HOUSTON -- Local 2 Investigates showed how FEMA has tens of thousands of vacant travel trailers sitting unused. FEMA's top man defended the agency's decision not to use these trailers for victims of Hurricane Ike during a meeting with elected leaders on Friday. The meeting was held at the urging of Sens. Kay Bailey Hutchison and John Cornyn.

FEMA Administrator David Paulison told Local 2 Investigates the agency would not use these trailers for victims of Hurricane Ike because of health concerns regarding the preservative formaldehyde.

"I cannot in any clear conscience whatsoever put people in travel trailers until we can develop those that are low formaldehyde," said Paulison.

FEMA has 120,000 travel trailers stockpiled at 21 sites around the country. These trailers were used to house victims of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita and were supposed to be used for future disasters.

However, hundreds of those who lived in these trailers are suing FEMA, claiming high levels of formaldehyde made them sick. FEMA spent $2 billion to purchase these trailers. The agency now spends $115 million a year to store the vacant trailers.

Questions regarding these vacant trailers arose out of criticism that FEMA has been too slow in providing temporary housing for victims of Ike. Paulison said it is not a lack of available housing that is the problem.

"The problem is finding places to put them," said Paulison. "It's not a matter of having enough. We have enough mobile homes and park models to satisfy the mission. It's finding places to put them."

Paulison said FEMA can't set up these mobile homes unless there is working water, sewer and electricity on the property as well as safe ground to accommodate the size of the home.

"We're working with the judges; we're working with the mayors of the cities to identify places," said Paulison.

Sens. Hutchison and Cornyn called for Friday's meeting so Paulison could talk directly with local leaders about the problems they're having getting help to residents. Hutchison also said she would be working with FEMA and Congress to come up with a better type of emergency housing for future disasters.

"To see if we can't get a better mobile home devised that would have generators and be small enough to go onto small lots and would be a true emergency housing option for emergencies," said Hutchison. "I don't think we have a fit that is acceptable."

Cornyn called the meeting "instrumental," but added FEMA's response to housing needs has been "unacceptably slow and inefficient."

FEMA has installed 1,000 mobile homes, with 600 of those homes occupied.

Paulison said he hoped the rest of those homes would be occupied by the end of the weekend. FEMA estimates more than 1,000 more mobile homes are still needed.