FEMA. Again.

Wow. I continue to be floored by the idiocy of bureaucracy.

It seems that right after the hurricane(s), Fannie Mae offered 1500 housing units to evacuees, but were rejected by FEMA. Best of all, they were offered rent-free for up to 18 months!.

FEMA housing spokesman James McIntyre acknowledged that the agency has so far not put any storm victims in the housing Fannie Mae has offered, citing disagreements with the lender over certain conditions.

It took a bit of reading to finally get to the problem that has caused FEMA and Fannie Mae to “agree to disagree”. Apparently, it’s this:

McIntyre said Fannie Mae wanted to let potential buyers into the housing units while the evacuees were there — violating their privacy. That was one of several requirements by Fannie Mae, McIntyre said, that "placed an undue burden on families."

Am I missing something? This would be as big a burden as… say… sharing a shelter with hundred of people on cots? Or a hotel room? Or a church? (Or nowhere?)

This looks like yet another shining example of FEMA-Think.

Polimom said this @ 10:06 PM