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More than 700 families in the Greenville area have offered to open their homes to survivors of Hurricane Katrina.

Meanwhile, 163 displaced New Orleanians are sleeping on air mattresses at the Palmetto Expo Center.

Six days after the first chartered jet arrived from the besieged Crescent City, groups that have been gearing up to offer homestyle hospitality are still waiting for the word -- from somebody -- that it's OK to extend the invitation.

"You have to wonder with all this effort going on .... why hasn't more of it happened yet?" said Dick Berger, vice-chairman of Greenville Faith Communities United.

The Rev. Terry King, state coordinator of missions for the Progressive National Baptist Convention, said he has three apartments available and names of at least three families who say they want housing.

"I'm waiting on the Red Cross to give me the OK," he said.

The Rev. Tony McDade, executive director of the Greenville Area Interfaith Hospitality Network, said other churches also are looking for a nod from the Red Cross to go ahead with offers of housing.

But Ann Wright, director of the Upstate chapter of the American Red Cross, said since the city is in charge of the Expo Center shelter, the city is handling housing.

"We do not match up people with people's homes at all," she said. "My understanding is that the city's going to do that."

City Manager Jim Bourey said the city's role is to list housing resources, such as apartments and single-family homes that evacuees could get federal money to pay for and not have to rely on hospitality.

The city will have a desk set up in Exhibition Hall C within "the next day or two" to provide that information, he said.

In the meantime, the Web site, HurricaneHousing.org, was listing 747 offers late Monday of people in the Greenville area who signed up to give Expo Center residents a homier home life.

"Anybody that's in the shelter can go to the computer and go to that list today," Bourey said. Computers have been set up in the hall for such purpose, he said.

The hurricane survivors, many of whom came here under forced evacuation, have a wide range of reactions to the housing offers.

"If I have a chance to find a family that will accept me and my mama, to be able to go to church, to get out and see Greenville. ... I'd do that," said Charlie Hite, a 40-year-old construction/demolition worker who fled New Orleans with his 80-year-old mother.

But some said they're afraid they won't get checks from the Federal Emergency Management Agency if they leave.

"There's a lot of people that are living here that think if they leave here, they'll lose everything," Hite said.

FEMA community relations representative Michael Sklodowski, who was at the Expo Center on Monday, said that's not true. Those who have registered for benefits will be able to get them if they move, as long as they fill out a change of address form with FEMA and the Postal Service, he said.

FEMA is making progress in registering evacuees who came to Greenville on their own so they'll be able to receive benefits as well, he said. More representatives from the agency were expected in Greenville on Monday to augment the total statewide staff of eight, he said.

He urged evacuees in the area who haven't registered to call 1-800-621-FEMA, or go to http://www.fema.gov/.

Some of the evacuees who arrived last Wednesday and Thursday have left the Expo Center -- some to stay with family in other parts of the country, Bourey said. But it's not clear whether any of the 75 who are no longer there have taken up quarters with anyone locally who's offering to share their home.

The Expo Center remained cordoned off by yellow tape Monday -- which the city says is to offer privacy for the evacuees. It has also been a barrier to people who want to help -- although some of them have crossed it and talked with evacuees out front.

Wilhelmenia Jolla said two people have offered her free housing. She's still weighing her options, but she's leaning toward staying in Greenville and taking up one of the offers.

"There's nothing left in New Orleans for me," she said.

Bourey said hurricane survivors who leave the Expo Center could return if things didn't work out in a private home, but outside the center they wouldn't have access to the services they have there.

The city has started printing a daily newsletter for distribution at the center, with information on events, services, job opportunities and the day's menu.

Today, those who want to go will be given rides to a job fair sponsored by the state Employment Security Commission at McAlister Square.

Job recruiters are putting out the welcome mat with hopes of filling high-demand positions.

Mary Lukomske, a recruiter at Medfirst Staffing, said her agency is offering free housing and is working on a rental car deal for registered nurses in the group who want a job.

"We have lots of jobs here in South Carolina for RNs," she said.

A stream of vans and small buses from churches and nonprofit organizations was making regular rounds at the Expo Center on Monday, taking people shopping and to other locations.

Some have been coming and going via private transportation. David Sands said he went to Columbia on Sunday with members of a Buddhist group he's in.

"It was so rough in New Orleans, I don't want to ever go back there," he said.

The Red Cross is continuing to serve new arrivals who get to Greenville on their own, Wright said. The local chapter has given $300,000 in direct assistance to 880 hurricane victims as of Monday.

If any more evacuees come to the Expo Center, they'll come from other large shelters around the country rather than directly from New Orleans, Bourey said.

No new arrivals are expected until at least Wednesday, although it wasn't clear Monday whether any more will be coming, he said.

Asbury Hills United Methodist Camp near Table Rock had expected to receive up to 120 evacuees last week but hasn't gotten any final word, said camp director Russell Davis.

Also on Monday, at least two evacuees started class in Greenville County schools. Two eighth-grade boys got their uniforms and began their studies at Beck Middle Academy, said Principal Brodie Bricker.

"I've been real pleased with the way our students have made them feel at home," he said.

The Greenville Symphony Orchestra announced it will donate proceeds from the sale of a special block of tickets to its Sept. 18 concert, "Russian Rapture," to the Red Cross.

The special tickets are only available at the Greenville Symphony Orchestra office at 200 S. Main St., and are on sale until 12:30 p.m. Friday. For more information, call 232-0344, ext. 12.