Travel Trailers and Mobile Homes, Temporary Housing Options
Release Date: August 31, 2004
Release Number: 1539-078
» More Information on Florida Hurricane Charley and Tropical Storm Bonnie
ORLANDO, Fla. -- Travel trailers and mobile homes are now available as temporary housing for victims of Hurricane Charley with the most serious housing needs. These are examples of one type of temporary housing; other options include repair grants and rental assistance.
As of August 29, 906 pad sites have been leased in commercial parks in Charlotte, Lee, Polk and Sarasota counties. Travel trailers and mobile homes also can be installed on personal property near a damaged residence. Officials estimate the total number of homes assigned to victims will be in the thousands.
"We are working hard to deal with a major housing shortage in the hardest hit areas," said Bill Carwile, federal emergency coordinator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). "Unfortunately, there is very little housing available in certain areas for disaster victims."
State Coordinating Officer Craig Fugate of the State Emergency Response Team (SERT) said, "Our job is to provide workable answers to unmet needs. If safe, habitable and secure temporary housing is not available, travel trailers offer a short-term solution."
Both officials emphasize that travel trailers are considered an interim solution until adequate housing becomes available. Many people use the trailers and mobile homes until their damaged homes can be repaired. Occupants pay utility and cable charges, but don't pay rent.
Priority is given to disaster victims living in shelters or in crowded conditions; those with destroyed homes; those living in damaged homes that are not safe and those with medical conditions. Initially, mobile homes will be reserved for large families and those with medical conditions that cannot be accommodated in a travel trailer. Travel trailers, which measure 8' X 25', are smaller than mobile homes, which are about 15' by 50'.
Before anyone can move into a travel trailer or mobile home, FEMA must make sure the following guidelines are met:
- Local zoning and building codes, occupancy permits, environmental rules and other restrictions must be respected.
- Sites selected usually must be outside of the floodplain, have functional water, sewer and electrical utilities and be inspected by local and state authorities.
The first step in receiving state and federal disaster aid, including housing assistance, is to call FEMA's teleregistration number at 800-621-FEMA. Individuals with hearing or speech impairments should call the TTY number at 800-462-7585.
As of August 30, FEMA has conducted 61,444 housing inspections and approved $50.00 million dollars in housing assistance.
The State Emergency Response Team (SERT) is a collaboration of Florida's emergency management agencies led by the state coordinating officer. SERT's mission is to ensure that Florida is prepared to respond to emergencies, recover from them, and mitigate their impact. Visit www.floridadisaster.org for the latest information on the hurricane relief effort.
On March 1, 2003, FEMA became part of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. FEMA's continuing mission within the new department is to lead the effort to prepare the nation for all hazards and effectively manage federal response and recovery efforts following any national incident. FEMA also initiates proactive mitigation activities, trains first responders, and manages the National Flood Insurance Program and the U.S. Fire Administration.
Last Modified: Tuesday, 31-Aug-2004 11:44:33