Sign petition to stop FEMA trailer evictions, go to local protests in LA, MS, TX, AL, AR & GA

[intheflow]

Despite earlier commitments, FEMA may not actually extend the February deadline for people living in FEMA trailers after losing their homes in Hurricane Katrina. Instead, they are talking about ending all rental asistance and continuing trailers on a case-by-case basis.

To protest this and urge FEMA to extend the deadline, please sign Oxfam's petition urging FEMA to extend the eviction deadline for another year.

http://act.oxfamamerica.org/campaign/FEMA

Background:

As of November 2006, almost 110,000 households on the Gulf Coast were living in FEMA trailer or mobile homes, with an additional 33,000 supported by FEMA-assisted rental payments. In Mississippi alone, an estimated 35,320 families are still receiving vital housing assistance.

Extending the 18 month deadline on FEMA assistance for a year is firmly within the powers of the Stafford Act, which governs federal emergency response. The Stafford Act states that FEMA is authorized to extend the deadline if "the President determines that due to extraordinary circumstances an extension would be in the public interest."

Gulf Coast events:

As part of the Day of Action, housing and poverty advocates, displaced residents, local officials and others will hold events today and this week throughout the Gulf Coast region. Press conferences, meetings and other actions are planned in New Orleans, LA.; Austin, Dallas and Houston, TX; Biloxi and Jackson, MS; Mobile, AL; Little Rock, AR; and Atlanta, GA.

ACORN chapters are staging press conferences Monday in New Orleans, Houston, Little Rock and Jackson.

In Houston Monday, ACORN will hold an 11 a.m. rally and press conference at Meadows Place Senior Village Apartments. For more information, contact ACORN at 713-868-7015.

In Biloxi Monday, members of the Steps Coalition will hold a 9:30 a.m. prayer service and press conference at 125 Kuhn St. For more information, contact Natalie Presley at 228-990-2904.

In Mobile Monday, a 2 p.m. press conference will feature Mobile County Commissioner Mike Dean, whose jurisdiction includes the areas most severely destroyed by the storm. Sponsored by Alabama Appleseed Center for Law & Justice, Volunteer Mobile and Volunteers of America, Southeast, the event will be held at the Mobile County Government Building. For more information, contact Craig H. Baab, Alabama Appleseed Center for Law & Justice, 334-233-7385.

Texas Low Income Housing Information Service in Austin will issue a press statement Monday from leading community leaders. For more information, contact Kristin Carlisle, Development director/Policy analyst, at 512-477-8910, ext. 4.

[EFerrari]

1. Thanks so much for putting this up! K&R

:hi:

[Reterr]

2. kand R.eom

[nam78_two]

3. Off to the greatest page with this.nt

[Blue_In_AK]

4. Done, my friend.

K & R.

[Mnemosyne]

5. Oxfam! knr n/t

[merh]

6. 6 more months

SUN HERALD Posted on Sat, Jan. 20, 2007

FEMA to extend housing program to Aug. 31
Barbour announces 6 more months

FEMA has extended the temporary housing program by six months, Gov. Haley Barbour announced Friday.

Residents who are living in FEMA-supplied trailers now have until Aug. 31 to find permanent housing. The original deadline was Feb. 28.

(snip)

About 92,000 trailers scattered across Mississippi and Louisiana are housing about 250,000 storm victims, based on FEMA's calculations. Mississippi had more than 43,000 at its peak in 2006. There currently are 30,141 trailers in the state, according to FEMA.

(snip)

more @ http://www.sunherald.com/mld/sunherald/news/local/16504891.htm

I'm sorry, but as a FEMA dweller, I am tired of this being used as a means to curry political favor and/or as a political issue.

With all due respect, if you want to make a difference, then get on board with those who are trying to get the FEMA laws amended to provide that permanent housing can be provided by FEMA. You and I both know that the deadlines will be extended as long as there is need. We know this because there are folks in Florida still living in FEMA trailers well beyond the 18 month deadline. We know this because Barbour uses it to make headlines and come off as a hero and as caring.

The deadlines are not the issues, they will be extended (cronies make money with the FEMA trailer maintenance contracts and leases for the parks -- the state is responsible for the distribution of grant monies which are slow in coming) - the issue is the band aid efforts. Temporary housing is not the answer, permanent housing is and it is desperately needed. I, for one,am tired of the deadlines and the case managers and the inspectors. I'd like some real answers as to where are the grant monies and why is it FEMA can't assist in providing permanent housing. History has proven that the temporary shelter programs are full of holes that are costly and ineffective.

[salin]

7. excellent (but sad per the state of affairs) commentary.

:hi:

[intheflow]

8. What this action is really about for me is

stopping FEMA from demanding everyone kow-tow to them on a monthly basis to have their FEMA benefits extended. Of course permanent housing is needed, but it's not exactly springing up like a pop-up book, is it? So why should you or anyone else have to live in fear that FEMA will evict you if you miss your monthly check-in? It's just a level of beauracracy to add to your stress. They could be putting all those FEMA hounds to work on figuring out how to create more housing, how to get people their grant monies, how to stop unethical contractors that prey on residents. So the deadlines aren't the only issues, bt they're still an issue, imo.

