Associated Press – November 14, 2006:
Hundreds of modular homes bought by FEMA for victims of last year’s hurricanes were damaged beyond repair as they sat unused and, in many cases, unprotected from the elements, the agency said Tuesday.
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.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency bought the homes as emergency housing for victims of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. But many sat unused for months at an Army depot in Texarkana, Texas, because of restrictions on where such homes could be erected, FEMA said. A June inventory had 1,790 homes at the site.
FEMA put the total damage to homes both salvageable and unsalvageable at $5 million. The homes cost an average of $36,000 each, according to FEMA.
Does fema have any common sense whatsoever? I mean seriously, do they even know it rains snows outside?
My brother-in-law is head of purchasing for a modular home manufacturer. They begged FEMA to take possession of the rushed units they manufactured. FEMA leased a field and had the units towed there and left unguarded. They never leveled the units and many has developed structure damage and can’t be towed anymore.
The country is being run by a room full of screaming children in a Chuck E Cheese’s with an open sugar bar.
2,
I agree..
But the USE of such buildings, that were NOT set on level ground or a Platform of some such to keep them Level.
Then the idea that they couldnt handle even 2 years of weather. REALLy tell syou for the Quality of manufactour.
“Then the idea that they couldnt handle even 2 years of weather. REALLy tell syou for the Quality of manufactour.”
I understand what you’re saying, but I’ve seen enough lawsuits relating to manufactured homes to know that they have to be properly installed to be protected from the elements. Merely towing them to a field and dropping them off is not sufficient.
I remember in 1995, living in the US Virgin Islands, Hurricane Marilyn destroyed a large part of our infrastructure, essentially shutting down the islands for 6 months. Try going without power for 2-6 months. At that time FEMA actually did a great job providing the basics food, temporary shelter, etc. And they stayed on the job until we were back on our feet. This was under the Clinton Administration, and that may or may not have a bearing. But at that time, they were responsive and capable.
What the hell happened since?
You should see the rent fema is paying for its employees to live in the affected areas. Waste or cronyism I cannot say; but either way you would be absolutely sick.
“What the hell happened since?”
Mmmm…. could it be that the sole qualification of the person who ran FEMA at the time, Michael D. Brown, was that he owned horses?
SN- Probably so, I always thought of these appointed positions as just window dressing, apparantly not.
The rents should have been regulated immediately. I’ve given up even thinking of moving to New Orleans. It’s more expensive than Chicago. They should pay me to move in; it’s not like everyone wants to live there now.
There were stories — largely unnoticed — of leaseholding tenants being evicted in absentia from undamaged apartments so that the landlord could double or triple the rent for a new tenant.
6: The Clinton administration appointed a capable adminstrator who cleaned up FEMA. FEMA also became a cabinet post. And, as you pointed out, it performed as it should.
A broken record, but here it is: Bush’s people slathered political appointees in every office of government. They are, for the most part, incompetent looters. But in FEMA’s case, the failure after Katrina was so obvious, the looting and lying so odious, that even cable news had to report it.
And still it stands. Bush is too damned stupid/proud/clueless/doesn’t-care-about-black-people to reappoint the old FEMA director to clean house, so the Gulf Coasters can go eat dandelions in Texas. After all, as his mom said, that catastrophe worked out all right for those poor people. Got ’em into some proper school districts.
Did Barbara Bush really say that? I knew she had a reputation as a bit of a, um, harridan and not safe to cross, but really… she actually said that? Out loud? Where other more decent people could hear her?
12. Exact quote:
“Almost everyone I’ve talked to says: ‘We’re going to move to Houston,’ ” Mrs Bush said late on Monday after visiting evacuees at the Astrodome with her husband, former president George Bush.
“What I’m hearing, which is sort of scary, is they all want to stay in Texas. Everyone is so overwhelmed by the hospitality,” she said.
“And so many of the people in the arena here, you know, were underprivileged anyway, so this – this is working very well for them.”
#4, ECA, Good question.
SN is correct. Manufactured houses are made of wood. If they were dumped in a field and just left then they will warp.
If the base is warped then everything above will also feel the effects and warps as well. Nails pull, wood cracks and splits. Floors and ceilings become uneven. Corners separate. Trim comes off.
If the houses aren’t properly closed or finished, then moisture will enter the house. With moisture now inside the house you get drywall warping and softening. You may also get mold and any appliances may start to rust.
Although these houses will stand for decades with minimal care, they will only do that if they are properly finished. This is work that is done on site and not at the factory.
they need to be heated.. or they are done for..
once the moisture gets in it’s all over..
send me 3-4 of them, I need a new home.
will probably make 1 good one.
Totally mind boggling.
We have a bunch of dummies running all aspects of government and corporate America.
The American worker spends more time pretending to work than they actually do work.
I THOUGHT(shame on me) that we were supposed to have knowedgable people running this country…
Those we trusted, and KNEW could think…and DO…
When did things change??