Katrina trailer solution: a wasted opportunity? Posted by Rafael at 09/20/05 06:01 PM

Katrina trailer solution: A wasted opportunity?

When it comes to getting hurricane evacuees out of shelters and into temporary housing, we’re about to waste a golden opportunity as a nation to free thousands of people out of the cycle of poverty.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has authorized the purchase of at least 50,000 trailers and mobile homes for Gulf Coast state victims (they originally estimated 125,000). This housing solution fails on at least two major counts. First, there are no guarantees that the basic infrastructure will be there to support them – such as water and sewage, garbage collection, schools, roads, transportation and security and fire fighting.

More importantly, the feds are missing a small window of opportunity to release thousands of families from the cycle of poverty while getting a return on its investment. One good thing that has come out of this disaster is that it has focused public attention on the dual issues of race and poverty. By throwing trailers together in hurried fashion in unincorporated areas and without adequate planning, the feds are for the most part throwing away our taxpayer money.

Better planning and higher quality housing stock – even mobile homes –can result in pride of ownership and the opportunity to build some capital and have the ability to resell the property. This situation is unlikely to happen in a remote, hastily planned trailer park. Instead, a modest savings program and an educational component could be put in place to allow families to set something aside for when they’re ready to move back to their roots.

FEMA’s solution is not a good one, and I am not optimistic that it is even a temporary one for many families. Half of the 15,000 trailers that FEMA put in Florida a year ago after four hurricanes struck that state still remain, occupied by about 20,000 people.

We must do better this time. Throwing money at the problem and hoping it goes away is not the answer. Why don’t we give these fellow Americans a hand up, rather than a handout?

comments (18)

1 Posted by woody widrow at 09/22/05 10:28 AM

If the plans for creating these temporary manufactured housing (mobile home parks) do occur, I am fearful they will resemble what we have here in Texas known as "Colonia." Colonia are located on the Texas-Mexico border that lack in many cases some of the most basic living necessities, such as potable water and sewer systems, electricity, paved roads, and safe and sanitary housing. Since it is assumed to be temporary, this infrastructure will most likely be lacking.

I think if there will be these type of parks, we should at least recognize that some of the people may stay as occurred in Florida and find a way for those interested to build equity and create community. There are a number of ways that this can occur so that the money spent by the federal government is seen as an investment toward an anti-poverty strategy and toward moving people on a path toward more financial success.

2 Posted by Amanda at 09/26/05 10:52 AM

Temporary or not: it strikes me as odd that people washed up from this mess are going to end up in living conditions so easily destroyed if we have another disater.

3 Posted by Henry at 09/26/05 11:50 AM

The issue of manufactured housing, affordable housing and poverty have morphed in the aftermath of the recent gulf coast hurricanes. Trailers in the FEMA parks are smaller and not intended for long term use. However, displaced people in Florida have lived in these parks for years in some instances. Low income people that were moved there from destroyed rental housing have been unable to find affordable housing in the areas where they previously lived. They find themselves priced out of the rental housing market becuase the owners have rebuilt the housing and raised the rents. When affordable housing is destroyed by storms, what is the motivation to replace when the owners can rebuild and charge more? The fact is that alot of affordable housing is simply run down rental property. The owners have no motivation to rebuild delapidated housing stock and rent again to poor people. There is a shortage of housing in these areas and building affordable housing is not a priority. The dynamics of supply and demand when rebuilding hurricane devasted areas will necessarily leave poor people out of housing, hence the extended stays in FEMA parks even when the government is pushing to move the people out.

4 Posted by Vic at 10/04/05 01:29 PM

The trailer homes seem useless without the addition of pontoons. I think if we affix flotation devices to each trailer we might be getting somewhere. I suspect that Haliburton probably has some expertise in modifying trailer homes so there should be no problem there. On a more serious note, the mobile home solution at best makes it appear as if the government is responding quickly to this housing crisis. Unfortunately, I think this solution will create an even deeper chasm in New Orleans between those with wealth and those without.

5 Posted by Michael B at 10/04/05 02:05 PM

I feel that if they can purchase these homes for those who lost there homes in the Hurricane, then do so, but they also must be able to repay for that cost of the home also. Not to be given to them free of charge from our government. Plus these folks should be required to pay a certain amount as a downpayment, just like all of us have to do when purchasing a home. And none of these homes should be offered to those who were already homeless at the time of Hurricane Katrina, only to those who lost a home to the hurricane. Some may not like mobile homes, but they have to be thankful for what ever is avaiable to them. It just makes me sick that so many of these people who lost so much during the Hurricanes think our government owes them a lot to take care of them when in fact, our government didn't cause the hurricane to happen, its just part of life on earth. And our government shouldn't have to help in any way to start with when dealing with the loss of private property. So they need to be very thankful that the tax payers are willing to allow their tax money to buy them any home to live in.

