Judge Orders Bush Administration to Resume Paying for Katrina Housing

Of all the ways our government spends my money, this bothers me the least.
 
I don't know who should get what, but the fact that New Orleans is still lying there a mess and alot of it unrepaired an unbuilt; that most people had to leave and make a new home elsewhere, is just a disgrace and another abomination that our country must live with over the past 4-6 years.

The richest and most powerful country in the world? Take care of our own, "love thy neighbor". Yeah, right.
 
Marthatex said:
I don't know who should get what, but the fact that New Orleans is still lying there a mess and alot of it unrepaired an unbuilt; that most people had to leave and make a new home elsewhere, is just a disgrace and another abomination that our country must live with over the past 4-6 years.

The richest and most powerful country in the world? Take care of our own, "love thy neighbor". Yeah, right.


Don't you think you should blame the NO local and state governments for this "mess"?

How are Alabama and Mississippi doing? Seems to me (like the govenor Mississippi so aptly put it) they all have the same federal government.

What's so different about New Orleans? hmm....
 
You cannot even begin to compare the situations in Alabama and Mississippi with that of New Orleans.

One is a huge natural disaster, partly from a devastating hurricane in addition to the failing of the levees, and flooding of a huge lake, Lake Ponchertrain.

apples to oranges, apples to oranges

Of course local government should do what they are equipped to , but FEMA , is just that, FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANGAGEMENT.
As I clearly said, I don't know what the laws are for reimbursement for housing; the Federal Courts do and I guess they've stated their opinion.

As Nova pointed out, compare supporting those displaced by Katrina and helping them get started again with the monumental amounts we're pouring down the drain elsewhere.

It's tiddlywinks. But I'm sure you should write your local governments if you have some suggestions to help with this major American Tragedy.
 
Marthatex said:
You cannot even begin to compare the situations in Alabama and Mississippi with that of New Orleans.

Tell that to the people of Alabama and Mississippi. kThx!

One is a huge natural disaster, partly from a devastating hurricane in addition to the failing of the levees, and flooding of a huge lake, Lake Ponchertrain.

It's Lake Pontchartrain. And, people have known the levee would fail since before I lived there, so that's 20+ years of warning for them. The corrupt local govts have also been there for 20+ years, coincidence?

NO has been given federal money to repair them before, wonder where that went? See above.


Of course local government should do what they are equipped to , but FEMA , is just that, FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANGAGEMENT.
As I clearly said, I don't know what the laws are for reimbursement for housing; the Federal Courts do and I guess they've stated their opinion.

the EMERGENCY IS OVER. EMERGENCIES AREN'T PERMANENT. (why the all caps?)

As Nova pointed out, compare supporting those displaced by Katrina and helping them get started again with the monumental amounts we're pouring down the drain elsewhere.

So, saving it isn't an option?

It's tiddlywinks. But I'm sure you should write your local governments if you have some suggestions to help with this major American Tragedy.

Tiddlywinks? ? My local government?? No non-Americans were devastated by the hurricane?

What?
 
Marthatex said:
You cannot even begin to compare the situations in Alabama and Mississippi with that of New Orleans.

One is a huge natural disaster, partly from a devastating hurricane in addition to the failing of the levees, and flooding of a huge lake, Lake Ponchertrain.

apples to oranges, apples to oranges

Of course local government should do what they are equipped to , but FEMA , is just that, FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANGAGEMENT.
As I clearly said, I don't know what the laws are for reimbursement for housing; the Federal Courts do and I guess they've stated their opinion.

As Nova pointed out, compare supporting those displaced by Katrina and helping them get started again with the monumental amounts we're pouring down the drain elsewhere.

It's tiddlywinks. But I'm sure you should write your local governments if you have some suggestions to help with this major American Tragedy.
U.S. District Judge Richard J. Leon's ruling sharply criticized the Federal Emergency Management Agency for illegally cutting housing funding and subjecting storm victims to a convoluted application process he called "Kafkaesque."

It is the second court victory for Katrina victims this week. A federal judge in Louisiana said Monday that many homeowners might be entitled to more insurance money for flood damage.

