Tens of thousands more have cobbled together their own temporary arrangements, living with relatives, in tents or on mattresses in barely habitable homes.

In Houston, where local officials estimate the hurricane damaged more than 311,000 housing units – roughly a third of the housing stock – no one has moved into a trailer, secured an apartment or seen repair work begin through the state’s interim housing programs. More permanent solutions could be years away…

“I used to be able to get out of bad situations, but this time being forced to move, being forced to rely on other people – it’s just unfamiliar territory for me. I don’t know what tomorrow will bring,” said Williams, 59, whose longtime rental home in Houston Gardens was damaged too badly for his family to return.