FEMA Katrina Trailer Camps Post Index - Polly Auyeung

This post is to provide a brief summary of the FEMA Katrina Trailer Camps and link to more in-depth posts on the blog. Cited sources for each category are in the linked posts.

Subject: FEMA Trailer Camps (site photographs)

Architect: There were many levels of bureaucracy which all played a factor in the creation of the camps. However one of the key decision makers was Michael Brown, the now former FEMA director. (bio)

Purpose: After Hurricane Katrina, a Category 3 storm, hit the gulf coast of the united states, many people lost their homes. Roughly 700 000 applied to FEMA for housing assistance. The organization had to provide temporary housing for the displaced citizens. Trailers were chosen as the main option. (Hurricane Katrina context), (FEMA definition of a trailer),

Size and Scale: The trailers were small and compact so they could easily be stacked and transported to the camp site. The model we are studying is 32' x 8' x 11'4". (FEMA trailer specs), (trailer plan), (trailer elevations)

Timeline: After Hurricane Katrina, the camps were set up weeks later. With an original closing deadline of 18 months after the storm, there are still residents today living in dilapitated FEMA trailers. (Timeline of FEMA's efforts), (trailers still in use)

Construction: Some of the trailers used for the FEMA efforts were pre-existing vehicles. The others were manufactured in various parts of North America including Goshen, IN. These trailers are constructed of low grade aluminum siding, chipboard, and vinyl.  (construction details), (trailer 3D render), (trailer wall detail)

Address, Location and Site: FEMA Camps are located across the United States but the majority are near the Gulf Coast. They are set up wherever possible: school yards, existing trailer parks, parking lots... For that reason, the lack of officially divulged information makes many of the camps hard to track. Often the sites were not initially designed to hold many people but they are forced there anyways. They pack as many trailers as possible into the site to maximize efficiency and cost-saving over comfort. (potential camp beside oil refinery), (camp site plan), (FEMA camp grid parti), (inprisonment parti)

FEMA's Poor Management: The victims that are in the most need of housing are being evicted from FEMA's temporary housing even though the permanent housing has not been established yet. The over all poor construction, lack of amenities, and unhealthy environments are all part of FEMA's poor management in the Katrina crisis. (New Orleans: poverty and flooding), (trailers vs. houses), (formaldehyde in trailers), (Renaissance Village timeline), (residents forced to evict)

Relationship to the Site: FEMA trailers are immobile until the residents move out. The organization moved and anchored the trailers to the ground. As they are property of FEMA, residents cannot move them. Over time trailers are added and subtracted. Some still exist in camps today. (Fema trailer immobility), (FEMA camps over time compared to Airstream)

The Changing Concept of Trailers - Polly Auyeung

While airstream trailers are superior to the models used in FEMA camps, using airstreams in the camps would not make them significantly better places to live. Similarly if average trailers were used as travelling shelters, people would still find them enjoyable. What needs to be questioned is the concept of the trailer, its purpose. By altering the conditions of its use, it affects how the trailer is perceived. The trailer (especially the Airstream) was originally designed to prompt americans to travel, to explore the land, "to place the great wide world at [their] doorsteps". As a FEMA camp unit, it was valued for its cheap production, easy transportation to the site, and packing efficiancy. Without the choice of movement, the fundamental idea of the trailer is lost. So though it succeeds as a luxurious, nomadic shelter, it is a failure when it's a cheap alternative to a fixed address.

FEMA vs. Airstream - Juan Pablo Uribe

Movement - Giles Hall

MOBILITY

IMMOBILITY

FEMA Trailer 3D Render - Juan Pablo Uribe

Compared to the Airstream's curved, single shell aluminum structure, the Springdale trailer is made up of a simple boxy structure clad with cheap aluminum siding.

FEMA Camp Parti (Imprisonment) - Polly Auyeung

Typical FEMA Trailer Elevations (Springdale 242FWRLSSR 2010) - Megan Baker

FEMA Camp Site Plan - Iggy So

FEMA Trailer Wall Detail - Felix Cheong

FEMA Trailer Plan - Polly Auyeung

FEMA Trailer Site Immobility - Giles Hall

FEMA Camp Parti (Grid Organization) - Polly Auyeung

A Comparison of Postcards - Andreea Toca

[1]

[2]

Media References

1. Cafepress. "Camp Fema". Cafepress.com. 2009

http://images2.cafepress.com/product/109675032v1_480x480_Front.jpg (Accessed January 20, 2010)

2. Gtykal. "Airstream Postcard 3." Flickr. December 3, 2008.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/30848961@N04/3079663368/in/set-72157610674668116/ (Accessed January 20, 2010)

FEMA Trailer Detail - Felix Cheong

The following link goes to the patent application of a FEMA trailer construction method for the wall and how it connects.

