OSCEOLA COUNTY, Fla. — The Federal Emergency Management Agency has extended its housing program for Puerto Rican evacuees at the last minute.
The evacuees were on the verge of becoming homeless by Saturday as the deadline approached for FEMA to end its Temporary Housing Assistance program, which placed evacuees in hotels.
To extend the hotel assistance program for evacuees in Florida, FEMA officials needed a request from the Puerto Rican governor.
The request came Wednesday afternoon, the same day the island once again lost power.
Marieliza Figueroa, who was staying at a Super 8 motel, packed up everything and left thinking hope was lost.
Then, a few hours later, the good news finally came.
"It's a little bit of relief, but I'm still so worried about what is going to happen," she said.
Like many of the 1,800 people who were almost kicked to the streets Figueroa found a job in Central Florida, but not place to live.
She and nearly 3,000 others will be on their own come May 14th.
"I know it's tough. It's tough when people didn't come here with a lot of money and they need as much support,” said Gov. Rick Scott.
A few worried families came to Scott's roundtable discussion about the ongoing crisis affecting Hurricane Maria survivors in Florida.
They hoped to explain their situations to the governor, but they were kicked off property.
Scott told us he couldn't force FEMA to extend the hotel program any longer.
"We were the only state that did a host an agreement with Puerto Rico and with FEMA,” he said. “That's why we did those two relief centers, to try to be as helpful as we can. But there's nothing at the state level. There's nothing the state can do."
.@FEMA has agreed to unconditionally extend #TSA until May 14. @FEMA informs they will not be carrying out evictions today. @SenBillNelson @RepStephMurphy @marcorubio @RepDarrenSoto
— PRFAA (@PRFAA) April 20, 2018
BREAKING! FEMA comes through with a save for more than 1,800 evacuees from Puerto Rico who were on the verge of becoming homeless in Central Florida tomorrow. @WFTV https://t.co/GJ3usnU1bo
— Lauren Seabrook (@LSeabrookWFTV) April 20, 2018
Cox Media Group