In the Washington case, Leon said FEMA mishandled the transition from a short-term housing program to a longer-term program this spring and summer.

It is unfortunate, if not incredible, that FEMA and its counsel could not devise a sufficient notice system to spare these beleaguered evacuees the added burden of federal litigation to vindicate their constitutional rights," Leon wrote.
In his ruling, Leon cited statements submitted by evacuees describing the ordeal.

"The reasons I have been given for the termination are not what is in the documents and/or the reasons change each time I call," said Carmen Handy, an evacuee whose statement was cited. "Every time I call back, the person answering the call knows nothing about what the previous person told me."

http://www.examiner.com/a-427045~FEMA_ordered_to_resume_Katrina_housing_payments.html
 
Karole28 said:
Tell that to the people of Alabama and Mississippi. kThx!
I can speak for part of Alabama. Just fine thanks. Our problems were/are nothing compared to Mississippi or New Orleans. Bayou La Batre, Alabama was hit pretty hard and is moving along nicely. Or as Francis Johnson of Bayou La Batre says "Don't feel sorry for the Bayou, when Katrina killed people in Mississippi and Louisiana. "We're just blessed we didn't lose anybody that we love. Nobody got hurt, so we're good, in my opinion."

We went without power for 9 days. Alabama had two deaths, both were from the same traffic accident. We had 67 mile an hour winds and a 10 foot storm surge. Dauphin Island was destroyed and now is bisected with a canal down the middle. Not the first time that has happened since Dauphin Island, Alabama is a barrier island. So to compare New Orleans with Alabama or Mississippi with Alabama is so far out there it doesn't even merit consideration.

Just like you can't compare what has happened to New Orleans to what has happened in Mississippi. Mississippi will never, ever be the same. But New Orleans won't be either. For totally different reasons.

And yes, they can blame local and state governments, just as they can blame the federal government for the total and complete f up they have made of this whole entire mess.
 
If my home and job were gone overnight I would hope I could rebound in 18 months. I would also hope if I was not able to due to natural diaster that I would get help.
I wonder how many people can say they built careers and their homes in a year and half.
 
BhamMama said:
I can speak for part of Alabama. Just fine thanks. Our problems were/are nothing compared to Mississippi or New Orleans. Bayou La Batre, Alabama was hit pretty hard and is moving along nicely. Or as Francis Johnson of Bayou La Batre says "Don't feel sorry for the Bayou, when Katrina killed people in Mississippi and Louisiana. "We're just blessed we didn't lose anybody that we love. Nobody got hurt, so we're good, in my opinion."

We went without power for 9 days. Alabama had two deaths, both were from the same traffic accident. We had 67 mile an hour winds and a 10 foot storm surge. Dauphin Island was destroyed and now is bisected with a canal down the middle. Not the first time that has happened since Dauphin Island, Alabama is a barrier island. So to compare New Orleans with Alabama or Mississippi with Alabama is so far out there it doesn't even merit consideration.

Just like you can't compare what has happened to New Orleans to what has happened in Mississippi. Mississippi will never, ever be the same. But New Orleans won't be either. For totally different reasons.

And yes, they can blame local and state governments, just as they can blame the federal government for the total and complete f up they have made of this whole entire mess.

Great answer. I don't know that much about insurance, but I believe some homes would be covered by having a hurricance hit, right? But much of New Orleans' damage was the subsequent flooding caused by the Hurricane damage to the levees. Therefore, alot of insurance companies probably didn't cover the homes that were completely ruined. Inless they also had flood insurance, which I would guess the more well-to-do residents in New Orleans may have taken out.

I have no idea how long people should have this temporary housing, but evidently the PROCESS wasn't right, and I will go by this Federal Judge's decision on the matter.

I thought Mississippi had been built back faster, but haven't really followed it.
 
bradshaw said:
If my home and job were gone overnight I would hope I could rebound in 18 months. I would also hope if I was not able to due to natural diaster that I would get help.
I wonder how many people can say they built careers and their homes in a year and half.

If I lost my home, that would be a pretty hard knock, a pretty substantial financial asset.

