Examining the Role of Race, NIMBY, and Local Politics in FEMA Trailer Park Placement

Objective. In this article, we use the placement of Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) trailer parks as a vehicle for examining how siting agents and approving agents factor race, NIMBY obstacles, and local politics into the overall approval process for projects that are viewed as undesirable. Methods. Using data on where FEMA trailer parks were proposed and approved in South Louisiana after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, we test a range of hypotheses about the determinants of temporary housing siting. Results. Our results reveal the need to view the consideration of potential locations and the procedure of gaining approval as two distinct stages of a process. The findings suggest FEMA placed a great deal of emphasis on displaced residents' needs, but neglected to factor in the constituent pressures and the electoral calendar that local politicians would encounter when approving the site. In addition, the racial composition of a neighborhood had a substantial effect on both the consideration and approval stages. Conclusions. Beyond need, politics and race can shape the governmental allocation of disaster relief solutions.

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