FEMA Residents React to New Plan | Video

Julie Leonardi | 11/21/2012

Senator John Hoeven announced yesterday a plan to give FEMA residents the chance to have permanent housing, and hopefully give them one more option for the future. “They`ll donate about 250 of these homes to people that are low income. The other 200 will be sold to the individuals that are renting them for an income adjusted price,” he said.

Most residents in the Virgil Workman Village were unaware of the plan, but say they would be happy to have a permanent home, they just don`t have many options. Joann Roerick, a resident of the village, said, “If they could donate the trailer to us and we can live here, it would be fine with us. I don`t know what other alternative we have.”

Another resident, Shirly Griffitt said, “There`s young people out here, down the street that have two or three kids and they can`t find anything, rent is just too high.”

The plan entails updating utilities in the village as well as paving the roads. Roerick is struggling because she’s still paying for the reconstruction of her home, and would appreciate a donated trailer. “We`re still paying a mortgage, taxes, and insurance, on a house we can`t live in. It`s not my home, but it`s a house and it’s a roof over our head and at least we get to be together.”

The plan should be finalized within the next six months.

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