The thing about the jobs, well half of New Orleans lost their job - it simply didn't exsist anymore. Tulane let go half their faculty, and so forth a so on. So you have to go elsewhere to get a job, a whole different town. Pick up your whole family, go rent a new home, get a whole new job, etc. etc.

Peopl with financial resources might be able to do that more easily than people who simply lost every penny they had to the storm; no savings; not much education etc. They managed to survive together in New Orleans, maybe working in nightclubs or menial jobs they were used to there - but put them in Houston, Baton Rouge; they couldn't really displace others there and get a new job.

So there you have the ones turning to crime, making trouble in the schools, etc. It's better to give the a trailor for a few months and keep the families together if they can be trained or helped to find jobs or SOMETHING>

It's a mess.
 
Karole28 said:
It's Lake Pontchartrain. And, people have known the levee would fail since before I lived there, so that's 20+ years of warning for them. The corrupt local govts have also been there for 20+ years, coincidence?

NO has been given federal money to repair them before, wonder where that went? See above.
ohh.....pick me! pick me.....I know the answer:woohoo:

I live in the FL panhandle and drive to S.LA frequently to visit family. I've going off the beaten highway in AL, MS and LA since Katrina to see the damage done. When it comes to total devastation, MS had to be the worst (IMO). Dauphin Island AL is still in shambles (as of 1 month ago) and NO ...well, it's just a mess (certain areas...not the entire city).

I understand we must continue to help victims of the hurricane but at the same time they need to help themselves. So, how long must FEMA continue to pay? How do they determine who needs it and who doesn't?
 
It's complicated. New Orleans JUST gave out the new building codes around a month ago. Folks were in limbo until then. Plus you now have to wait for contractors, honest ones that is, who will take time out of building new homes to raise your home. Then you have to wait for supplies. We don't have a walmart on every corner anymore. We are lucky if the walmart stays open past 10 pm these days. Everything is at a premium. If you see it, grab it, it might be days before you see it again. Add in the gas hike has made suppliers up their prices and passed it on to you in the form of higher concrete, higher wages and machinery. There use to be some free programs where you could borrow tools, Mississippi had a great plan for that. The federal government told them to stop loaning tools. ??????

They just sent out the LRA letters and you have to go through a process of three letters, many of them wrong. Fix that, wait for three more letters. In the meantime you are fixing your house with your 401K or with a small loan. The money they will give you in the Road Back Home Project is based on a lower than what you paid to fix your home formula. They are suppose to give an amount of what the difference is between what insurance paid and what you actually put out to fix your home. Many now have no savings at all because what money they do get has to go towards fixing your house. Good luck finding insurance for less than 1300-2600 a year. And that's based on if you are in flood plain A, B or C. In a total flood plain....even if it never was before, you can't get covered.

Now, you have your permit/s, you have your contractor, you've paid out the ying yang for supplies. They work on your house for a total of 44 days then take off. You can't have the walls put up or the floor laid until they inspect and write off on the electric lines. 68 days later they show up to do the walls to find out the inspector hasn't come by yet. Calls go unanswered. Contractor goes away again for 40+ days....on and on for 15 friggin months. Yet, my friend is still living in a trailer in her driveway with no walls at all up inside.

They have given a deadline of Dec 31 to have your house inspected for building. If not, they take your trailer and you are out in the street. So, how do you get them to work faster? Pay them more? Beg? Work until 2 am every night after you work a full time job? All of that.

Folks, we still don't have street signs in some places, some don't have gas on a reg basis, traffic lights don't always work. I'm now 35 miles from NO and it effects me every day, I can only imagine what my friends in Kenner, LaPlace and surrounding areas have to deal with. They aren't even in the worst hit areas.

People are helping themselves. From the old men who walk with canes but climb ladders, to corporate offices forming teams to help fellow employees to Churchs and friends. Those that are here are invested.

A better question might be, why are hundreds, if not thousands of FEMA trailers sitting empty in Lumberton, Mississippi and in Arkansas still? How much are we paying for lot rent on them? What are they gonna do with them? Why are people still living in tents if there are trailers there?

