Ike evacuees losing shelter aid

AUSTIN, Texas, Oct. 29 (UPI) -- A non-profit group in Texas is working to find shelter for 15 families who were forced to evacuate from the Gulf Coast in September because of Hurricane Ike.

The 15 are among some 270 families evacuated to Austin, Texas, who were notified by the Federal Emergency Management Agency that coverage of their hotel costs has ended because their homes are habitable, the Austin American-Statesman reported Wednesday.

Amy Elder, director of Texas Interagency Interfaith Disaster Response, says decisions by FEMA home inspectors don't always correspond with those of municipal and state inspectors.

"FEMA will say that a home is livable, and we get reports from other sources that their home is not," Elder told the Statesman.

One family FEMA told to return to Galveston Island says their home still has extensive flood damage and no front door.

Officials in Galveston have said the home is uninhabitable and advised the family to stay in Austin.