MS ALTERNATIVE HOUSING PROGRAM

The Governor's Office is currently finalizing plans and policies for the Mississippi Alternative Housing Program, which is intended to exhibit a better way to deliver emergency housing following major natural disasters like Hurricane Katrina. FEMA will allocate up to $281 million for the construction of three alternative housing units: the Mississippi Cottage, Park Model and Green Mobile.
Approximately 5,000-7,000 FEMA-provided travel trailers located in Hancock, Harrison and Jackson counties will be replaced with the new units. An application process is currently being developed for current travel trailer tenants interested in moving into an alternative model. Informational meetings for potential tenants will be held in late February, and application announcements will be made through local media and the Governor's Office of Recovery and Renewal website.

The state plans to begin placing the new housing on the ground in June 2007. Design specifications for the housing units are currently being refined, and modular builders will receive bidding information for the program within the next few weeks. The Governor's Office will hold a pre-bid conference for interested manufacturers.

In March 2006, Governor Haley Barbour proposed a pilot program to Congress that would provide more temporary housing options for the next major natural disaster and remove Mississippians from the cramped conditions of FEMA travel trailers. Congress appropriated $400 million for the Alternative Housing Pilot Program, which solicited competitive proposals from five Gulf Coast states. Out of 29 proposals submitted from the five states, Mississippi's three proposals were ranked #1, #2 and #5. The state's top two proposals will receive up to $281 million in funding.

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