So do you have any link/information about how citizens can participate in getting the FEMA laws amended? I'd be delighted to spread those action items around the 'net, too! :hi:

[uppityperson]

10. How about local gvt people/organizations working with rebuilding codes?

Any way of putting out a call to contact them to speed up the process of setting codes so those who can rebuild can (like how high you have to rebuild)? Not that I want to harass people, but is there a way to get the local (city/co/parrish/state) people getting moving?

[intheflow]

12. In Biloxi,

events like the one listed in my OP, hosted by the Steps Coalition, have had an impact already. As a lobbying group, Steps was able to get Gov. Barbour to raise the grant amount for the second phase of home rebuilding grants. The code stuff down here is coming along or already settled through regular, molasses-slow beauracracy. That's really the most frutrating part for me--that everything moves so slowly down here. I think it's a combination of a slower lifestyle pre-Katrina and then trying to sort through all the BS and heartache post-Katrina that makes the whole process of recovery and rebuilding feel like pulling teeth.

:banghead:

[merh]

13. I don't see the deadline or the threats of the deadlines as being

"FEMA demanding everyone kow-tow on a monthly basis." And even if it were, that is not the worst of this FEMA hell, it is just part and parcel of what we deal with.

I have signed a lease with FEMA, that provides that they get to inspect my home when they want, that provides that I must tell them who will be living with me, that provides that I will answer to a case manager and be subjected to the whims of FEMA. For those in trailer parks you have the other infringements, the concerns that you will be awaken at some odd hour as FEMA teams with the local police to raid the community to determine if the folks in the trailers belong there, to see if meth labs and guns or felons are being hidden in the trailers.

I am a smart dweller and it is through my life experiences that I know that the question of jurisdiction of the trailer parks comes into play when considering the legitimacy of the night raids. I know that depending on the lease signed with the trailer park's landowner, the local police may not have jurisdicition, I know that on my property, despite the lease, I still have an expectation of privacy and am protected by the constitution from illegal searchs and intrusions.

The issues that these FEMA trailers present are numerous and it is not the deadlines that should be a concern to the general public, but the waste of tax dollars as the contractors and subcontractors make a profit by inspecting the trailers and tagging them each month as inspected. All of the money used could have been more wisely spent if permanent dwelling were established. The temporary dwellings are just money pits and into them go the tax dollars.

The Stafford Act is being examined, I believe Gene Taylor's office, Thad Cochran's office and Trent Lott's office are all seeking revisions. I am pretty sure FEMA itself would be happy that it be revised as the albatros that is the "trailer" weighs them down. I would also venture to guess that there are politicians in Louisiana and Florida that have recognized the limitations of the Act and have investigated revisions. Should I come across any links, I will be happy to provide them to you.

[intheflow]

14. Thanks!

:hug:

[uppityperson]

9. k&r

[noamnety]

11. signed & recommended (nt)

[CC]

15. K&R

Specially since I live in a state where they locked people out of their FEMA trailers when they decided they had enough time to get on their feet after Isabelle, locking everything the people owned including medications and pets inside.

[WolverineDG]

16. k&r n/t

[Sapphire Blue]

17. Signed; K&R

[HeeBGBz]

18. They are extending here for 6 more months.

http://www.sunherald.com/mld/sunherald/news/16504891.htm

According to this am's paper.

k&r

[intheflow]

21. Yep, merh posted that link, above.

Why six months and not a year? Do they really think 35,000 families will have found permanent housing in six months? :crazy:

[HeeBGBz]

26. I know. I'm looking for a place myself

They are building some new apartments here and there, but I'm sure they will be way out of my spending range. I'm looking for a place to live and I'm not even IN a FEMA trailer. I would settle for a pod of the most minimal nature. Of course if someone is looking for a condo, things are looking up. That's about all that's getting built on the beach.

[intheflow]

29. Have you checked CraigsList?

It's how we found our house, and how my friends Alex and Amy found their apartments: http://gulfport.craigslist.org/apa/264399624.html

[HeeBGBz]

31. No I haven't. Thanks! n/t

[EFerrari]

19. kick

[Kurovski]

20. Kick and Recommend.(nt)

[Jcrowley]

22. K&R n/t

[tnlefty]

23. Done and thanks for the heads up!

:kick:

[EFerrari]

24. kick

[Patsy Stone]

25. Done

Keep it kicked!

[Swamp Rat]

27. k&r

[Morgana LaFey]

28. K&R

[Berry Cool]

30. Done. n/t

[pitohui]

32. k&r EOM

.

[JeffR]

33. A belated K & R for this urgent thread

:kick:

[gulfcoastliberal]

34. K&R - Those trailers are sold for pennies on the dollar after FEMA kicks em out

It's depressing enough having to live in that kind of situation, and then to be forced out onto the foundation of your former home is wrong. They extended it for Escambia & Santa Rosa counties in FL after Ivan & Dennis. Hope it goes well.

[intheflow]

35. I just don't see why they have to play these games.

It's obvious that people need homes, its obvious FEMA trailers are temporary, and it's just as obvious that there is no other housing to be had. To constantly hold eviction over the heads of people who have no other options is just cruel.