Ross has been extremely vocal in his opposition to the placement of nearly 11,000 brand new, furnished, FEMA owned, unoccupied manufactured homes intended to provide temporary housing for eighteen months to hurricane victims which continue to be stored in Arkansas at the Hope Municipal Airport more than six months after Hurricane Katrina devastated our nation’s Gulf Coast.  In response to three letters written to R. David Paulison, Acting Director of FEMA, requesting to know why the manufactured homes ordered by FEMA are being housed at Hope, some 450 miles from the eye of the storm while Hurricane Katrina evacuees continue to live in tents and temporary housing, FEMA arranged for Ross to personally tour the facility.  Since Ross’s initial inquiry to FEMA in December, the number of manufactured homes in Hope alone has ballooned to nearly 11,000.

“There are over 10,000 brand new, FEMA owned, unoccupied manufactured homes just down the road from my hometown of Prescott that were ordered by FEMA to provide temporary housing relief to those displaced by Hurricane Katrina.  Last week, I was pleased to see that 300 manufactured homes left the Hope Municipal Airport for Louisiana.  However, this number barely scratches the surface of the newly manufactured homes stored in Hope.  The reality is that we still have thousands of American citizens who continue to live in tents more than six months after the storm,” said Ross. 

“FEMA’s current manual states manufactured homes cannot be placed on a flood plain.  Our Gulf Coast just experienced a natural disaster where most of the homes destroyed were built on a flood plain.  While placement of manufactured homes in Louisiana and Mississippi may not be ideal, neither is having families living in tents, six months after the storm, throughout the long winter season.  FEMA needs to use common sense and deliver these homes to the people who need them,” said Ross.

“This week, CNN reported that in Pass Christian, Mississippi many families continue to live in tents.  Just two weeks ago, thousands of Katrina victims were evicted from hotel rooms across the country.  FEMA has indicated they plan to spend some $8 million to gravel the pastures where the manufactured homes are housed to protect the homes from sinking in the gumbo like soil.  Instead of wasting even more taxpayer money, FEMA needs to act now to lift the flood plain restriction and place these homes with American citizens who lost their homes and everything they own nearly six months ago,” Ross continued.

In a written response to Ross’s office, FEMA stated that as of February 2, 2006, 74,189 temporary housing units have been delivered to applicants along the Gulf Coast.  Of the placed temporary housing units, 2,211 are considered manufactured homes and the remaining 71,978 are classified as travel trailers.  Travel trailers must meet less stringent requirements than manufactured homes under FEMA’s handbook in order to be approved for placement.  

Congressman Ross remains committed to seeing the homes placed with the families who remain homeless over six months after Hurricane Katrina.  Ross plans to continue to ask the tough questions of FEMA to ensure these 11,000 manufactured homes in Hope are delivered to the people who so desperately need them.