Complex sentence: As of April 2006, only a handfull of businesses have reopened, utilities and services are spotty in much of the area, and many of fraction of residents who have returned are living in FEMA trailers as they gut and repair their flood devastated homes.
Split into simpler sentences: As of April 2006, only a handfull of businesses have reopened, and utilities and services are spotty in much of the area. Only a fraction of the residents have returned; many of these are living in FEMA trailers as they gut and repair their flood devastated homes.