| the decades, temporary housing has become a | | | | The company experienced comfortable growth until |
| necessity as travelling for business purposes has | | | | the late 1980s when they became troubled financially. |
| become much more common all over the world. | | | | Even so, they managed to scrape up enough funding |
| Employees are often required to relocate, either for | | | | to maintain their temporary housing programs for the |
| the short term or long term, and finding a comfortable | | | | homeless. The agency remains in business to this day, |
| location to stay is important. Government and military | | | | specializing in helping families find homes and work |
| families also find themselves on the move constantly, | | | | towards self sufficiency. |
| as travel is often required in their professions. It is | | | | Since 1989 the use of temporary housing has grown |
| interesting to see how an industry that was practically | | | | significantly, but now it is more often used by individuals |
| nonexistent before the advent of the airplane has | | | | travelling for business purposes than simply provided |
| burgeoned into a multimillion dollar business spanning | | | | by the government for those in emergency situations. |
| countries all over the world. This article will take a brief | | | | However there are certainly exceptions. In 2005 |
| look back at the history of temporary housing. | | | | FEMA became the country’s leading provider |
| Temporary housing has its roots in the early decades | | | | of temporary housing by launching what was the |
| of the 20th century when it was used primarily for | | | | largest operation in the history of the country to |
| emergencies. During the great depression, many | | | | provide homes for more than 143,000 individuals who |
| individuals lost their homes and were forced to take up | | | | were displaced by Hurricane Katrina. |
| residence in makeshift homes that became part of | | | | These days it is estimated that 1 out of every 5 |
| larger shanty towns dubbed Hoovervilles. Another one | | | | Americans will move during any given year, most often |
| of the earliest examples of temporary housing being | | | | due to the need to relocate for a job, and temporary |
| used occurs in 1945 when the Federal Government | | | | housing is often necessary to make the change go as |
| set up small trailers for the benefit of immigrants who | | | | smoothly as possible. Different options these individuals |
| came to America to help with the war effort. This | | | | have to choose from have historically only included |
| action was expanded the following year to aid | | | | regular hotels and extended stay hotels, but the |
| veterans of the recently ended World War II. | | | | industry has now expanded to offer fully furnished |
| During the late 1970s, a non-profit group known as | | | | temporary housing which allow occupants to stay for |
| Irvine Temporary Housing began setting up low cost | | | | 30 days or longer. This gives individuals and families |
| facilities for the homeless. They provided places to | | | | the ultimate experience in comfort by being able to |
| stay for families during the 1977 housing shortage and | | | | stay in an apartment that looks and feels just like |
| during the following year would provide roughly 38,000 | | | | home. |
| permanent jobs to communities on the West Coast. | | | | |