In an effort to shore up support for those who have Chinese drywall in their homes, senators from several states have called for FEMA assistance to be offered to those with the toxic wallboard installed. FEMA, an acronym for the Federal Emergency Management Agency, was a bit part of the recovery effort carried out in New Orleans and responds to disasters nationwide.
The involvement of FEMA in the matter would be a huge step towards opening up funding to remove and replace Chinese drywall in homes where the owners might not have enough funds to take action. What’s more, it would be a compelling acknowledgment of the problems the wallboard causes by the government and could prove to be an important step towards changing the situation.
The Chinese drywall crisis has prompted a group of U.S. Senators to call on the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to help homeowners. The group wants FEMA to provide rental assistance to people who have had to leave their homes because of tainted Chinese drywall.
According to the Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC), it has received about 1,501 reports from residents in 27 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico who believe their health symptoms or the corrosion of metal components in their homes are related to the presence of Chinese drywall. Many homes with Chinese drywall are unlivable, and some homeowners have been driven to the point of bankruptcy.
In a letter sent yesterday, U.S Senators Bill Nelson, D-Fl., Mary Landrieu, D-La., Mark Warner, D-Va., and Jim Webb, D-Va. asked FEMA Craig Fugate administrator for help on behalf of Chinese drywall victims. “Families in our states are … watching their dream homes turn into nightmares,” the Senators wrote. “We believe it is important to marshal all appropriate Federal resources that may assist these families.”
You can read more on the call by Senators for change here.