Did you know if your car was flooded and sitting in your driveway you still have to prove you own it before they'll give you a place to sleep? Papers in the car, court houses, dealerships or houses were destroyed. The cars are a total wash, yet the city won't remove them. They are covered in mold, smell to the high heavens, harbor skeeters and rats and sometimes snakes. They are a health hazard. If you are lucky you get mail service and they'll hopefully get to you in time. If not, well, hope you find a place to shower and live in tents or with friends.

There are many, many things going on down here. People sitting on their butts is not one of them. Total amount of money given us, $1000 dollars and a FEMA trailer from Jan of this year to Nov of this year. To allow my entire family to live in one state again we are paying 3 times pre katrina rent and are 45 mins away, which turns into 1 hour and 25 mins when it's foggy or they are working on a bridge or for whatever reason.

I'm not bitter, but I'm tired of people saying help yourselves when that's all you can do.

And for as messed up as NO and east of NO is, Mississippi is ten times worse.
 
Marthatex said:
I thought Mississippi had been built back faster, but haven't really followed it.
Martha, sadly, there are parts of Mississippi that is just gone, wiped out totally. It's one thing to see it on tv, quite another to stand on beaches you use to play on and see nothing, no people, no houses, just debris and signs warning you to not get in the water because of hurricane debris.

It was heartbreaking.
 
BhamMama said:
It's complicated. New Orleans JUST gave out the new building codes around a month ago. Folks were in limbo until then. Plus you now have to wait for contractors, honest ones that is, who will take time out of building new homes to raise your home. Then you have to wait for supplies. We don't have a walmart on every corner anymore. We are lucky if the walmart stays open past 10 pm these days. Everything is at a premium. If you see it, grab it, it might be days before you see it again. Add in the gas hike has made suppliers up their prices and passed it on to you in the form of higher concrete, higher wages and machinery. There use to be some free programs where you could borrow tools, Mississippi had a great plan for that. The federal government told them to stop loaning tools. ??????

They just sent out the LRA letters and you have to go through a process of three letters, many of them wrong. Fix that, wait for three more letters. In the meantime you are fixing your house with your 401K or with a small loan. The money they will give you in the Road Back Home Project is based on a lower than what you paid to fix your home formula. They are suppose to give an amount of what the difference is between what insurance paid and what you actually put out to fix your home. Many now have no savings at all because what money they do get has to go towards fixing your house. Good luck finding insurance for less than 1300-2600 a year. And that's based on if you are in flood plain A, B or C. In a total flood plain....even if it never was before, you can't get covered.

Now, you have your permit/s, you have your contractor, you've paid out the ying yang for supplies. They work on your house for a total of 44 days then take off. You can't have the walls put up or the floor laid until they inspect and write off on the electric lines. 68 days later they show up to do the walls to find out the inspector hasn't come by yet. Calls go unanswered. Contractor goes away again for 40+ days....on and on for 15 friggin months. Yet, my friend is still living in a trailer in her driveway with no walls at all up inside.

They have given a deadline of Dec 31 to have your house inspected for building. If not, they take your trailer and you are out in the street. So, how do you get them to work faster? Pay them more? Beg? Work until 2 am every night after you work a full time job? All of that.

Folks, we still don't have street signs in some places, some don't have gas on a reg basis, traffic lights don't always work. I'm now 35 miles from NO and it effects me every day, I can only imagine what my friends in Kenner, LaPlace and surrounding areas have to deal with. They aren't even in the worst hit areas.

People are helping themselves. From the old men who walk with canes but climb ladders, to corporate offices forming teams to help fellow employees to Churchs and friends. Those that are here are invested.

A better question might be, why are hundreds, if not thousands of FEMA trailers sitting empty in Lumberton, Mississippi and in Arkansas still? How much are we paying for lot rent on them? What are they gonna do with them? Why are people still living in tents if there are trailers there?

Did you know if your car was flooded and sitting in your driveway you still have to prove you own it before they'll give you a place to sleep? Papers in the car, court houses, dealerships or houses were destroyed. The cars are a total wash, yet the city won't remove them. They are covered in mold, smell to the high heavens, harbor skeeters and rats and sometimes snakes. They are a health hazard. If you are lucky you get mail service and they'll hopefully get to you in time. If not, well, hope you find a place to shower and live in tents or with friends.