Information Sources
Haub, Gregory et. al. "TRAILER, WALL CONSTRUCTION AND MANUFACTURING METHOD". Free Patents Online. 2008.
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/20090260305.pdf (Accessed January 13, 2010)

FEMA and Airstream Camps over Time - Polly Auyeung

While Airstream gatherings set up and leave within a week, many Katrina camps still exist despite their original deadline of 18 months. Airstream camps are in blue, FEMA's are in red.

2005-2007

A month by month timeline can be downloaded here

A FEMA Camp Timeline - Polly Auyeung

The article sourced outlines the timeline of the Renaissance Village FEMA Camp from its creation in Sept. 2005 to March 2008, when the article was researched.

Key dates to be noted:
Sept. 2005: construction begins
Oct. 2005: the camp finally opens, almost two months after the hurricane
Dec. 2005: the fire department declares it will no longer service the site
Feb. 2006: FEMA starts charging for propane
April 2006: federal contractor stops delivering meals; it is also the official deadline for closing the camp
Aug. 2007: almost 500 trailers still remain occupied
Feb. 2008: high levels of formaldehyde are found in some trailers
Mar. 2008: trailer park occupancy drops below 200 for the first time

Information Sources
1. Barrow, Bill. "FEMA to close Renaissance Village trailer site May 31". The Times-Picayune. April 8, 2008.
http://blog.nola.com/news_impact/2008/04/RENAISSANCETL040908.pdf (Accessed January 18, 2010)

Timeline of FEMA's Relief Effort - Polly Auyeung

August 29, 2005
Hurricane Katrina hits Southeast Louisiana. Thousands of residents are displaced from their homes. Temporary emergency centres are set up in stadiums, community centres, churches, and anywhere that isn't destroyed.

Sept 12, 2005
FEMA's director, Michael Brown, resigns.

October 2005
Many of the first FEMA trailer camps open to respond to more than 700 000 emergency housing applications. However there were too few facilities, and overcrowding occured in many camps.

December 2006
Camps are at their 18 month closing deadline. However more than half of the trailer residents are still there. FEMA slowly begins removing utilities and facilities.

February 2008
With many residents still in the park almost three years after the storm, investigators find high levels of formaldehyde in the trailers.

Information Sources
1. Barrow, Bill. "FEMA to close Renaissance Village trailer site May 31". The Times-Picayune. April 8, 2008.
http://www.nola.com/news/index.ssf/2008/04/fema_to_close_renaissance_vill.html (Accessed January 18, 2010)

The Overall Idea? - Polly Auyeung

For a piece of architecture that is designed with an ideal in mind, there will always be people who find an alternative function for it. The trailer and especially the Airstream was originally designed to prompt americans to explore, "to place the great wide world at [their] doorsteps". But FEMA officials noticed the economical side of the design. Trailers modified to their bare minimums could be produced quickly and cheaply, transported easily, and packed tightly to make emergency camps.

Without the choice of "movement", the trailer, originally a permanently temporary shelter (forever travelling) has become a temporarily permanent structure. Instead of inspiring freedom it evokes desolation. Instead of fostering strong communities bonded by their love of travel, trailer camps produce social isolation.

Formaldehyde problem in FEMA trailers - Milda Miskinyte

The levels of formaldehyde are so high in FEMA trailers that even employees aren't allowed to enter for long periods of time.

Information Sources:
Project Katrina. "FEMA's Formaldehyde Trailer Emails Exposed." Youtube. 2007

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c4lTNVlld-k (Accessed January 12, 2010)

Official FEMA statistics - Milda Miskinyte

Below is an excerpt from the Frequently Requested National Statistics: Hurricane Katrina by FEMA

Frequently Requested National Statistics Hurricane Katrina – One Year Later

Fact Sheet

Individuals and Households Program – 950,000 eligible & $6 billion in assistance

FEMA has provided nearly $6 billion directly to Hurricane Katrina victims for housing and other needs assistance through the Individuals and Households Assistance Program. The more than $6 billion provided to victims of Hurricane Katrina is the most ever provided by FEMA for any single natural disaster. In all, nearly 950,000 applicants were determined eligible for assistance under the Individuals and Households Program.

• Housing -- $4.2 billion: Housing assistance covers temporary housing, repair, replacement and permanent housing construction.
• FEMA has provided nearly $4.2 billion to nearly 950,000 applicants for housing assistance following Hurricane Katrina
• FEMA has paid out $1.3 billion to nearly 550,000 applicants in Louisiana and Mississippi under the DHS Transitional Housing program for homes that were inaccessible to inspectors due to persistent flooding.
• Other Needs Assistance -- $1.9 billion: This money is used to cover medical, mental health, transportation and
  other expenses related to disasters.
• Assistance to nearly 420,000 households provided nearly $ 1.9 billion total for “Other Needs Assistance.”

