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It’s been over a year and the Gulf Coast is still recovering
from Hurricane Katrina. Amidst the recovery process is a
jumbled ball of red tape of insurance settlements, FEMA
assistance and state miscommunications.
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The Reavers, a family from Pass Christian, Mississippi,
tried everything possible to get themselves back on their
feet with a home over their heads. FEMA provided a trailer
to live in for the family of four and their five dogs.
Within months, the trailer became unsuitable to live in
because of its small size. The Reaver family then resorted
to purchasing an RV because of its larger size, a living
space they had to pay for themselves because they still
haven’t received their insurance money for the hurricane
damage.
Meanwhile, Custom Building Systems,
LLC, of Middleburg, PA, decided they would like to
help those ravished by the hurricane by going
through all the necessary paperwork to sell homes in
Mississippi. |
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In November 2005, Marjorie Hack,
a sales representative at CBS, took a 10-day trip to tour
the Gulf Coast in which she saw first hand the devastation
and the need to help rebuild. Upon Hack’s return to
Middleburg, she spoke with CBS’s head of engineering,
Nicholas Lust, to get the paperwork rolling for business
licensing in Mississippi and the different certifications.
The first obstacle Lust and Hack had to cross was the
state’s lack of codes for a modular home. Before now, the
state only had building codes for stick-built homes and for
mobile homes, but not modular
construction. After numerous phone calls, letters,
applications and another trip to Mississippi, it seemed that
CBS was on its way to selling homes in Mississippi almost a
year after Hack’s initial visit.
Throughout the whole process, Lust and Hack helped the Fire
Marshall’s office, who oversees the housing industry, the
Governor’s office and the PFS Corporation, develop codes and
a process for modular manufacturers to follow in
Mississippi. The state also appointed a Housing Liaison to
help with the rebuilding process after Hurricane Katrina.
On December 3, 2006, CBS shipped a 3,566 sq. ft home that
will withstand winds up to 140 mph to Pass Christian,
Mississippi for the Reaver Family. Hack flew down to the
site to view the home being set to ensure everything went
smoothly. The Reaver family was thankful for CBS’s
willingness to dig through the red tape and help them have a
home by Christmas. The Reaver’s purchased the home at CBS’s
builder’s cost, which is flat fee without markup .
CBS plans on continuing to build homes in Mississippi in the
area destroyed by the hurricane. They are currently working
with the Housing Expo and county officials to schedule a
Home Builders Show. Additionally, it is a possibility for
them to rebuild a development near Pass Christian,
Mississippi. Hack stated that the area is now cleared out
and ready to be rebuilt. There are a few homes being fixed
and very slowly new construction has begun. According to
local governments in Mississippi, it will take nearly 5 to 7
years to rebuild and recoup from the hurricane. |
