Trailer Park Proposals Draw Resistance

[jus_the_facts]

http://knoe.com/fullstory.php?id=1005

Friday, October 14th, 2005 11:15:07



As the federal government strains to clear hurricane shelters, it's running into resistance from those who don't want temporary trailer cities in their communities.

FEMA has started emptying temporary evacuee shelters, moving evacuees into hotel rooms, costing taxpayers 11-million dollars a night. The agency is desperately seeking vacant property for mobile housing that will cost the government far less.

In Union Parish, 1700 to 1800 hurricane evacuees are scattered in apartments, private homes, and in a state park. Parish residents at odds over a plan to develop a trailer-town, even as another is already in the works.

Farmerville Mayor Willie Davis said, "I think what people ought to be upset about is do we have police protection to set up two or three hundred trailers in Farmerville? Do we have enough hospital space, the schools and all of the things that are involved? I think that's one of the first things that we need to consider before we start accepting all these extra people here. I'm not against people having somewhere to go because they got to have somewhere to go. But the problem is, are we equipped for a lot of people to come into our city??

In Union Parish, as is the case throughout Louisiana and the rest of the country, FEMA says it's difficult to predict just how many people need housing because of the number of them staying with friends or relatives. If they wind up in a trailer in Union Parish, or somewhere else, it will only be for 18 months. After that, they'll be on their own.

....more....

[Debau2005]

1. Isn't this called

conservative compassion? I hate racist, bigots. Why do people think they are so much higher and mightier then anyone else.

From the article...
"The tax base from the businesses that could be affected -there's a retirement home on the other side of the projected trailer park that pays three times more taxes than any FEMA trailers would pay- that's long-term revenue that could be negatively affected by the trailers if they're put there," said Mixon.

From my point of view, the people living in the trailers would need to buy goods and services, therefore bringing IN more taxes and revenue but I am not an economist, I could be wrong.

[TallahasseeGrannie]

2. I don't get where you get the racist and bigot opinion

I think that is a predominantly black town. Is the mayor white? I'm unclear.

[pitohui]

3. 2000 census says it's a white parish (70 percent)

will have to admit i know little abt north louisiana but there are areas of north louisiana that have a v. bad reputation for racism

http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/22/22111.html

if we wanted to pick nits, we could say the form of bigotry shown here is classism since "trailer trash" whites are also a despised group

[TallahasseeGrannie]

4. Okay, that's higher white population

than I would have thought. I've been through there a few times.

[Debau2005]

7. I guess

I should have not narrowed my post down to racism. It is a class issue with most people. I apologize. My point was, the town is close minded and believes that everyone that moves in will be rapists, murders, and child molesters...What has happened to helping our fellow man? I know I am preaching to the choir!

[drthais]

5. no, I think it's called....(wait for it)

conservative compassionatism

[NinetySix]

6. "Ricky, do you know what a shit-rope is?"

"Fuck off, Leahy!"

[RandiFan1290]

8. First Trailer Park Boys reference I have seen here

Nice one!

:hi:

You can never go wrong with a Lahey shit analogy.

[ender]

9. these guys have a point

additional perople, especially a significant amount do strain municipal resources, such as schools, police, hospitals, etc.

if the poopulation suddenly increases by 20%, how does the municipality pay for the increased load? as louisiana is the 2nd poorest state, they arent carryig around slack capacity.

so, how does the town cope? how are they going to pay for all of it?

[Bridget Burke]

10. When the Astrodome was full of evacuees....

Many people working in the Medical Center (right next door) expected a big crime wave. It didn't happen.

Instead of wondering whether the community can handle these people, the mayor needs to get some numbers. Find out exactly what the community will need & ask for aid--preferably Federal.

Northern Louisiana is very different from the Southern part of the state.

[SoCalDem]

11. Hoovervilles, Bush style

[jwirr]

12. The question he is asking is relevant. And it needs to

be asked BEFORE the people get there. This is an issue that FEMA needs to face up to. When they place people in other areas they should be trying to lighten the infrastructure impact as much as possible. I do not see this as racist - I see it as an issue that is even a problem in communities like mine when a large business is going to relocate and move a bunch of workers in. The city council is concerned about the same issues.

[Giant Robot]

13. Good questions to ask but I think what we need to look at

is the spirit in which they are asked. Are they asked out of concern for the common good, and making sure public services are adequate for all citizens? Or are they asking these questions as an indirect way to say we don't want any strangers in our town. I can clearly see reactions like the latter happening in my community in Michigan. An us and them mentality is so easy and seductive to slip into, and I believe that these questions may be a smokescreen for that. But it is hard to see into someone's thoughts, and I am just making guesses. Racism may play a part in it, but I think you would see the same reactions if it was a catastrophe in an all white city destroyed as well.

[struggle4progress]

14. Cuz they know "temporary" is forever. eom