At the state’s request, FEMA provided mobile homes as a last resort to some August 2016 flood survivors who were unable to find temporary housing. Mobile housing units remain a temporary housing resource; the number of survivors who leave units and return home increases daily.
Back Home
- 2,955 households in FEMA-provided mobile homes—more than two-thirds of those who received them—have returned to repaired homes or found other suitable permanent housing.
- Between Jan. 1 and Feb. 14, 2018, there were 620 households who moved from their units, an average of about 15 each day.
- About 700 units—after being cleaned and passing quality inspections—have left Louisiana to help the temporary housing needs of Hurricane Harvey survivors in Texas.
Looking Forward
- FEMA and the state agreed to charge occupants of agency-provided housing $50 per month for rent, effective March 1, 2018.
- Housing program eligibility—and continued occupancy—is determined on a monthly basis for homeowners and on a bi-weekly basis for renters. Occupants must show they are making continuing progress on their permanent housing plan.
Current MHU Statistics
- As of Feb. 14, 1,268 households remain in FEMA-provided mobile homes.
- Households who have more than one unit: 86
- Three parishes account for the majority of units:
- Ascension: 181
- East Baton Rouge: 763
- Livingston: 448
- 1,213 units are on survivors’ properties.
- 228 units are in a commercial mobile home park.
- 12 units are on sites FEMA prepared specifically for mobile homes.
Background: Building a Small City
- At the peak in February 2017, more than 4,300 households called a FEMA-provided unit “home.”
- Overall, FEMA provided mobile homes to 4,490 households across 16 parishes.
- FEMA customized mobile home installations for each household. Measures included outfitting units for those with access and functional needs, transporting units, connecting utilities and securing units to maximize safety.
- Serving a population of about 12,000 survivors, FEMA hauled and installed enough units to create the equivalent of a small city.
- The first household moved into a mobile home on Aug. 24, 2016—less than two weeks after the presidential disaster declaration.
- The final move-in occurred April 14, 2017.
- More than 60 percent of move-ins occurred before 2017.
- At its peak from October 2016 through January 2017, about 220 units were readied and occupied each week.
Statement from FEMA’s Federal Coordinating Officer, John Long
“FEMA recognizes that flood survivors who remain in agency-provided housing are steadily making progress and we commended them for their hard work. We know getting back home is their top priority. We encourage survivors to continue working with our caseworkers who can help make that happen.”
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