Gulf Cleanup and FEMA Trailers Don't Mix

During the Hurricane Katrina catastrophe and its aftermath, FEMA purchased and made available 120,000 mobile homes to the homeless.

The New York Times, in an article on June 30 reported, “The trailers were discovered to have such high levels of formaldehyde that the government banned them from being used for long-term housing again.”

After the trailers were removed, the government spent $130 million a year to store and maintain them, but then decided to auction them off.

Beginning in 2006, the feds unloaded 100,000 of the trailers at public auction, according to the Times.

Now, apparently, the federal government has sold some trailers to those assisting in the Gulf cleanup who need housing.

The feds tell purchasers not to use the trailers for housing, as though that takes the sellers off the hook.

Our government’s actions are shameful.

Rather than suing the manufacturers and distributors of the trailers for a refund of the purchase price — some $2.7 billion — our government is putting more people in harm’s way.

Are those responsible still working for the government?