FEMA emergency homes destroyed by the elements (UNUSED trailers)

AP ^ | November 15, 2006

[FourPeas]

NEW ORLEANS Hundreds of modular homes meant for hurricane victims were damaged beyond repair while unused and unprotected from weather.The Federal Emergency Management Agency bought the homes as emergency housing for victims of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.Katrina slammed the Gulf coast in August of 2005.Rita came ashore in southeast Texas the following month.The failure to protect the homes from the sun and rain while they were in storage was outlined in a report by the Homeland Security Department's inspector general.FEMA says many sat unused for months at an Army depot in Texarkana, Texas, because of restrictions on where such homes could be erected.A June inventory had nearly 18-hundred homes at the site.FEMA put the total damage to homes both salvageable and unsalvageable at five (M) million dollars.

[GoDuke]

This sounds like some Democrat has figured a way to "condemn" these homes then sell them for a tidy profit.

[MediaMole]

These are shipped in two pieces. Until they are installed, the interior is only protected by a sheet of plastic.

[myrabach]

If these are modular homes, they come in 2 sections, one side would be open and covered only with plastic. They don't get put together until set on property and closed up. It is most possible that they were damaged by sun and rain.

[Conservative Texan Mom]

We used to drive by that storage lot when traveling back and forth to Houston. My husband predicted this.

[myrabach]

hehehe... beat me to it!

[Ruth C]

These were modulars and I would bet they were not put together.

I will never forget the big quake out here and the Governor suspending all the red tape bs to get the freeways repaired and rebuilt in record time.

The darn homes were for temporary housing, it's not like they were going to be at a particular place permanently so what's with the regulations and power mad idiots with their 'we won't let you put it here, or there, or over there, and certainly not at that spot'

[nomorelurker]

I believe these were modular homes in two separate pieces. Since they were not used they were stored as two separate pieces. Normally these things are shipped from the factory to be set up quickly an only have light plastic sheeting to protect the exposed (unattached) side. You probably have seen them being towed down the highway. The failure was in storing them with only the sheeting and/or in not maintaining tarps used as additional protection in some cases.

[Kirkwood]

"The whole state can stop whining now. I don't want to hear about the poor "victims" who were left homeless."

Some are indeed victims multiple times over. They were lied to by the ACE who said the levees were built correctly to specs (they weren't). They were lied to by their insurance companies who said they were covered for disasters (and then argued that the owner didn't have the right coverage). They were lied to by the state who said recovery money was coming (and somehow it has gotten lost). They were lied to by FEMA who said they could handle a major disaster (and were totally overwhelmed to the point that over a year later, some people still on FEMA lists haven't been helped). They were lied to by out-of-state contractors who did half the job and then left the state with the money they stole. I could go on and on. It is hard not to feel like a victim when you are drowning in a bureaucracy of red tape and companies are trying to screw you out of every last dime you have.

[Shimmer128]

I need a home right now, i'd take one, but not one that can't be outside. I need a place that can be left outside in the sun and the rain.

[Charles Martel]

Here's a more thorough description of the damaged modular homes, courtesy of the Department of Homeland Security. These do not appear to be trailers (note language distinguishing modular homes from "mobile" homes):

DHS Damaged Property Report, Oct 2006

[Conservative Texan Mom]

I doubt they are that damaged. I certainly don't see it being anything that can't be fixed. We have rental property and some of our houses are refurbished mobile homes. They can be very nice and are often far better and safer than older homes that are bought for rental property.

I would like to know who is claiming them to be too damaged to use and what their expertise is.

[glymers]

Where were the plastic patrol and what were they doing to protect the homes?
Modular houses are built in controlled environments under the factory roof and are shipped in weather-proofed wrapping. Guess they forgot to use the weather Proofed Wrap.

[madison10]

Then it's more the State of Louisiana's and the various parishes that are messing with the people. So when is the STATE going to reimburse the Federal Government and/or put those people in homes?

Did William Jefferson, D-Louisiana, get reelected?

[pandoraou812]

I heard they were sitting in mud , lots of mud. But that shouldn't ruin them. I think its more BS. My friend bought a trailer that had 2 feet of mud in it. Cleaned it up, put new fridge in it and uses it all summer. Unless they were vandalized or hit by tornado's or in high flood waters why should they be ruined? Why were they not used or stored in a safe place is my question. If there is damage repair them, give them to whoever needs them or sell them as is.

[Conservative Texan Mom]

"this sounds like some Democrat has figured a way to "condemn" these homes then sell them for a tidy profit."

That's what I was thinking. I wonder what they consider to be "too damaged" to use. We had two rental mobiles make it through hurricane Rita. They needed repairs but nothing major. Of course they weren't hit directly by the storm, but still survived 100+ mph winds and bickets of rain.

[Conservative Texan Mom]

bickets=buckets (spellcheck is my friend)

[tobyhill]

The floors can get ruined and I know because I went to visit a friend who lived in a mobile home and I went to use the restroom but fell through the floor right in front of the toilet. He fixed that whole a couple days later with a $15 piece of plywood.

[pandoraou812]

Wow that must have been a surprise for you. My point is they usually can be fixed and your friend fixed the problem he had. It bothers me that they are sitting there just rotting.

[FourPeas]

I get a 404 Page Not Fount at that link.

[Cicero]

Mobile homes are MADE to sit outside in the sun and rain. They are not the most durable things in the world, but they are supposed to be out in the weather and should last for quite a few years before much maintenance is needed.

Only a FEMA bureaucrat could figure out a way to wreck them so quickly. I wonder how in hell they managed it? Left all the windows and doors open? Set them down in the mud? I hate to think.