8/17/07: Disclose Housing Plans Before Hurricanes
August 17, 2007
Contact: Ben Smilowitz — 314-761-7631
Ben@DisasterAccountability.org
For Immediate Release:
Disaster Accountability Group Calls On FEMA to Disclose Housing Plans Before Possible Hurricane Dean Hit
WASHINGTON: With Hurricane Dean in range, and more storms likely on their way, Americans need to know if FEMA has a Plan B for emergency housing, especially now that the nation’s emergency housing supply is unavailable due to formaldehyde contamination.
At a House Oversight Hearing on July 31, 2007, Representative Darrell Issa (CA-49) asked Mr. Matt Jadacki, Deputy Inspector General, Office of the Inspector General, Department of Homeland Security, if there would be enough emergency housing without formaldehyde if nation experienced a major disaster.
See the question and answer, excerpted below, here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=goGyN9E1We4
Rep. Issa: If I need 100,000 temporary dwellings in the Southeast today, without formaldehyde, do you believe that these agencies are prepared to deliver those today… and we’re not talking about the ones that are already there, I think that’s clear
Mr. Jadacki: I don’t think we can buy 100,000 temporary dwellings whether they’re travel trailers or mobile homes without formaldehyde, I don’t think there’s any guarantee to do that… There’s other agencies out there that probably have better capability to do that… There’s Housing and Urban Development, you heard it in the name, they should be doing housing…”
As of the House Oversight Committee’s hearing on July 31, 2007, there was still no Memorandum of Understanding with HUD as recommended by the Feb. 2006 Lessons Learned White House Report.
“A reasonable person might think that if FEMA had other options, Gulf Coast Residents living in formaldehyde trailers would have already been moved to alternate housing. Just like every person in this country, FEMA must also have a disaster plan and we should know, before, not after a hurricane, what that plan is,” said Ben Smilowitz, Director, Disaster Accountability Project.
The new, non-partisan Disaster Accountability Project provides accountability and oversight before, during, and after disasters through monitoring and policy research.
A toll-free hotline (866-9-TIP-DAP) is available as a public service for disaster survivors, workers and volunteers to report critical service gaps that must be made public and addressed. The group is also recruiting a network of Disaster Accountability Monitors and Bloggers to help report, verify, and raise awareness about gaps in disaster relief services.
The website is https://disasteraccountability.org.
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