Steve Hewitt understands the frustration of Greensburg folk who recently received letters from FEMA informing them the federal government will begin charging rent next month to continue living in the agency-provided mobile homes in “FEMAville.”
He understands, because the Greensburg City Administrator is one of those folks.
Like most of Greensburg’s residents, Hewitt lost his home in the May 4, 2007 tornado, and shortly thereafter became one of the nearly 500 who took up residence in FEMA trailers in the Kellers Subdivision on the southeast edge of town. The agency’s rules dictate such housing can be provided at no cost for up to 18 months after a devastated area has been named a national disaster. That happened the day after the storm, which means Uncle Sam will be looking to collect a monthly rent check starting November 5.
Hewitt will be paying the maximum, or $667 a month, a figure based on HUD’s (Department of Housing and Urban Development) calculation of the fair market value of a three-bedroom home in Kiowa County the day before the storm. While others will be assessed lower rents because of discounts for each dependent under 18 and for being age 65 or older, Hewitt pays the full amount because it doesn’t exceed 30 percent of his take home pay.
As for whether he considers the figure reasonable, Hewitt gave a mixed response.
“At first glance it doesn’t seem right, but then you stop and think of what it would take to rent a nice three-bedroom house here,” he said. “And that seems all right until you again stop and think of what you’re getting for that $667. You’re not getting a three-bedroom house but a medium-size mobile home. I don’t think it’s worth it. Still, I’m glad to have it.”
Hewitt hopes to be out of the trailer park and moved into his new home by the “end of the year.” Others, however, can’t afford to wait that long.
Mike Swigart is one of those determined to move out before the first rent check comes due. Though his house is only “half-finished inside,” he hopes to move into it by the end of this month.
“The upstairs is pretty much done and we have three bedrooms and two bathrooms up there,” he said, “and the kitchen’s about finished. I’ll just work at night finishing it up while we’re living there.”
With three teenagers Swigart is grateful for at least having two of this planned three-and-a-half bathrooms ready for use.
“They (FEMA) contacted me about figuring out what my rent would be with the three kids, but I told them to forget it,” he said. “I don’t care if it’s $500 or $300. I can’t afford to pay my mortgage, taxes and utilities and then come up with rent money besides.”
Swigart had been figuring on not owing rent until February because of his mistaken understanding the 18-month clock start ticking once a family had moved into its mobile home, rather than with the pronouncement of national disaster designation. Though FEMA’s rental letter came as a shock, he knows others in the trailer community are in more dire straits than he’s facing.
“My concern is there’s others out there whose homes aren’t as far along as mine, or don’t having any place to go at all,” he said. “So I don’t have it so bad.”
Hewitt, meanwhile, said he’s spoken to FEMA officials about lowering the rent, and has sought the help of Kansas’ congressional delegation in persuading the agency toward that end.
“The local (FEMA) folks are sympathetic to our situation,” he said, “but this has to come down from D.C. and that doesn’t happen overnight. They say Washington is looking into it and I’m hoping to hear something back in a few days.”
Meanwhile, a nagging question in the back of Hewitt’s mind is how much longer those paying rent will be allowed to stay in the temporary community that has shrunk from an August 2007 high of over 200 trailers to a current count of 69.
“I’m hoping they don’t kick them out when the second anniversary comes around next May,” he said. “I know they told us we needed to be looking for housing when we moved in there. But it’s taking longer for some folks.
“I hope FEMA can lower the rent, and I hope they can give folks more than a few more months to work something out. Not everybody can come back from this as fast as they’d like.”
Greensburg, KS —
