Housing is so scarce in Indian Country that when the Federal Emergency Management Agency made leftover mobile homes available to tribes, the requests far outpaced the supply.

FEMA had 1,000 unused trailers after Hurricane Katrina. Tribes ended up requesting 5,500 -- around 1,300 made it to Indian Country as of 2009.

“There’s so much unmet housing need in Indian country, any assistance with housing is always appreciated,” Mellor Willie, the executive director of the National American Indian Housing Council, told America's Wire.

In February, the Department of Housing and Urban Development announced another 500 trailers were available. Tribes requested more than 3,000.

“The 500 homes alone could just barely meet the needs of one of our larger tribes," Willie said.

Get the Story:
As Housing Shortage Worsens, Tribes Forced to Use FEMA Trailers (America's Wire 5/2)

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