Saturday, November 8, 2008

Only 3 Mobile Homes?!

Here we are almost two full months after Hurricane Ike plowed through Galveston and Houston, and FEMA has moved only three mobile homes onto Galveston Island. Three-quarters of the buildings on Galveston Island are still uninhabitable. Other areas are in even worse shape. 90% of Oak Island's 350 homes are uninhabitable. There are still 15 people listed as missing from Bolivar Peninsula, and there are still mountains of debris, some most likely containing bodies.

Unless you are directly affected by a hurricane, your attention quickly turns to other things. We got our power back on within three days and had all our major repairs done within a month. We are among the really lucky ones. Stuff like this makes me seriously consider moving inland.

FEMA: Housing For Ike Victims 'Top Priority'

GALVESTON, Texas -- Those still without a home nearly two months after Hurricane Ike are a top priority for the Federal Emergency Management Agency, officials told KPRC Local 2 Friday.

Video:

FEMA Says Housing Is Top Priority For Ike Victims: Phil Archer Reports

FEMA and state lawmakers gave a progress report in Galveston and said those displaced by Ike are at the top of their list.

For the past 45 days, Galveston resident J.J. Rashid and his family have been sharing a single hotel room. It will be months before their apartment is rebuilt. They're waiting for help from FEMA.

"A trailer would be good. It's better than the hotel, I believe," he said.

To date, FEMA has moved only three mobile homes onto the island to serve as temporary housing. But with three-fourths of the city's buildings still uninhabitable, many more are needed, perhaps as many as 5,000 in Galveston and surrounding counties.

"I'm just stunned that people still don't have temporary housing," said Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison. The chorus of complaints brought FEMA Administrator David Paulison to Galveston to meet gulf coast mayors and the state's two senators. He said FEMA has sent about 1,000 mobile homes to Texas and more are coming, but it's taking time to set them up.

"The problem is finding places to put them. Its not a matter of having enough. We have enough mobile homes and park models to satisfy the mission, it's finding places to put them," said Paulison. Paulison said the agency will try to streamline the process to deploy more trailers faster, but he did not set a time frame.

"Our top three priorities are housing, housing and housing, and that's what we're going to do is stick with it until it's done," he said.

And they've moved three mobile homes onto the island. Some people are wondering if Galveston will recover from the storm. There is some talk of simply abandoning the island.