More than 35,000 Displaced Mississippians Relocated to FEMA Travel Trailers, Mobile Homes

Officials from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) announced this week that contractors had placed more than 35,000 individuals in travel trailers or mobile homes for temporary housing.

“For the thousands of people who were left homeless following Katrina, this is very good news,” said Nick Russo, deputy federal coordinating officer for FEMA. “Housing priorities were set immediately following the storm and the majority of those who have received travel trailers or mobile homes to date had an immediate need such as a disability, illness, were elderly or living in an unsafe situation.”

Those who are not in this high priority category are being very patient and understand that many others are in greater need. Those who are staying with relatives or in hotels will begin, within the next few weeks, to hear from FEMA mobile home and travel trailer operations.

Officials state that the placement of families into travel trailers is consistent at approximately 400 units or 1,100 individuals per day. One hundred and eight individuals are now occupying Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliant travel trailers or mobile homes.

As difficult as it is for families in need of housing to wait for a travel trailer or mobile home, the speed at which these manufactured homes are being placed far exceeds any disaster in history. FEMA has placed more than ten times more travel trailers in less than 2 months than were placed in Florida last year during the major hurricanes.

“It continues to be an enormous task to find safe, sanitary and functional housing for those affected by the storms,” said Robert Latham, director of MEMA. “While we are thrilled that more than 13,000 families are now in a more permanent situation, we ask individuals to continue to look to their own housing needs while waiting for a travel trailer or mobile home.”