Still many familys in Florida dont have a house

[cycloneye]

PORT CHARLOTTE, Florida (AP) -- Nearly three months after Hurricane Charley devastated parts of southwestern Florida, hundreds of people displaced by the storm still have not received temporary housing.

About 650 people have been placed in travel trailers or mobile homes in Charlotte County, one of the hardest-hit counties, but about 500 more units are needed, said Dennis Kizziah, manager for the Port Charlotte field office of the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

Ben Davis, a FEMA strike team leader, said officials are still going door to door to assess the need in Charlotte County. Many of those displaced are staying with family and friends, renting apartments or staying at motels.

DeSoto County has 2,344 people who qualify for temporary housing, but only 758 who have requested it. So far, 341 have been supplied with travel trailers. In Hardee County, 147 of the 265 people who have requested temporary housing have been supplied with trailers, Kizziah said.

Hurricane Charley blasted through the three counties August 13, destroying thousands of structures.

U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson, a Democrat from Florida, said the delay was unacceptable.

"The question that has to be asked, 90 days after the hurricane, is why are we only able to supply travel trailers and mobile homes to half the people who need them?" Nelson said.



Wow after Charlry almost three months back and those people dont have a house yet.I hope that they have a house very soon but I know that the burocracy is the order of the day and things tend to be slow.

[yoda]

I agree. That is unacceptable. That is sad news to hear as well.

[CharleySurvivor]

I live in Charlotte County and it is sad to read that.

We have the hardest time getting quotes for a new roof also. Those who are lucky enough to get a quote and choose a contractor still have to wait 2 to 3 months before they will come and put the new roof on.

It's a good thing rain season is over because there would be a lot more problems with housing.

[BaltimoreGirl]

Hate to tell you guys, it's apt to get worse. It's over a year since Isabel hit here in Matyland, and I still have neighbors who are technically homeless (living in either trailers or in FEMA funded apartments).

On my street alone, only about 5 of the 20 homes that were damaged beyond repair, have been rebuilt. Several of those have been leveled and all that is left is an empty lot. Others just sit empty. Of about 70 homes in the subdivision where I live, who sustained flood/wind damage, only about 1/2 of them have been repaired.

To be honest, I don't know why these homes haven't been repaired. Could be financial? I know it took us almost 9 months to get a contrator to do some of the major work on our house(stuff that we couldn't do), and we had to refinance the house to pay for it. The money from insurance and FEMA just wasn't enough to cover it all.