- FEMA has placed nearly 288 Georgia families in long-term housing since Hurricane Helene.
- Over 2,000 people remain displaced in South Georgia, with demand for affordable housing still rising.
- Watch the video to hear from neighbors in need.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
This Friday and Saturday, FEMA is holding a Housing Resource Fair to connect South Georgians with real solutions.
Hosted at the Lowndes County Civic Center, the event is open to the public and surrounding counties affected by Hurricane Helene.
With over 2,000 people still displaced and long-term housing scarce, Dr. Ronnie Mathis with Valdosta's Partnership to End Homelessness tells me demand is especially high right now.
"Now the demand is high because most people are looking for not just quality housing, but they're looking for affordable housing."
Valdosta transplant Linda Gonzalez knows that struggle well. After relocating from Tallahassee following a previous storm, she's been navigating the same housing shortage made worse by Helene.
"I've seen what FEMA had to go through. So I can understand the frustration with people in FEMA, but you just have to go with it."
The fair includes rental assistance programs, property managers, and local nonprofits ready to help—but Gonzalez says she hopes the focus stays where it's needed most.
"It'd be nice to have some kind of affordable housing in a nice neighborhood."
"I think they need to focus on a lot of the elderly more than just—oh let's raise the price of rent."
FEMA says nearly 288 families have been placed in long-term housing so far, but thousands more are still in limbo.
The Housing Fair runs 9 to 5 both days. In Valdosta, I'm Malia Thomas, reporting for ABC27.
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