Residents of St. Pete Beach, Florida, are facing an uncertain future as their temporary hotel stays, provided by FEMA, are set to end on April 12, 2025. The community was devastated by back-to-back storms, Hurricane Helene and Hurricane Milton, which left many homes uninhabitable. Among those affected is Jennifer Macksey, who has been living in a FEMA-funded hotel room with her 15-year-old son since the storms hit.

Macksey’s home suffered severe damage, with floodwaters reaching chest-high levels, destroying most of her belongings. She described the past six months as a relentless struggle, saying, “It’s been hell—storm after storm, loss after loss.” With her hotel stay nearing its end and her home still under repair, she fears she’ll soon be left without a place to go. “Come Saturday, I’ll be homeless,” she told WTVT, highlighting the dire situation she and dozens of others face.

FEMA’s Transitional Sheltering Assistance program has been a lifeline for over 400 households in Pinellas County, covering hotel costs for those displaced by the storms. However, as the program concludes, residents like Macksey are scrambling for solutions. She’s relying on a contractor to finish repairs on her home, but supply chain delays and labor shortages have slowed progress. Meanwhile, FEMA has offered rental assistance, though Macksey says the funds fall short of covering local rental costs, and many landlords are hesitant to accept FEMA vouchers.

Pinellas County officials are stepping in to help, extending hotel stays for some through a state-funded program until April 26, 2025. Beyond that, the county plans to provide additional aid, though details remain unclear. For Macksey and her son, the uncertainty is overwhelming. “I don’t know what’s going to happen,” she said, reflecting the broader anxiety among storm victims still far from returning home.

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(Image credit: WTVT)

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