By Krystal Allan - bio | email

BILOXI, MS (WLOX) -  Community activists took their fight for FEMA trailer residents from the streets of Biloxi to the council chambers Tuesday.

 "People are in a situation where they are trying to fight for whatever home they have," said Charmel Goulden with Gulf Coast Fair Housing.

Activists representing more than 30 organizations held a news conference Tuesday morning protesting an ordinance being pushed by the Biloxi's Community Development office. The ordinance would give people 60 days to either find new housing, or move their current FEMA trailer or camper into a RV park.

"You are fighting your community, your property and your lives," said Roberta Avila, Executive Director for Mississippi Coast Interfaith Disaster Task Force.  

The activists brought their protest to the front steps of 83-year-old Chuck Rogers FEMA trailer.  He's one of just 41 Biloxi residents still living in the temporary housing provided by the government after Katrina.    

"I'm not snowballing anybody. I'm just trying to live here on this thing until I can get a little house built," Rodgers said.  

The housing advocates said Rodgers represents those likely to be adversely impacted if they were to lose their temporary permit housing permits in 60 days - the elderly, disabled and those with limited incomes. 

During the conference, the activists addressed an issue that continues to come up, people taking advantage of free housing nearly four years after Hurricane Katrina.      

"There might be some people who might be taking advantage of the system. But the real question is how many people are being left out of the benefits because of Hurricane Katrina," Goulden said.

To prove he wasn't trying to milk the system, Rodgers bought his own trailer and put it on his property along with the FEMA trailer, in case it was taken away. Under the proposed ordinance, both would have had to go into an RV park in 60 days. But, the Biloxi City Council decided to give Rodgers, and others like him, more time.

In a unanimous vote, the council decided to give FEMA trailer residents six more months. But city leaders want to know what residents are doing to get out of their temporary housing units.  Residents will have to share their recovery plans with case managers in the city's Community Development office.

"With the inclusion of these recovery plans, it will make it very clear what the plans are for these individuals," Ward 2 Councilman Bill Stallworth said. 

Councilman Stallworth said some of the FEMA residents are waiting on Section 8 vouchers, or working with organizations like Stallworth's East Biloxi Hope Coordination Center to build their new homes.

One of the reasons for the proposal, according to Community Development Director Jerry Creel, is hurricane season.  Creel said the temporary housing units are not rated to withstand hurricane force winds and city officials are concerned about the safety of the people in those trailers. 

But, activists countered saying RV parks wouldn't make residents any safer. Councilman Stallworth said he would work with FEMA to get the trailers put on safer ground should a major storm hit the coast.

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link: http://www.wlox.com/Global/story.asp?S=10543356