RALEIGH – The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has granted North Carolina’s request to extend its non-congregate sheltering program for COVID-19 through June 6. The program provides housing alternatives, such as hotels, motels, and dormitories, for North Carolinians with unstable housing who may need to quarantine in response to or are at high-risk for severe illness from COVID-19.
Sixty-four counties are participating in the program, which has housed about 600 people since it began in early April.
The temporary sheltering is designated for:
- People who test positive for COVID-19 and need to be isolated but do not require hospitalization, including those discharged from hospitals.
- People exposed to COVID-19 and identified by a health care professional as needing quarantine but do not hospitalization.
- People needing social distancing as a precautionary measure, as determined by public health officials, particularly for high-risk groups such as people over 65 or with certain underlying health conditions such as respiratory illness, compromised immunities or chronic disease. This may include those are homeless or whose living situation makes them unable to adhere to social distancing guidance.
The federal government through FEMA will pay 75 percent of the costs associated with operating the non-congregate sheltering program. North Carolina will pay the remaining 25 percent. Funding includes the cost of all supporting infrastructure, such as electricity and waste disposal, as well as other services such as laundry, food, cleaning and security.
