[4]: 55 [5][6] FEMA trailers were used to house thousands of people in South Florida displaced by Hurricane Andrew in August 1992, some for as long as two and a half years.

[9] FEMA trailers were also made available after extensive flooding in parts of New York, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey due to Superstorm Sandy in 2012.

[12] A federal report in July 2006 identified toxic levels of formaldehyde in 42% of the trailers examined, attributing problems to poor construction and substandard building materials.

In 1995, some Florida residents who had difficulty finding accommodation in the aftermath of Hurricane Andrew "bought their FEMA trailers for an average of $1,100 each.

Surplus FEMA trailers were sold via online public auctions conducted by the General Services Administration.

The distribution and resale of Katrina FEMA trailers has been heavily criticized given the possible health risks involved.

[16] Although several types and sizes of manufactured structures have been installed throughout the Gulf Coast region, most are mass-produced, one-bedroom travel trailers.

Each trailer is equipped with electricity, air conditioning, indoor heating, running cold and hot water, a propane-operated stove and oven, a small microwave oven, a large refrigerator, and a few pieces of furniture attached to the floor; usually a sofabed, a small table, and two chairs.

[4] FEMA trailers are manufactured from plastic, aluminum, and particle board, and are therefore somewhat flimsy and require more maintenance than a permanent structure.

[21] FEMA trailers are intended to provide temporary housing for homeowners after a disaster, until they can repair or rebuild their homes.

Residents may be unable to return home for long periods of time while local government officials attempt to restore basic infrastructure for water and electricity.

[25] Flood damage to existing homes and apartments may require the complete removal and replacement of carpeting, flooring, insulation, and sheetrock.

Buildings that have sustained significant water damage, including apartment complexes, often require extensive rebuilding and a mold-removal process known as "mold remediation" before they can be rendered safe enough for habitation.

In 2005, "the devastation of housing in New Orleans and surrounding communities was so widespread that large numbers of the displaced had few options but to take up residence in FEMA parks" following extreme flood damage.

[32] People within a disaster area are eligible to apply for various forms of "Housing assistance" from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

[40][42] Congressmen Henry Waxman and Charlie Melancon requested that FEMA test the trailers and address the issue.

On February 14, 2008, the CDC published a preliminary report confirming that potentially hazardous levels of formaldehyde were found in many of the travel trailers and manufactured homes provided by FEMA.

[44] In July 2008, researchers conducting a federally funded analysis reported that the toxic levels of formaldehyde were found in 42% of the trailers tested, and that they were attributable to faulty construction practices and the use of substandard building materials.

[50] On June 3, 2009, FEMA announced plans to virtually give away roughly 1,800 mobile homes to 3,400 families displaced by Hurricane Katrina who were living in government-provided housing along the Gulf Coast.

[32] In 2010, the General Services Administration began holding mass public auctions of returned FEMA trailers.

The stickers are easy to remove, and Katrina FEMA trailers have been widely resold without any warning of possible health hazards.

[15] FEMA trailers have been sold to oil-field workers in areas such as North Dakota, where housing is in short supply.

Plaintiffs, who included roughly 55,000 residents of Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Texas, had alleged that the FEMA trailers emitted hazardous levels of the toxic chemical formaldehyde.