Jan. 7, 2006 - HURRICANE REPRIEVE

Hurricane Katrina evacuees now have more time to find a place to live
thanks to an extension of the benefit that pays for a hotel room. A
federal judge ruled last month that the program must keep running
through Feb. 7, though some recipients could be taken off by Jan. 7
if they found other housing. But a flier FEMA is distributing now says,
"The program will continue for all evacuees in all states until further
notice pending the resolution of certain issues now in litigation." With
a number of evacuees staying in Florida hotel rooms, the extension
gives many of them a chance to find a place to rent or buy. As of
mid-December, FEMA was paying for about 41,000 rooms that have
cost the agency approximately $350 million.