Hotel Motel Program – 85,000 households & $650 million

• FEMA has paid more than $650 million for hotel/motel rooms to date; At its peak in October, 2005, FEMA provided hotel/motel rooms for 85,000 households in need of short-term sheltering.

Housing Inspections and Repair – 1.3 million inspections

• Since Hurricane Katrina 1.3 million housing inspections have been completed in Alabama, Louisiana and Mississippi.

Travel Trailers and Mobile Homes– 101,174 households (Currently Occupied) *Section revised on 8/25/06

• There are 101,174 travel trailers and mobile homes serving as temporary housing for Hurricane Katrina victims, outnumbering any housing mission in FEMA’s history. The following shows number of units currently occupied as of 8/17/06:
  
• Louisiana Total – 64,150
• Mobile Home – 3,169
• Travel Trailers – 60,981
• Mississippi Total – 36,127
• Mobile Home – 4,709
• Travel Trailers – 31,418
• Alabama – 897
• Mobile Homes – 0
• Travel Trailers -- 897

Of those households occupying travel trailers and mobile homes, there are:

• 15,000 households in Group/Commercial Sites:
• 9,344 in Louisiana
• 5,507 in Mississippi
• 149 in Alabama
• 83,962 households in Private Sites:
• 52,594 in Louisiana
• 30,620 in Mississippi
• 748 in Alabama
• 2,212 households in Industry Sites located in Louisiana.
  

Travel Trailers and Mobile Homes– 121,922 households (Cumulative Leases ) *New section on 8/25/06

• 121,922 travel trailers and mobile homes have served as temporary housing for Hurricane Katrina victims, outnumbering any housing mission in FEMA’s history. The following shows the cumulative number of units used as of 8/25/06.
  
  
  
  • Louisiana Total – 71,134
  • Mobile Home – 3,514
  • Travel Trailers – 67,620
  • Mississippi Total – 48,274
    
  • Mobile Home – 6,300
  • Travel Trailers – 41,974
  • Alabama – 2,514
    
  • Mobile Homes – 0
  • Travel Trailers – 2,514
  
  

Of those households occupying travel trailers and mobile homes, there were:

• 19,074 households in Group/Commercial Sites:
• 10,976 in Louisiana
• 7,242 in Mississippi
• 856 in Alabama
• 99,959 households in Private Sites:
  
• 57,269 in Louisiana
• 41,032 in Mississippi
• 1,658 in Alabama
• 2,889 households in Industry Sites located in Louisiana.
  

Cruise Ships – Housing over 7,000 households

• For the initial six months after Hurricane Katrina, FEMA used cruise ships to house evacuees, workers from the City of New Orleans and St. Bernard Parish, and first responders and their families, totaling more than 7,000 workers and families.

Public Assistance Projects -- $4.8 billion

• More than $4.8 billion has been “mission assigned” for public infrastructure projects, such as debris removal and restoration of roads, bridges and public utilities. This total nearly doubles the combined total of $2.6 billion allocated for public assistance projects from the 2004 hurricanes across 15 states, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Debris Clean-up – 99 million cubic yards

• Since Hurricane Katrina, more than 99 million cubic yards of debris have been removed in Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana, paying out $3.7 billion to date.

Crisis Counseling $126 Million

• After Hurricane Katrina, 50 States, Puerto Rico, and the District of Columbia were eligible to apply for CCP grants to serve victims in the disaster area and displaced evacuees in other locations. Currently, more than $126 million in Federal crisis counseling support has been approved thus far. This funding allows States to have the flexibility to develop service programs including outreach, counseling, support groups, and public education most appropriate for the hurricane evacuees within their State. (Updated – September 8, 2006)

Evacuation Reimbursements -$735 million to Evacuee Host States

• FEMA public assistance reimbursed more than $735 million to 45 states and the District of Columbia for sheltering and emergency protective measures taken during the evacuation of the Gulf Coast and for ongoing sheltering initiatives directly following Hurricane Katrina. This is in addition to funds obligated to Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama totaling nearly $1.75 billion for emergency sheltering operations.

Expedited Assistance - $1.6 billion

• Through Expedited Assistance, FEMA's accelerated method of disbursing disaster assistance, FEMA provided more than $1.6 billion to 803,470 individuals and households to help the evacuees meet immediate emergency needs, such as housing, food and clothing.

Disaster Unemployment Assistance - $410 Million

• FEMA has obligated more than $410 million to support DUA expenditures for Hurricane Katrina victims. (Updated – September 8, 2006)

Information Sources:
FEMA. "Frequently Requested National Statistics: Hurricane Katrina - One Year Later". FEMA. June 4, 2009
http://www.fema.gov/hazard/hurricane/2005katrina/anniversary_factsheet.shtm (Accessed January 12, 2010)