If my house was blown away and someone offered me a 28 foot travel trailor for free. I would be grateful. I would camp out in it and then when I got my house re-built keep it for traveling. I lived in a mobile home in 82 . The roof was blown up during a hurricane and it flooded. We lived, with 3 kids in a hotel room at night and a pop up during the day while we repaired. No insurance. What's wrong with these people. Help yourself. FEMA wasn't designed to be a long time welfare.
Going to get me a tow truck!
This is disgusting.
These things are park model mobile homes, or what was called previously "Shotgun Shacks". They were disqualified by countless counties and municipalities since the late 70's as too small (under 650 sq ft) for single land use, but now the same municipalities are screaming for them.
PLUS:..... They go for less than $30,000.00 ANYWHERE. Where the hell do these freaks get off charging $60,000.00???? Oh, I forgot, it's the corruption capital of the USA. Silly me.
here's a quick link to just one manufacturer
http://www.charioteagle.com/
400 sq. ft for $60,000? That's $150/sq. ft.! Oh, wait, the good old US taxpayer is paying for it so rip-offs are to be expected. Nothing is ever good enough for these professional hurricane victims.
LOoking at history and the great mess Mexicans have always made of their country, I would not want to live in Mexico.
Soon however, when all of the Barrios are emptied into the U. S. Mexico might be the best place to go.
i'd take the trailer and move away from the coast.
There is a video in this link:
http://www.wpmi.com/mediacenter/default.aspx?videoId=156563
Here's an idea, how about Jake and his girlfriend working 2 jobs each, then they can afford a nice study apartment instead.
Hey Jake get up off your well muscled posterior and move somewhere else..get a job (you do know what that is) and start living for a change instead of extending the hand for a handout from the taxpayers.
How about NOT.
According to the Department of Homeland Security, at least $108 Billion Dollars has already been allocated, and mostly spent, "for relief, recovery and rebuilding" -- http://www.dhs.gov/interweb/assetlibrary/katrina.htm.
Since the Federal Government already is running a massive Deficit, if you want to put that in terms of "Personal Dollars", just imagine that the Federal Government just added another $350 or so to your own personal credit-card debt. Oh, and your wife's. And your kids, every one of them -- $350 bucks apiece. Everyone in your Family, and that's just this year -- and that's just for Katrina alone; the fact is, Bush Junior is running the Biggest Deficits in History on all fronts -- how about an extra $1,000 per year in Debt for every single Member of your Family, each year, every year that Bush Junior is in Office? YEAH!! Okay, Charley, tell them what they've won...
...OHHH! I'm Sorry, that's the Double-Whammy of Massive Debt and Hyper-Inflation!! Yes, please proceed DIRECTLY to "Third-World Country"; do not pass Go, do not collect $200 Dollars (the Currency is Devalued anyway, so what's the point...).
Yet another stupid Federal Boondoggle, as if we weren't tap-dancing on the edge of Bankruptcy already.
Now, me, I'm virtually an Anarchist -- I don't believe in "Federal Bail-outs" AT ALL. I pay good money for my House Insurance, living right here in Oklahoma Tornado Alley, so I don't really see why I should have to pay for bailing out a bunch of stupid yokels who CHOSE to build their City twelve feet below sea-level in the middle of a critical Flood Zone.
However, my young Jedi Paduan "Jude24" is not so much an Anarchist as I am, so here's a "Minarchist" Libertarian Solution -- $25,000 Dollars in Cash, apiece!!
At the highest estimates, there are "only" Two Million Displaced Persons: (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/01/12/AR2006011201912.html); and the Home and Business Owners are already covered by Insurance. And for that matter, 60% of former Residents of New Orleans do not WANT to move back (of course, if they are dependent on the Government, and the Government rebuilds New Orleans and dictates their Housing, then they won't have much Choice). Howzabout, instead of attempting a massive Government Re-Building Program... we just give every single Refugee $25,000 in Cash, trust the Free Market, and call it a day?
Hey, single apartment-dweller... Here's $25 Grand -- Go live somewhere else!! You've got a Wife, and Two Kids? Okay, here's $100 Thousand Dollars in Cash -- Go live somewhere else!!
Total Cost, assuming a maximum estimate of two million Displaced Persons? $50 Billion Dollars TOTAL COST, or Less than Half of the Cost of the existing Federal Bail-Out, So Far.
Honestly, aside from the lack of Federal Contracts to be divvied out among favored Contributors... what would be wrong with this idea? (Seriously... I'm curious).
Best, OP
Seems to me the best thing for the victems of Katrina and the most merciful thing for the tax-payers, would be to buy these folks a minivan to hook onto their 28 ft trailers, so they can get the hell out of Dodge before Katrina II slides off the coast of Africa and heads for New Orleans- and a chit for ten thousand dollars, for gas , Big Macs along the way, and a lot for the trailer upon arrival in the promised land.
$75,000??? (cough, choke) What the dickens are they spending that kind of money for? I am sorry for Katrina and all, and aid is one thing, but that kind of money can buy a real house around here.