200 Mobile Homes Destroyed By Flooding Remain Untouched

EVANS, Colo. (CBS4)- As Colorado recovers from last fall's devastating floods some victims are raising serious questions about where the federal money for rebuilding is being spent.

They gathered for a meeting about where and how the recovery funds were being spent. At the center of the debate-- a mobile home park that is abandoned and contains piles of debris that some claim is unsafe.

The Eastwood Village mobile home community has remained untouched in the five months they've been swamped. The city tried to get the Federal Emergency Management Agency to foot the cleanup bill but the city was rejected. The state health department says the clock is ticking.

The Town of Evans wants the mobile home park's operators to take action. The park's operators claim the town is blocking their access and plans to file a lawsuit to get onto the property.

A chain-link fence surrounds the community and is locked which prevents anyone from getting inside where the 200 mobile homes remain.

With more than a $1 million price tag to remove the destroyed homes, both sides are blaming FEMA for not granting enough money to clean up the damaged area.

"The debris would need to present an immediate threat to human life and here you can see at these mobile home parks the debris is concentrated right in the parks," said FEMA spokesman John Mills.

FEMA says because the trailers are on a secluded, private property, they can't do more.

The agency spent more than $4 million on the displaced residents of the trailer park and can't spend any more money.

"The people who were displaced by the record flooding have a place to live right now. They're safe. Their lives are not in danger," said Mills.

At a public meeting where recovery funds were discussed on Thursday night, Evans Mayor Lyle Achziger pleaded for help while at the same time confirming there is no money available from the State of Colorado to remove the debris.

"What we're looking for is a sense of urgency to get these people some help and to get it to them sooner rather than later," said Achziger.