tornado resistant house

Forget FEMA Trailers: Here’s How to House People in a Hurry

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The core of the houses are built with pre-fab panels designed so the home can be finished in a week with only four workers.
The core of the houses are built with pre-fab panels designed so the home can be finished in a week with only four workers.

The RAPIDO program was originally conceived in response to the snail’s pace of rebuilding efforts for low-income residents after Hurricane Rita hit Houston in 2005. “We were appalled by the initial nine-month delay—which in retrospect was actually lightning fast compared to Hurricanes Ike, Dolly, and Harvey,” says John Henneberger, executive director of the Texas Low Income Housing Information Service (TLIHIS).

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Hurricane Resistant Earthbag Houses

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Steve and Carol Escott’s hurricane resistant earthbag house in the Bahamas.
Steve and Carol Escott’s hurricane resistant earthbag house in the Bahamas.

Earthbag building is perfect for constructing storm resistant affordable housing in hurricane and tornado regions. Steve and Carol Escott’s house for instance has been through numerous hurricanes with no serious damage so far.

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High Wind Damage to Homes

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F-3 tornados can turn most homes into a pile of debris.
F-3 tornados can turn most homes into a pile of debris.

Earthbag building is more than ‘just a good idea’. It could save your life, your family’s lives and everything you’ve worked for. Maybe you’re new to the concept and not yet ready to build a home this way. You might want to start out with a storm shelter to protect against hurricanes and tornadoes.

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