Put up by FEMA and wanting more

There was an article in New York magazine highlighting a New Orleans evacuee who was one of the last remaining Katrina victims still in New York.

He is one of four evacuees still living in a hotel in the city. The others left in February and March, when, after spending more than $500 million, FEMA stopped paying for hotel rooms housing some 40,000 evacuees across the country. That left many scrambling for places to live. But thanks to the city’s squatters-rights law, evacuees here were safe. Their rooms weren’t paid for, but since they’d been in them for more than 30 days, the hotels couldn’t just kick them out. Only a judge’s order could evict them.

FEMA sent him $9,000 in housing aid, but he spent it all on booze, cigarettes, some clothes, and food—partying, mostly. “I spent my money just the way I wanted, and I think [fema] should send me some more,” he says.

This is really sad and typical. I do enjoy the fact that New York magazine highlighted an evacuee that has squandering their FEMA money on booze and cigarettes. Why should FEMA send him more money? Why didn’t NY magazine ask him that? They don’t care why they just care that he said it.