Collier commissioners frustrated over lack of temporary housing for Ian victims

Frustration is growing in Collier County about how long it's taking FEMA to provide trailers for residents displaced by Hurricane Ian.

After hearing an update on Ian recovery at a county commission meeting Tuesday, Chairman Bill McDaniel expressed disappointment that it didn't include any news of a "housing mission" by the federal agency.

In answer, Dan Summers, the county's emergency services director, explained the many challenges FEMA faces in providing temporary housing and how it must justify the need.

He said FEMA remains "very guarded" about its plans for many reasons.

McDaniel responded that the "public is about done hearing that." 

In case you missed it:FEMA not ready to deploy trailers for temporary housing yet in Collier County

What to know:FEMA is coming to inspect your home after Hurricane Ian

And:Collier County has a housing crisis 'times two' thanks to Hurricane Ian

"There is no argument that there are people that are displaced," McDaniel said. 

The commissioner asked Summers for insight on progress made toward getting any temporary travel trailers.

"An arrival date? I do not have an arrival date," Summers said.

He said FEMA is considering "5,000 to 6,000 deployments," due to Ian, but he's not sure who'll get the trailers or how many could end up in Collier versus other counties hit by the near-Category 5 storm.

Where are the FEMA trailers?

"I still don't have that information," Summers said 

He shared that he'd provided FEMA and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers with potential locations for trailers in the county, including group sites and individual ones, such as empty lots at trailer parks.

Summers stressed that county staff is working aggressively to address the lack of temporary housing. 

"I'm not chastising you at all, by any stretch of the imagination," McDaniel said.

An answer from FEMA and the state, he said, is overdue.

"We are looking for an answer. Our community is looking for an answer, and I would like to see that as quickly as possible," McDaniel said.

Commissioner Burt Saunders asked Summers to put some numbers to the need.

While it's a moving target, Summers estimated the need at 1,500 to 2,000 units, based on the number of homes destroyed or heavily damaged by Ian.

In reaction, Saunders said: "So, we know it's a big number." 

He urged that the county should advise FEMA it doesn't want to see any temporary trailer parks set up, as they've proven problematic in the past, like the one established after Hurricane Charley in 2004, which generated national headlines as a place of crime and despair.

The trailers should instead go on individual driveways or in existing trailer parks, Saunders said.

Other commissioners agreed, voting unanimously to communicate that message to FEMA via a letter signed by McDaniel.

Collier Disaster Recovery Center 

In an email, Michael Wade, a media relations manager for FEMA, said the agency, along with other federal, state and local partners, is "committed to supporting Hurricane Ian survivors to get a safe roof over their heads as quickly as possible."

"We are working in close partnership with the state to provide immediate temporary solutions — including utilizing hotels and rental assistance. Our focus is to meet the immediate sheltering need, give survivors a jumpstart to their recovery, and bridge the gap between now and the long-term solutions."

Commissioner Penny Taylor asked Summers how trailers would be given out.

He explained it's a complicated process that takes into account a variety of factors, from income to uninsured losses, and he relayed that decisions are made on a "case-by-case basis." 

During his update on hurricane recovery, Summers said he's working on an effort to open a larger, more centralized disaster recovery center, as large as 3,000 square feet closer to the area of greatest impact. FEMA and other agencies, including nonprofits such as the Salvation Army and Red Cross, could use the space to work more directly with residents to address mid- and long-term issues, such as housing.

The existing disaster recovery center at Veterans Park will close Nov. 6 because it's a polling site for the Nov. 8 election.

The center will move to the county museum on U.S. 41 East, where it will operate from Nov. 7 to Nov. 13, then relocate to the Eagle Lakes Community Park in East Naples, where it will run until at least Nov. 28.

County staff is working with the state and other agencies to get more case workers assigned to the center to offer one-on-one assistance to families in need and get them back on their feet faster, Summers said.

To reach more remote areas of the county, FEMA has agreed to deploy its mobile disaster assistance center in Collier to help residents get individual help, with five-day visits planned to Marco Island, Everglades City and Immokalee.

"In many cases, these mobile units allow our residents to ask questions and make some clarifications on their applications as well," Summers said. "So, we want to get these mobile units in here." 

Since his last update, he shared the number of registrants for FEMA assistance in Collier has grown to 27,017 from 17,253.

Hurricane Ian help, debris 

FEMA has now awarded $30.7 million through its individuals and households program — nearly doubling its payouts in the past two weeks. The latest total includes $21 million in housing assistance, demonstrating the impact and need in the county as a result of Ian, Summers said.

While FEMA will pay hotel and motel costs for displaced residents through its Transitional Sheltering Assistance program, the program has not been heavily used in Collier — thus far.

"This time our hotels are so heavily impacted," Summers said. "So there have been less than 30 placements in a hotel room at this point."

Some hotels and motels remain closed. Those that are open have been filled with disaster relief and recovery workers from emergency responders and utility crews to adjusters and contractors.

However, blocks of 10 and 15 rooms are starting to show up, with 73 of 115 properties, from hotels to campgrounds, open. That's 20 more than in the last update, and Summers noted it's "subject to daily change."

As for electricity, power has been restored 100% where possible, Summers said.

To that, Commissioner Rick LoCastro, said: "Nobody was sitting on their hands."

For those who complained about having no power,  but saw little damage, he added, they should "buy more candles." 

As of Oct 22, the county had removed 575,638 cubic yards of hurricane debris. While there's a long way to go, the goal remains to finish most of the clean-up by Thanksgiving — with the contractor promising to continue until there is "no pile left behind." 

"It actually has been very impressive," LoCastro said.

A dashboard for debris removal can now be found at: colliercountyfl.gov/government/public-utilities/solid-hazardous-waste/hurricane-preparedness.