Hurricane Katrina ‘FEMA Trailers’ For Sale In El Paso Area
In 2005, Hurricanes Katrina and Rita left hundreds of thousands of people living in small, government-provided trailer homes.
Later, some of those hurricane victims filed federal lawsuits against the makers of the trailers, citing shoddy construction and exposure to potentially harmful chemicals.
What does this have to do with the borderland?
Some of those controversial trailers have popped up for sale in the El Paso area.
ABC-7 spotted a lot full of the white R-Vs at business called Legacy Homes, off I-10 in Horizon City. Most are for sale at around $5,000.
The owner of Legacy Homes didn’t want to go on camera, but said his company is doing everything according to the law and was given the OK by a judge to sell the trailers.
The chemical concerns came from the use of formaldehyde, typically found in the glue for some floorings and particle board.
Amid complaints, FEMA tested 519 travel trailers of the 120,000 ordered in late 2007 and early 2008.
The results showed average levels of formaldehyde in all units of about 77 parts per billion.
Long-term exposure to levels in this range can be linked to an increased risk of cancer, and as levels rise above this range, there can also be a risk of respiratory illness.
Still, many of the hurricane victims’ lawsuits have been dismissed, and FEMA has been liquidating the trailers.
The owner of Legacy Homes told ABC-7 all travel trailers have formaldehyde in them, adding the R-Vs are not meant to be used as permanent housing.
FEMA says buyers must sign a waiver agreeing that the unit will not be used for any housing.
In a statement, the agency also said, “If the units are resold, the new owners must inform the purchaser that the units are not intended to be used for housing. In addition to signing this agreement, buyers are also given information about how to maintain healthy air quality in their units and are required to pass those materials on to the new owners if the units are resold.”
After calling around, ABC-7 learned only one other R-V business has sold FEMA trailers in the El Paso area but no longer does so.
Attorneys for the hurricane victims are now appealing the dismissal of those federal lawsuits.
