re just calling everybody to let them know, as of April 9th, they will not have any more hotel stays. We are not extending, as of April 9th," Brancato said. 

Brancato says their condo complex is securing contractors to repair the units, but it could still be another year before their home is livable. 

Hurricane damage to Brancato's St. Pete home.

"I really don’t know where I’m going to go," Brancato said.

Brancato says she and many others still staying in hotels don't know where to go in about two weeks, when they have to check out the hotels for good.

She feels like she's been left to find the answers on her own.

"Where are people going to go? On the sidewalk? Tents? I don’t know," Brancato said.

The other side:

A spokesperson for FEMA shared the following statement with Fox 13 on its Temporary Sheltering Assistance (TSA) program: 

"FEMA’s Transitional Sheltering Assistance (TSA) program is a temporary solution designed to help eligible disaster survivors transition from emergency sheltering to more permanent housing options. Survivors who qualify can stay in TSA-approved hotels for a limited time.

Currently, the TSA program is set to end on April 10, unless an extension is approved. FEMA reviews each survivor's status every two weeks using State-approved eligibility criteria. If an individual no longer meets the requirements, they will receive notice of their TSA end date at least 7 days in advance through an automated phone call, email, or text.

Regarding additional support: some survivors may receive rental assistance or a housing stipend - such as the $3,200 mentioned - to help secure temporary housing while their permanent residences are being repaired. FEMA understands that securing housing can be a challenge, especially in areas with limited availability, and continues to work alongside local and state partners to identify additional resources."

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Susan Brancato speaking to FOX 13.

A spokesperson with FEMA says these are the following criteria that the agency reviews when determining TSA eligibility:

  • You must be registered with FEMA: Your registration must be valid and referred to FEMA’s Individual Housing Program (IHP). If your application shows a status like "Not Registered" or "Not Referred," you won’t qualify for TSA.
  • Your identity must be verified by FEMA
  • Your damaged home must be your main place of residence: It must also be in a location approved for TSA assistance.
  • Where you are staying now matters: You must currently be in a TSA-approved location like a shelter, church, car, hotel, or tent. If you're still staying at the damaged home, you are not eligible for TSA.
  • You can’t have a duplicate FEMA application: If your name is linked to more than one application, that can disqualify you.
  • You can’t have insurance that covers extra living expenses: If your insurance already pays for temporary housing (like hotels); specifically, FEMA won’t approve TSA if your insurance has Additional Living Expenses (ALE) or Loss of Use (LOU).
  • FEMA checks your eligibility more than once: Usually, the first review happens 14 days after you start using TSA. FEMA may also extend the review time around holidays or special situations.

What's next:

FEMA says people are encouraged to stay in communication with FEMA officials and connect with local resources like community-based organizations.

You can find information on FEMA resources for Hurricane Milton here, Hurricane Helene here and Hurricane Debby here.

The Source: FOX 13's Kylie Jones collected the information in this story.

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