Veterans Can Get FEMA Mobile Homes With VA Home Loans
By Staff Writer: Rick Townsend
October 13, 2006
Gene Simes of Operation Firing For Effect (OFFE), a grassroots veterans’ rights organization, has good news for this country’s former military personnel.
On September 29 of this year, Congress approved a homeland security spending bill that included a provision allowing Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to sell or donate the trailers in Hope Arkansas to municipalities, nonprofit groups or American Indian tribes across the country.
In a FBN telephone interview, Simes told the FBN that he and his organization are working hard to insure veterans are given first opportunity to acquire a mobile home from the 9500+ trailers sitting at an airfield in Hope Arkansas. “We are also working on getting some of these homes donated to qualified homeless veterans and their families,” Simes said.
Simes said he and his team have been working on this project for 6 months and feel very confident that FEMA will take their suggestion very seriously. “We have established good communication with both the VA and FEMA, and we have confirmed that eligible veterans can use their VA home loan entitlements to finance one of these brand-new mobile homes. There are a few requirements however, but the procedure is almost exactly the same for purchasing a fixed home,” he said.
According to FEMA, once a distribution process is finalized in the next few weeks, the fully furnished mobile homes will be sold at a fraction of their original cost. The Buyer will be responsible for transporting and setup of the mobile home. “We have started a list of veterans who are interested in the FEMA trailers to buy, and to donate,” Simes said.
Operation Firing For Effect cannot guarantee every eligible veteran will be approved for receipt of a trailer. All sales and donation request will be subject to approval by FEMA. However, according to Gene Simes, OFFE will insure that your name or organization is submitted through the proper FEMA channels for consideration. All submissions will be on a first come, first serve basis. OFFE is offering this listing service free of any charges or commissions.
If you are a veteran and interested in buying one of these surplus trailers, or you wish to sponsor a homeless and needy veteran for the possible award of one of these homes, contact Gene Simes for details (315)986-7322 gdsusa@rochester.rr.com