Another government failed program.

[Cowboy]

On craigslist no less.

http://wichita.craigslist.org/rvd/2805986916.html
The US Government purchased over 140,000 travel trailers after recent hurricanes to be used as temporary housing. These FEMA trailers are now for sale to the general public. Click here for important information regarding these travel trailers




The U.S. government has disposed of over 140,000 trailers purchased after Hurricane Katrina that were built and ordered for temporary housing but now labeled "not suitable for housing". Federal authorities went to great lengths to purchase labels and warning signs for these trailers in an effort to avoid lawsuits from future buyers. The U.S. government also chose not to sell them to the retail public in another move to avoid consumer suits, rather selling them in bulk to opportunity seeking investors who are now attempting to auction these units to uneducated buyers. Many of these investors purchased these FEMA trailers for between $500 and $1000 each and are now selling them through auctions between $2,500 to $5,000 each.

We do not feel like it is our place to tell you what to buy and what not to buy. But we do feel like a properly educated consumer is good for the entire RV industry. Camperland of Oklahoma DID NOT purchase any FEMA trailers for resale as most consumers do not realize what the real challenges of purchasing these FEMA trailers entail. This is why we have taken the time to post the following information.
http://www.camperlandok.com/pages/fematrailersforsale.htm

 

[joec]

Pretty much like Andrew, temporary trailer for Homestead residents only to ban all trailer from Homestead. The only time FEMA worked was under Clinton.

 

[FrancSevin]

The Building materials used in FEMA are tha same as those used in recreational campers.

However,

FEMA trailers are NOT CAMPERS. They have no holding tanks and are generaly set up for 220volt hook ups. They make lousy campers for these reasons as well as having few windows, heavy weight, and lousy suspensions making them poor choices for trailering.

But,

They make great weekend and hunter's cabins.

I looked into this for my SW MO ranch but prices then were not at $2-3 K but more like $5-6K. For $6K I bought a 32 foot park model "CAMPER" instead, which had all the goodies.

This is only some of the reasons they did not sell.

The Katrina Temp Housing bubble was a Bush administration reaction to the fuss over FEMA not being "ready" for the disaster. This along with $2,000 credit cards for victims is just part and parcel of the current mentality of what the Feds must do when stupid, dependent, people make bad choices.

And this is the cost when their local, State and federal bureaucrats make up hasty stupid solutions, during a Crisis, to get re-elected. When we get done with the current group managing the "crisis"in Washington, the costs will make the Katrina stupidity comparatively insignificant.

 

[Cowboy]

This video is at the link as well, kind of describes why they are POS trailers. But then again Our government never has been very smart when it comes to spending our money.

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UQQcT0Tgpp4&feature=player_embedded"]FEMA Trailer Workers Speak Out - YouTube[/ame]

 

[FrancSevin]

Pretty much like Andrew, temporary trailer for Homestead residents only to ban all trailer from Homestead. The only time FEMA worked was under Clinton.

In what disaster did the Clinton/FEMA work so well Joe?

 

[joec]

It sure wasn't during Andrew which I went through as that was Bush 1. I wasn't around any under Clinton but he got rave reviews when it was needed mostly due to the fact he put an expert in as head of it, instead of some political hack. Now if you need more wait a day and look it up.

 

[bczoom]

Under Clinton, didn't they just hand out a wad of cash for mid-west floods?

 

[joec]

Under Clinton, didn't they just hand out a wad of cash for mid-west floods?

Sure the same as they did with the recent flooding in Texas also. At least they was there with the cash in a timely manner unlike during Katrina. Oh wait wasn't the president and VP as well as most of the government on vacation at that time?

 

[FrancSevin]

It sure wasn't during Andrew which I went through as that was Bush 1. I wasn't around any under Clinton but he got rave reviews when it was needed mostly due to the fact he put an expert in as head of it, instead of some political hack. Now if you need more wait a day and look it up.

Andrew was bad yes, but nothing even close to the disaster of Katrina. And Fema'srecord there wshardly perfect. But we did't notice cause thenews was focused on the bad building codes and insurance companies who threatened to abandon the state altogeter.
But, by comparison;

New Orleans alone was far more devestating than all of Andrew in dollars and personal suffering. But Katrina involved 5 states of long term recovery from the flooding alone. The event was Hugely more complex, involved fivetims the people, all over a much larger geography.

And then there was the stupidiy of the local population. A mayor whofailedto evacuate the civilians and then told them to go to thebiggest building inthe city to take shelter from tornadoes and hurricane winds. I guess he thought the Dome would prove it's history. Unlikely to be the sight of a touchdown.

In the end, what made New Orleans and surrounds such a disaster was not only a perfect storm but decades of thelocals ignoring the clear threa of receiving sucha perfect storm. And, when it was over busses that could have saved lives were under water, a third of the police and first responders called in sick, and the mayor hid under his desk.

The scope of Katrina, amplified by the totaly inept government of Louisianna and New Orleans, was beyond any anticipated preplanning. Imagine FEMA asking for 10 times their normal budget,for a "just in case we really frack up" preparedness plan.


As for FEMA it had already received expanded funding under the Homeland security agenda,,,,,I doubt any Congress would have passed such additional spending legislation. Back in 2003 we, and a few in Congress, still had some concept of Natioanl Debt and it's effect on the economy.

Bush met Katrina with the same level of resources FDR met WWII. With what we had after years of passive neglect by those tht allocatethe money. And then he fired up the industries to produce more than what was required to overwhelm the problem, and eventually, win the day.

I would think it better to have more trailers than we needed, just as in War it was better to have more ships planes and bombs than was needed.

All of the above is an old argument. As old as the Bullshit charges that sparked it.

I would love to get on WIKI and othe sites to back it up but many are inaccessable today. My apologies.