6 Posted by WilliamB at 10/04/05 02:15 PM

I have two comments. One is regarding what appears to be a change in Consumers Union. As as subscriber for over 35 years, I appreciate CU's role in objectively evaluating products, but I am seeing of late a trend away from that mission. We do not need another organization promoting social programs in the U.S. Let's get CU back on track before it turns into another Moveon.org--we already have one too many of them!

I agree that the mobile home plan is a poor one, as demonstrated by the Florida projects. However, temporary housing for those unemployed before or unemployed by Katrina and who wish to help with the rebuilding and help themselves in the process--by working for fair pay and temporary housing--makes sense. It must be temporary, however.

Sadly, though, it appears that most of the tens of thousands who have been evacuated to my community are products of three generations of the Great Society. They have no interest in work, only debit cards and other handouts. I don't believe there is a race issue here, but there most certainly is a culture that is inconsistent with a healthy future America!

What's more, as is so often the case, those who were prepared to take care of themselves through hard work and saving--the ever-besieged middle class citizens--have had to assistance whatsoever. They are living off their savings and in many cases, their retirement (after IRS penalties for early withdrawal). So the government continues to tax and penalize the middle class--weakening it a little more--in order to give to the chronic nonworking class, so that they can remain dependent.

7 Posted by jvb123 at 10/04/05 02:55 PM

I agree with both the above comments; however, depending on the "mobile homes" chosen, this can many times be an upgrade for these people! What makes the difference is - l o c a t i o n !
(Just like in any real estate transaction!)

8 Posted by dollfriend at 10/04/05 03:07 PM

It was a surprise to me that the mobile home sites they would be using would not have the facilities we all expect to be provided. Having lived in a mobile home community for three years...back in the 1950s (we had electricity, phone service, potable water and septic tanks), I find it hard to understand that there would be a lack of facilities in these emergency quarters. Why would there NOT be any of those, as well as schools, fire service, police, etc.?

Does our Congress even know this type of thing has been happening? I, for one, would like to know if these situations actually exist, or are they like the horror stories we got during the storm, that have since been exposed as being untrue?

There isn't any excuse for people being dumped into substandard housing, without any provision being made to help them. The only reason I disagreed with housing people in that type of housing (before hearing of the possible lack of facilities), was because of the possibility of those places being destroyed again, as was commented on earlier.

I also feel we should be helping the evacuees to rebuild their lives, and if providing them with some sort of permanence with their housing can do it, that would be good.

9 Posted by katesisco at 10/04/05 03:37 PM

Well, all the tiny little houses in the enormous subdivisions in many communities that were created after WWII for the returning vets and their families were just supposed to be "temporary" housing. Incidentally, this was the time in American when going into debt (to furnish these new homes) first became acceptable. I remember see Red Skelton in a serious role as a husband begining to break under this "post war consumerism". I had not been introducted to this time in American before and this movie was an eye-opener.
So, the trailers are not ideal. Are they better than living in a motel room? You bet!
What will happen? There are still people living in trailers in Florida from Hurrican Andrew.
We do have the technology to rebuild sooner; we do have the architects who have small house plans economical to build. There are even businesses that specialize in rehabbing a container unit used for trans-ocean shipping into a small adequate home. We have the ability to ameliorate this crisis but political scams will undoubtably miscarry even the most well meaning intent. Even Bush's plan for opening an air base was to raffle off something like a few hundred home sites. Just a sound bite that sounded good.
The best plans will undoubtably be conceived at the local level. Waiting for the government to ride in on white horses will not happen. As land is a premium in New Orleans, and if the 9th ward is bulldozed and closed to resettlement, the answer will have to be more of the idea proposed by Mayor Nagin: new communities on the outskirts of New Orleans connected by light rail. Sounds good, but will it happen?

10 Posted by smokey888 at 10/04/05 03:48 PM

The immediate temporary scramble to assemble housing can't wait for sewer lines, roads, schools, telephone lines/poles and sidewalks, we must remember there was a 'dissaster' that struck.

Hopefully, they'll have the brains to hire local help that lived there but I doubt that will happen either, just to logical.

But even more important and more towards the long run of things; I sure wish they would look at that area and do the following:

1. Establish what is the business district and only dike off that area. In this manner, the expense of settling below sea level will forever be much less if that's what they want.

2. Determine how far north they need to move everything else and see if it would be feasible to allow the waters to find their own level and connect the two with high speed free trains. They could also include senic ones too. In essence, you would have two communities, one small one diked off and the majority on high ground.

But I'm sure not in favor of rebuilding anything where this could happen again and a place that already below sea-level; where your cemetaries have to be above ground and where the Mississippi is as high as most houses. It wouldn't have taken FEMA or a rocket scinentist to know, eventually it would happen and if we allow it to happen twice ..... can I then be exempt from the tax bill? So, lets do it right 'this time'!!

