Repeating the past's mistakes? FEMA still lacks a viable disaster housing plan

A month into the 2009 hurricane season, and almost four years since hurricanes Katrina and Rita blew threw the Gulf Coast, federal authorities still aren't ready to handle another Katrina-scale disaster. On Wednesday, Federal Emergency Management Agency representatives testified before lawmakers at a House hearing, detailing how FEMA is not ready to provide emergency housing in the event of a massive hurricane or an earthquake, nor does it have a coordinated plan to quickly get people permanent housing after such a disaster. In fact federal authorities could repeat some of the same mistakes that followed Hurricane Katrina unless it establishes a better plan for housing people after major disasters. According to Homeland Security inspector general Richard Skinner, FEMA relies too heavily on costly programs to provide trailers and mobile homes to survivors. "FEMA does not have sufficient tools, operational procedures, and legislative authorities to aggressively promote the cost-effective repair of housing stocks, which would increase the amount of housing available and likely limit increases in the cost of housing, particularly rental rates," Skinner said in his testimony.