Virginia Asks to Extend Deadline for Mobile Home Operation
Release Date: January 29, 2001
Release Number: R3-01-03
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Courtland, VA -- With nearly 40 hurricane-displaced families remaining in the temporary mobile home park, the Commonwealth of Virginia has requested a 90-day extension of the FEMA program that funds operations.
Hurricane Floyd struck Virginia in September 1999. The next month, the FEMA Disaster Housing Program purchased 50 manufactured (mobile) houses and 42 travel trailers to shelter families displaced by Floyd and established a temporary park in the Agribusiness Park, 28230 Oakcroft Drive, Courtland. Normally, FEMA may provide as much as 18 months of temporary housing for qualified disaster victims. On that basis, the park is scheduled to close on March 17.
Robert J. Gunter, federal coordinating officer for the disaster recovery in Virginia, said that in late December the commonwealth asked FEMA to extend its park operation. The letter, signed by Michael Cline, state coordinator of the Commonwealth of Virginia Department of Emergency Management, asked for an additional 90 days. Gunter said the letter referred to state efforts to find long-term housing for the park residents and to "assume...overall site management."
Gunter said he is pleased by the interest by the state and local entities to take responsibility for the park in the near future. He reported that FEMA has asked the commonwealth for more information and will review the request.
Thirty-one families, all from Franklin and Southampton County, still occupy manufactured houses in the temporary park. Some are in the process of purchasing their dwellings from FEMA, but others as yet have no provision for permanent homes, said FEMA Region III Recovery Programs Branch Chief Jack Schuback. Federal, state, municipal and volunteer-organization officials continue to work on housing alternatives for these families.
Another seven families live in travel trailers in the temporary park, and seven more families are using FEMA travel trailers on their own properties while their homes are being repaired.
Since the disaster declaration in September 1999, FEMA has housed 51 families in manufactured homes and 46 families in travel trailers.
Last Modified: Tuesday, 30-Sep-2003 10:18:07