I-Team

MIAMI (CBS4 I-TEAM) ― Could recently closed military bases end up as hurricane relief "base camps?"

That's the idea that's now part of proposed federal legislation on Capitol Hill.

This is an attempt by a South Florida congressman to get help to the victims of the next Hurricane Andrew or Katrina.

For more than two years, I-Team investigator Stephen Stock has been covering this issue of lack of a plan by FEMA to provide long-term, temporary housing for storm victims. Stephen has the latest idea circulating on Capitol Hill to address this critical need.

Almost 100 military bases around the country have been closed by the Pentagon so far as part of the Defense Department restructuring. Other military bases are on the list to be closed. 

Now FEMA officials and some South Florida congressmen are kicking around the idea of turning some of those military bases in Emergency centers --"base camps"-- to serve as headquarters for supplies and relief efforts in the event of a major hurricane.

And, even more importantly, the proposal now part of a house resolution 645 the idea would turn these bases into long-term temporary housing to serve thousands of people who might be left homeless should another Hurricane Andrew or Katrina strike anywhere in the United States.

FEMA's lack of a viable plan to provide long term temporary housing for potentially tens of thousands of storm victims has been a major concern of Florida's Congressional delegation.

View FEMA's current housing plan here.

"People will not have the kind of emergency housing that will be needed," said South Florida Congressman Alcee Hastings last July.

For years, US Representative Hastings (D) Miramar, has been a outspoken critic of FEMA's temporary housing plans or lack, thereof, of viable, workable plans.

In his latest letter sent to FEMA and dated June 16, 2009, addressed to new FEMA director Craig Fugate, US Representative Hastings, says he's on board with the concept of using military bases if not the actual plan as currently envisioned by FEMA brass.

You can view the entire letter here.

"FEMA's current 'base camps' project is not enough," Hasting said in a letter, dated June 16, 2009, to FEMA director Craig Fugate.

Hastings says he has introduced a bill on Capitol Hill which would establish six permanent National Emergency Centers at military bases that could house thousands of storm victims and quote "making use of these bases would be cheaper, quicker and more effective than contracting private companies to create new facilities."

That proposal is currently found in H.R. 645 – find entire bill language here.

"FEMA has not come forth with a solid plan of what to do," said U.S. Senator Bill Nelson (D), Florida, several months ago. That was before former Florida Emergency Management Director Craig Fugate became director of FEMA.

Now, Fugate has floated several different ideas to address this temporary housing problem.

Reacting to this latest idea of using military bases, Senator Nelson' office released the following statement: "Putting closed military bases to use as temporary housing seems like a pretty good idea, one that at least needs to be explored."

While he wouldn't comment on the pending legislation on Capitol Hill, a FEMA spokesman told me this afternoon that the agency is open all legitimate ideas about providing shelter and housing to storm victims.

The spokesman said FEMA's first priority is to find housing within the community that is hit by a storm, but would be open to working with Congress to establish a plan to use these military bases if needed.

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