Just another flood story in the magic city. . . ?

My daughter, a single mother, was fortunate (or so we thought) during our recent flood disaster. Living in a manufactured home park, Talbots, she was fortunate to find a mover to have her trailer moved the night before the waters hit the park.

We thought we did everything right during this disaster. We stayed in contact with the owner of the court during this disaster hopefully waiting to go back into our lot when the park was re-opened. The owner continually gave us vague answers about the future of the park.

Last week I drove through Talbots and noticed that all the damaged trailers had been removed and that some heavy equipment was present. Knocking on several doors in the area I was given information that the park had been sold and through more research contacted the gentleman who bought the park to inquire about moving back in.

Again, I got vague answers. He informed me that there would be no lots available for manufactured homes and that he was putting in "Apartment Type" structures (another "Man Camp?" What about a displaced mother and children camp?). He was friendlier when he told me he did have some homes for sale in Robindale if we were interested in purchasing a manufactured home. Out of curiosity I went to see what $60,000 can buy you in a trailer court in Minot. After discovering the cracker jack crap people are trying to sell displaced people because people have no choice due to the non-existence of lots we exercised our other option: apply for a FEMA trailer.

According to FEMA my daughter does not qualify for a trailer because her home sustained no damage. Granted, the lot was destroyed, she was evicted without notice and she now has a $500 month trailer payment for a trailer that can’t get hooked up anywhere because all the lots have been purchased by out-of-state interests or are being taken up by FEMA for "Temporary" housing. FEMA states that it is their goal through temporary housing to get people into permanent housing. Wouldn’t it be in FEMA’s interest to have some of those lots for people who have permanent housing and no where to permanently put their housing.

I call every trailer lot in the county weekly. There is nothing and they tell me that the doors swing open and shut all day long with people begging for a lot.

I suppose my daughter and her children could live in their home without heat, water or sewer throughout the winter and blame FEMA for freezing to death . . . but they have family and it seems that that’s about all we can count on during this disaster.

There is a greed and corruption that is slowly permeating our community that began with the oil, has filtered through to the property owners (landlords) and that attempts to send our women and children into the streets. Somebody’s profiting off this flood. It is not the daughters or the grandchildren of our community. And it’s ugly. And it’s wrong. And no one seems to care!