More Cities Consider Allowing Hurricane Disaster Housing to Remain

The city of Bay St. Louis is one step closer to allowing MEMA cottages to remain permanently. MPB’s Phoebe Judge reports.

The Planning and Zoning Commission voted to recommend an ordinance which would allow MEMA cottages to remain permanently within Bay St. Louis’ city limits. The recommendation came after a heated public hearing. Chuck Benvenutti came to the hearing to plead for fairness,

“What I see here is blatant discrimination by people that have against people that don’t. The Mississippi cottages are a God gift to this community to put people back in homes that need them.”

The MEMA cottage program is set to expire in March, at which time all cottages will be removed unless cities have agreed to allow them to remain. At the height of the disaster housing program there were 2800 cottages in use in the six Southernmost counties in the state, there are 50 left in Bay St. Louis. Not all cottage residents will be eligible to purchase there cottage though, they must own the land where the cottage sits and meet certain height elevations. For those who are eligible it is a good alternative says Bay St. Louis Planning and Zoning Commission Chairman Hal Leftwich,

“There is a need and this is one way of meeting that need. Other agencies are not able to fill this, and I think it’s a good solution.”

A number of towns on the coast have already voted to allow cottages to remain permanently. Bay St. Louis councilman Jeffrey Reed thinks his city will follow suit.

“With the amendments tonight and the public hearing, I think it’s going to pass.”

The Bay St. Louis city council will vote on the ordinance next Tuesday. For MPB News, I’m Phoebe Judge in Gulfport.