FEMA “Misdirected” $13 Million in Disaster Aid, Probe Says

The Federal Emergency Management Agency is once again making headlines, as a new report from the Department of Homeland Security inspector general claims the agency misused $13 million in funds.

The Associated Press’ Mimi Hall says the report found that FEMA “took money from the sale of used travel trailers and inappropriately used it to buy $13 million worth of SUVs, global positioning systems and other items.”

Hall says DHS inspector general Richard Skinner found FEMA misspent millions after the 2004 and 2005 hurricane seasons that should have either been returned to the US Treasury or used to buy more trailers for hurricane victims.

“Even allowing for the hectic situation that arose in the aftermath of the 2004 and 2005 hurricanes, FEMA officials at all levels did not take appropriate action to ensure that proceeds from the sale of trailers and mobile homes were properly used,” Skinner said in a report last week.

The report also found that FEMA spent about $2.9 billion on 230,000 trailers and mobile homes for displaced victims of Hurricane Katrina and other storms. “By law, when residents leave the trailers, FEMA may sell them to the public but the money can only be returned or spent on more trailers,” Hall says.