Posted by Mike B. on 11/21/07

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Here's one for those who are considering buying FEMA
trailers.

MONROE(TV8) -Earlier this month, a TV8 News special
investigation uncovered a design flaw on the vast majority
of FEMA mobile homes in the gulf coast region. We reported
that the flaw may lead to a build up of potientally toxic
levels of mold.

Tonight, a follow up: TV8's Stephen Mayer finds FEMA has
been selling these design-flawed mobiles homes to the
public, in spite of shocking test results from house
trailers right here in Ouachita Parish.

Since our report, building science expert Bobby Parks
examined the inside of walls for two mobile homes located
at the Double K Estate in Ouachita Parish. his results are
stunning.

Parks explains, "What we found was the wall cavities were
anywhere from 10-30,000 times higher on one specific mold
spore than what was found on the outside. This is very
indicative of a wall that is exposed to an elevated level
of moisture."

What may be more stunning is the fact that FEMA is trying
to sell these homes to unsuspecting residents.

FEMA's website says it has temporarily suspended the sale
of travel trailers and mobile homes until further notice.

But just last week, Leon Andrews, who lives in a FEMA
trailer at the Double K Estate trailer park, received a fax
from FEMA, offering to sell him the three-bedroom mobile
home for $9,750. This, even though testing found its walls
contaminated with mold, which Parks says poses a potential
health risk.

Parks says, "Young children that have weak immune systems
to start with have not built up yet, elderly people who
have respiratory compromises become very susceptible to
what is called a sick building syndrome."

But FEMA spokesman Ronnie Simpson told TV8 News mold can
form in any housing structure.

Simpson says, "Mold and moisture and humidity I mean they
are all related. Certainly when it comes to housing it is
not an unusual thing to find."

FEMA's offer tells Andrews a representative from its
housing sales office would contact him to arrange a closing
date to finalize the purchase of the housing unit.

FEMA's spokesman says the agency is just trying to provide
more permanent housing for displaced residents.

Simpson says,"If in fact it is fine for us to sell them we
want to know who would like to buy them. The sales program
is a very small part of what we do to help recovering
families move on to some permanent housing."

And, to recoup some of the money the federal government has
spent on what Bobby Parks says are design-flawed mobile
homes.

If you live in a travel trailer or mobile home and suspect
there may be mold problems, call the fema travel trailer
hotline toll-free at 888 294 2822.

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