Greensburg — The Federal Emergency Management Agency plans to start charging rent for its trailers being used by Greensburg residents displaced by last year's tornado.
FEMA officials said Friday that the change is triggered by the approaching end of the program providing the trailers.
FEMA can provide the trailers for 18 months free and an additional six months with rent charges, they said.
The massive twister all but wiped out the southwest Kansas town in May 2007. With the 18-month mark approaching, FEMA sent a letter saying trailer residents would begin paying rent.
Rent varies according to a family's net income and the federal government's calculation of fair market rental prices for a given county. It's at least $50 and, for Greensburg, up to $667 a month.
Tom Costello, FEMA's director of disaster assistance, said the payment is limited to 30 percent of a family's net income, adjusted downward for each child and person 65 or older.
Only a handful of the 69 trailers still in Greensburg will rent for $667 a month, he said.
But resident Jackie Scheuerman said told Wichita television's KSNW that she plans on moving out of her FEMA trailer to avoid having to pay an "outrageous" amount for rent because she needs the money to finish rebuilding her home. Instead, she and her family will live in their half-finished house.
And City Administrator Steve Hewitt questions whether $667 per month is fair market value for Kansas and Greensburg, and he's trying to convince the agency to lower the price.
"I just don't want to lose citizens," Hewitt said.
Comments
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Coach_Eric (anonymous) says…
Hey, FEMA, you can't see it, but I'm extending both middle fingers to you, right now.Bastards.
The_Original_Bob (anonymous) says…
I understand why FEMA has a limit on this, but the city, county, and state have taken forever to approve zoning ordinances and building permits. There are only so many builders willing to build houses in a place where the nearest hotel rooms for workers are 25 miles away. FEMA should lay off until next year.
Gootsie (anonymous) says…
Maybe they should furnish some trailers for the workers, TOB! What is the reasoning behind the difference in rent charge? Aren't they all alike? I haven't been through there for a while.
The_Original_Bob (anonymous) says…
"What is the reasoning behind the difference in rent charge? Aren't they all alike? I haven't been through there for a while."30% of income.
imastinker (anonymous) says…
They should be charging for the trailers, but 667/month is too much. I can rent a nice 2 bedroom house in a good area for that, and a big house in small towns for that.