11 Posted by carmen at 10/04/05 10:10 PM

if regular built homes arent able to sustain the hurricane katrina then what makes them think that mobile homes are going to make it. and it makes me mad that its going to be at the tax payers expences to bring and house 50,000 evacuees to returne to new orleans in the condition it is in down there. the mold issues i hear are really bad. they just need to get in and get what the can, then get out and let them rebuild the city or at least get rid of these deadly molds. not safe for anyone. bring back people who lived in the area to work and rebuild the area, not migrant workers. i live in a trailer and dont really like it, we sustain about 70 mile an hour winds and it feels as if it is going to fly off sometime. like the wizard of oz. pretty scary and we are windy like that about 1/4 or the year.
love and light to all the unfortunate

12 Posted by Frank Dio at 10/04/05 10:24 PM

I get such a kick out of these no it alls. Say a lot..But say Nothing. Katrina blew our home away. FEMA rep said we were eligible for a trailer so that we could rebuild and get on with our life. FEMA said we were not…simple as that. Now what?
We have a friend, raising two girls on his own…house blew away…has nothing but the clothes on his back…FEMA said he was in-eligible…..simple as that…now what? I wish the no it alls could come through with a 3 % loan then, and only then, they would finally be…….. SAYING SOMETHING!

13 Posted by princesszev at 10/05/05 12:15 AM

I would rather have a temporary situation that would give me some privacy. Living in a shelter doesn't provide any privacy or a feeling of comfort. Each part of this country is vulnerable to disasters, earthquake, tornado, ice conditions, blizzards, etc. As those in the Gulf never expected their disaster, we all should all make family disaster plans. We never know what each day will present. Find out what your county and state disaster plan is and we should all make personal/family evacuation plans and be ready.

14 Posted by Kathy Watkins at 10/05/05 02:59 AM

I had no idea people were still living in those Florida trailer parks a year later. As Amanda mentioned, these trailers are in hurricane zones! And we are only half way through the hurricane season. Let's hope those trailers are not considered permanent housing!

15 Posted by Kathy Watkins at 10/05/05 03:03 AM

I saw a news report this evening showing some of these trailers. I had expected them to be full-size, but what the news report showed was hundreds of little travel trailers that you would tow behind your car on vacation.

I hope they aren't planning to put families in those tiny things. Perhaps a single person could live in one for a short time, but these trailers were SMALL!

16 Posted by LupusHurts at 10/05/05 05:08 PM

Since there is so much opposition to setting up these trailers...why not allow local {contractors from each of the devestated areas} companies to set up a few trailers on areas that will not go under water even if there is another hurricane & stay in them while they rebuild their city; let them use all the FEMA large equipment already in the area & start building some low cost housing that can be purchased by the victims? Make a planned community out of it? There are lots of companies that have blueprints that could serve as models.

I don't understand why anyone would want outside companies to do the building when using local resources would help the total economy in every direction possible. If there aren't enough locals from one area to do all the work then allow other devestated towns/cities to hold a hiring hall & only hire outsiders if it becomes necessary.

Perhaps a lottery for who gets the first houses or pick families with kids, allow the potential owners to finish the insides with sweat equity as part payment or the down payment.

It has been proven more than once that when contractors work in teams they can build a house a week and if they don't have to finisih the inside of the houses it would be faster. I think using locals to do the building would restore some pride and I do believe they would do a better job because it is their own town, their own homes and they know the potential problems of the area. {what would a company from the desert know about building in a flood plain?}

After what many of these people have been thru and having no privacy in the shelters and losing everything, pride of ownership and workmanship and of having a job again will do wonders for many folks. If these houses were priced for low income families to afford to buy I think it will be a boon for the taxpayers as well.

17 Posted by Jonesy at 10/06/05 11:51 AM

I think trailers are fine for temporary housing, but I think they miss the point when they put all the trailers in large trailer parks. Why not put FEMA trailers on the survivor's personal property to use while rebuilding their houses? FEMA bought up all the new trailers in my home town (in Indiana) which have yet to be made ready to live in (parks). Survivors are now coming her to buy any used trailer that is left to put on their own property. WHy didn't FEMA give new trailers to these people? They are living on land without walls or roofs.

18 Posted by Big Al at 10/07/05 07:43 PM

Subject: House Bill HR3832

CONTACT YOUR SENATOR!!!!

The bill below just passed the House on a straight party line below. If it passes the Senate, this bill will undermine and destroy provisions of the Clean Air Act to benefit the oil and refinery industry. It was passed over the screaming objections of our Democratic Representatives.. Voting was held open (against House rules) for over an hour so that a few recalcitrant Republicans could be muscled into voting in its favor. Nancy Pelosi was screaming and others were yelling Shame, Shame, Shame!

Click here for the text of the bill. http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d109:HR03893:@@@D&summ2=m&

This bill would allow the siting of refineries anywhere in the United States without the consent of local residents and REPEAL clean air standards in relation to emissions by the refinery industry for new facilities. It has been rushed through Committee in 16 hours and is a horrible bill that does nothing to address the fuel shortage problems that are ocurring as a result of Katrina and Rita and provides a pretext for rolling back more environmental regulation.Spread the word please --- this is urgent!!!