Friday, July 21, 2006
NOW WHAT IS FEMA UP TO?
RV Business
Friday, July 21, 2006
The travel trailers and mobile homes that more than 10,000 Jackson County, Miss., residents have called home over the past 10 months are now up for sale.
According to a report in the Mississippi Press, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) spokesman Eugene Breazany said that “qualified” residents can purchase the units outright purchase or through auction. The sales are handled by FEMA, as the government agency attempts to help storm victims return to pre-Katrina conditions.
Breazany said travel trailer and mobile home occupants could qualify to purchase their unit if they lived in a mobile home prior to the disaster. "If they did not have a pre-disaster condition, they would not be allowed to purchase that particular unit," Brea-zany said.
This purchase option is not open to the general public. The second alternative, an auction by the General Services Administration, is open to the general public.
"We started contacting persons June 12 who are living in units and letting them know these units would be available for sale to them," said Breazany.
Recertification teams visit trailer residents monthly to work with them on long-term housing plans.
"It is during these discussions that we are offering them the opportunity to purchase the units. There is no phone number or other point of contact to request a purchase, other than the recertification process," Breazany said.
Breazany said FEMA's sales program is beginning with applicants living in commercial trailer parks and on private sites.
"Units are only sold to occupants for a home. Alternate housing is not available. If there is some other place they can possibly live, we wouldn't be selling the units to them," said Breazany .
"It is an opportunity for those people who have no other options to actually purchase these," he added.
Candidates must meet a number of requirements, including having a suitable site that meets all codes, zoning ordinances and flood plain management regulations.
Friday, July 21, 2006
The travel trailers and mobile homes that more than 10,000 Jackson County, Miss., residents have called home over the past 10 months are now up for sale.
According to a report in the Mississippi Press, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) spokesman Eugene Breazany said that “qualified” residents can purchase the units outright purchase or through auction. The sales are handled by FEMA, as the government agency attempts to help storm victims return to pre-Katrina conditions.
Breazany said travel trailer and mobile home occupants could qualify to purchase their unit if they lived in a mobile home prior to the disaster. "If they did not have a pre-disaster condition, they would not be allowed to purchase that particular unit," Brea-zany said.
This purchase option is not open to the general public. The second alternative, an auction by the General Services Administration, is open to the general public.
"We started contacting persons June 12 who are living in units and letting them know these units would be available for sale to them," said Breazany.
Recertification teams visit trailer residents monthly to work with them on long-term housing plans.
"It is during these discussions that we are offering them the opportunity to purchase the units. There is no phone number or other point of contact to request a purchase, other than the recertification process," Breazany said.
Breazany said FEMA's sales program is beginning with applicants living in commercial trailer parks and on private sites.
"Units are only sold to occupants for a home. Alternate housing is not available. If there is some other place they can possibly live, we wouldn't be selling the units to them," said Breazany .
"It is an opportunity for those people who have no other options to actually purchase these," he added.
Candidates must meet a number of requirements, including having a suitable site that meets all codes, zoning ordinances and flood plain management regulations.
