Responding to the need to provide housing for over 600 families in Joplin, Missouri, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) will utilize its existing inventory of Temporary Housing Units to build a large, temporary manufactured home community on a 50 acre parcel of city owned land. A number of existing manufactured home communities are also being utilized for the temporary housing units. In addition, the Missouri Public Service Commission has expedited permitting and other regulatory requirements to facilitate the construction of a permanent modular housing development in the city of Joplin.
FEMA has an existing stock of over 3,000 temporary units that it is using to assist disaster survivors suffering from recent weather related disasters throughout the South and Midwest. Flooding in North Dakota, Missouri and Iowa will also necessitate the need for the FEMA units which are provided to disaster survivors when no other existing rental housing is available.
FEMA is considering a new Request for Proposal for temporary manufactured housing units. In the meantime, it will relying on its existing inventory.
For additional information, members can contact Lois Starkey at 703-558-0654 or lstarkey@mfghome.org.
This week, Senator Shelby (R-AL) introduced legislation that would use tax relief to aid in the recovery from the tornadoes and flooding that have devastated parts of the Southeast in recent months.
The Southeastern Disaster Tax Relief Act of 2011 would provide assistance to families, businesses and local governments as they recover from the tragic storms. Senators Sessions (R-AL), Pryor (D-AR), Boozman (R-AR), Isakson (R-GA), Chambliss (R-GA), McCaskill (D-MO), Blunt (R-MO), Hagan (D-NC), Inhofe (R-OK) are original cosponsors of the bill.
The legislation consists of temporary tax provisions that were enacted as part of previous bipartisan natural disaster response bills. The cost is fully offset by using unobligated federal funds, and it will not increase the federal debt. The benefits in this legislation would apply to individuals and businesses that are located in declared disaster areas and were eligible for individual assistance through FEMA for storms between April 13 and June 7. Several key provisions include allowing penalty-free withdrawals from retirement plans, and special tax deductions for losses on home and property.
For additional information, members can contact Jason Boehlert at 703-558-0660 or jboehlert@mfghome.org or Rae Ann Bevington at 703-558-0675 or rebevington@mfghome.org.
