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The devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina in 2005 resulted in one of the biggest sudden demands for temporary housing in our nation’s recent history. Houses and entire neighborhoods were completely destroyed, while others were damaged to the point of being unlivable. FEMA estimates that it provided housing or funds for temporary housing to approximately 700,000 people in the storm’s aftermath.

Finding living quarters for that many people was a logistics nightmare. Although FEMA had thousands of furnished trailers available, there was tremendous difficulty in getting these trailers into position and getting them occupied. There was also a problem with harmful levels of formaldehyde in the trailers for which lawsuits are still pending. The trailers, though, were only one of many types of housing assistance provided by FEMA for residents of the Gulf Coast whose homes were made inhabitable by the storm and resulting flood waters.

FEMA also provided commercial cruise ships to accommodate thousands of residents. Because cruise ship accommodations were limited, FEMA said in a press release at the time, that recipients of this housing were to be “chosen by state and local authorities with priority given to the elderly and other people with special needs.” This was obviously a shorter term solution, although the government did charter four commercial cruise ships for a period of six months according to the FEMA statement.

Hotel accommodations were also used to house those made homeless by Katrina. In many cases, FEMA paid the hotel directly for expenses incurred for this emergency housing until early 2006. After that time, individuals needed to apply for reimbursement for housing expenses and be qualified by FEMA in order to continue receiving assistance with their hotel bills.

Many former Gulf Coast residents went to stay with family and friends around the country. A large percentage of those never returned. CNN reported in December of 2006 just over a year after Hurricane Katrina’s landfall, that the latest US Census figures showed that Louisiana’s population had declined by more than 219,000 people largely due to displaced hurricane victims who had not returned to the state. After seeing the devastation that a major hurricane can cause firsthand, and knowing that the area is under threat from several such storms each year, it is little wonder than many former residents opted to stay away.

Military bases were also used by FEMA to house some of the evacuees after the storm. Of course, we all know the story of the Superdome in New Orleans being used as an emergency shelter during and immediately after the hurricane.

While most metropolitan areas have very good commercial or temporary corporate housing available, it has never been called upon to the extent that was required in Louisiana and the Greater Gulf Coast area as a result of the destruction wreaked upon the area by Hurricane Katrina.