There are many, many things going on down here. People sitting on their butts is not one of them. Total amount of money given us, $1000 dollars and a FEMA trailer from Jan of this year to Nov of this year. To allow my entire family to live in one state again we are paying 3 times pre katrina rent and are 45 mins away, which turns into 1 hour and 25 mins when it's foggy or they are working on a bridge or for whatever reason.

I'm not bitter, but I'm tired of people saying help yourselves when that's all you can do.

And for as messed up as NO and east of NO is, Mississippi is ten times worse.
I hear ya' sister...I'm in Pensacola....I've just lived through everything you just said; insurance hikes, shady contractors, lack of contractors, high gas prices (still!) For those who have forgotten, we had a MAJOR hurricane (Ivan) and 9 months later another cat 3 (Dennis). Most of us still had our blue roofs and some still had trees in their living rooms when Dennis came along. We STILL...TO THIS DAY have people living in trailers along the shoreline and a co-worker of mine just moved in to her rebuilt house last week....but how long was FEMA expected to stay to help rebuild? Do you hear anyone complaining?
I have family in Kenner who lost power for a couple of weeks, had no damage to their home and were back home as soon as they opened things up. I go through NO every other week...The East Side...trashed! The 9th Ward...trashed! The Lakefront...trashed! Some places are worse off then others. Why aren't FEMA trailers being utilized? My guess is because nobody wants a FEMA park in their backyard (remember the incident on the WestBank)?
When I talk about people helping themselves, I'm not talking about the people who are working hard to rebulid their homes and jobs...I'm talking about the people who are sponging off the government; who are just going to take, take, take and complain when it gets taken away.
 
czechmate7 said:
When I talk about people helping themselves, I'm not talking about the people who are working hard to rebulid their homes and jobs...I'm talking about the people who are sponging off the government; who are just going to take, take, take and complain when it gets taken away.
I know, but some of us get washed with that same brush day after day. It's hard enough without being blamed for everything from high crime to higher drug numbers. Then to have those that had no clue how to live a life before Katrina to pull us all down, it's worse.

That's why I always say, those that have stayed, or come back. We are the ones that will fix this, somehow. I can't help what those other people are doing and I can't say I'm sorry either. I have a life to lead, kids to raise and leaks to fix.

I know you'll understand this, you know that feeling when you walk outside and see the trees just lopped off and the sun is setting behind them and you know that it could have been worse? Then you see the sun setting more than the trees, you hear kids laughing and your honey comes home, for just that minute you forget your world is topsy turvy. You forget that you are lucky only because you left first. It's a mixture of being so damned grateful it hurts, guilty for not being able to do more, but above all, blessed that you have your family and you can reach out and touch them. I feel that a lot lately. The closer to the holidays it gets, the more overwhelming it becomes. Even if you are toasting each other in a FEMA trailer instead of your nice safe house.
 
BhamMama said:
I know you'll understand this, you know that feeling when you walk outside and see the trees just lopped off and the sun is setting behind them and you know that it could have been worse? Then you see the sun setting more than the trees, you hear kids laughing and your honey comes home, for just that minute you forget your world is topsy turvy. You forget that you are lucky only because you left first. It's a mixture of being so damned grateful it hurts, guilty for not being able to do more, but above all, blessed that you have your family and you can reach out and touch them. I feel that a lot lately. The closer to the holidays it gets, the more overwhelming it becomes. Even if you are toasting each other in a FEMA trailer instead of your nice safe house.
I understand completely! You think you'll never go back to life as you knew it.... but time heals and before you know it's just a faint memory of something you were able to overcome in your life.

But for now, get them Christmas lights up and make it the best damn FEMA trailer in the park!!!!:dance: (When life gives you lemons....)

And remember...it's not forever!!;)
 
How can you expect people to ever get back on thier feet when you enable them and make it easier to not be home by handing out money non stop? This was a huge disater but it has been over a year. I have been to hancock and harrison counties in MS a few times and there are houses rebuilt and being lived in and life is getting closer to normal everyday. why is new orleans so different? why can't they get it together?
 

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