There are now five people who are living in FEMA's manufactured home units, and 40 more that are awaiting utility hook-ups, FEMA officials said Wednesday.ย
But Tito Hernandez, FEMA's federal coordinating officer, continued to stress that the manufactured housing units, which cost about $60,000 to produce, are still a housing option of last resort for flood victims.ย
Hernandez said 566 families currently qualify for the mobile homes. That number could go up, but because FEMA has touched base with the majority of flood victims already Hernandez said he doesn't expect the number to shoot up dramatically.ย
Last week, FEMA had only one mobile home set up, which set off local legislators who complained about the slow pace of getting the assistance to displaced homeowners.
Six days after the new FEMA trailers were unveiled to offer temporary living for flood victi…
Hernandez said FEMA workers are hitting a stride and should be able to begin installation on about 40 mobile home units a day. However, the full installation can take about a week.ย
One of the main obstacles for people seeking mobile homes is lot size. The units are almost 1,000 square feet.ย
Hernandez said if the unit doesn't fit in their lot, people are being referred to the nearest commercial site, which is typically an already existing trailer park. He said many people are declining that option, opting not to leave their neighborhoods.ย
But he said that if a person is eligible for a mobile home and their lot is too small, FEMA would allow them to place the unit on a willing family or friend's larger property.
Local governments in the Baton Rouge area will decide whether those displaced by the August …
FEMA is still actively working with local governments to consider group sites, where multiple mobile homes could be placed. But Hernandez said it's not clear if there will be a need yet.ย
"With 566 houses eligible all spread out, I just don't see the need yet," he said.ย
Hernandez also said having flood insurance, or temporarily living with a friend or family member are not reasons that would automatically exclude one's eligibility for a mobile home unit.ย
FEMA officials are fielding many questions about mobile homes, but they say the preferred option is other forms of rental and lodging assistance or the Shelter at Home program, which provides smaller scale construction projects to make homes livable while the rest of the rebuild continues.
Hernandez said the biggest lesson they learned from Hurricane Sandy was the value of the Shelter at Home program, over mobile units, which gets people into their homes as soon as possible.ย
The temporary housing is available to people with damage exceeding $17,000 and who have registered with FEMA. There is no income requirement for the program. The manufactured housing option comes into play when nearby rentals are unavailable. Temporary housing, generally, is available for up to 18 months while repairs are being made to the pre-disaster primary residence or until the occupants find a new home.
Local governments in the Baton Rouge area will decide whether those displaced by the August …