Georgia News(Week 9) - End of Paid Hotels for Evacuees

In two weeks, according to a recent article, FEMA will stop paying the hotel bills of Hurricane Katrina evacuees. The 12,000 exacuees living in Georgia hotels "received word Tuesday that the Federal Emergency Management Agency would stop paying hotel bills Dec. 1." The article also mentions that, in order to continue receiving aid, evacuees must call a 1-800 number, "find a new place, sign a lease, and move." Many of those against this measure are worried that stopping aid to evacuees will send many into the streets or homeless shelters. Religious leaders in Atlanta recently called a meeting to discuss methods of helping the evacuees. Various charities and non-profit organzations also want to help evacuees, but "wonder how they can do it with their funding and staff." Those in favor of the stoppage in aid cite a fear that many evacuees may be taking advantage of the aid. President pro tempore of the state Senate, Eric Johnson, echoes this sentiment, stating that "if [the evacuees] are working-bodied citizens, they need to be down at the Department of Labor looking for a job, not at a hotel." This is interesting, as FEMA should still try its best to provide aid to evacuees, as the article mentions that FEMA will try to do. FEMA and the government's suspicions do contain some valid reasoning, as it is wise on their part to try to prevent improper use of government funds and aid.

Link: http://www.ajc.com/news/content/metro/1105/17metevacuee.html