The Mitigation Model House plays an important role in educating the public about stronger, more storm-resistant structures needed in coastal areas. By exceeding state and local building codes, the model house demonstrates a "code plus" approach for home and business owners to decrease chances of major structural damage from wind or water.

"To build a model structure which highlights proper building code techniques is very important," said Wayne Berggren, National Flood Insurance Program supervisor with FEMA’s New Orleans Transitional Recovery Office. "A homeowner or builder can better visualize from a structure rather than a picture in a book. This to me was the purpose of constructing a model house."

The model house is currently on display at Lakeside Shopping Center through July 4, 2007. Disaster specialists will be on site from 11:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. each day through July 3, 2007 to answer questions on safer and stronger techniques for rebuilding homes and businesses.

Students from Southeastern Louisiana University Department of Industrial Technology and their supervising faculty built the portable structure in Hammond, Louisiana. Simpson Strong-Tie donated the metal fasteners to the school for the model.