Get the Shortfall Covered Now
There is a looming funding shortfall in the Louisiana Road Home Program for Homeowner Assistance (RHP) to hurricane victims. FEMA underestimated the number of homes destroyed or damaged, underestimated the damage costs, and somebody overestimated the insurance that would be paid to homeowners. Insurance companies also seem to have been holding out on homeowners.
By simple arithmetic using ICF’s own numbers at the RHP website, the money will run out by about applicant 84,000. There are currently more than 136,000 applicants. That shortfall, which could be up to $4 billion, has to be covered immediately and fairly. Money requested should assure that not a single applicant will be told that they will be short-changed on their grant.
The Citizens’ Road Home Action Team, (CHAT), is an ad hoc, entirely volunteer group of people who share the common goal of trying to rebuild, not just their homes, but their South Louisiana communities as well. To date, CHAT has been responsible for conceiving and championing implementation some of the major constructive changes in the RHP that have benefited applicants. CHAT continues to focus on positive steps to make the program better by advocating full funding for the RHP and adoption of measures to greatly improve performance of the program. CHAT’s most recent successes were the addition of independent advocates for the applicants into the LRA Housing Task Force and the initiation of a Road Home Program Statement of Principles (attached) that was recently adopted by the Louisiana Recovery Authority (LRA). This statement articulates applicant-oriented benchmarks for the program.
In his May 24th testimony before the U.S. Senate’s Ad Hoc Subcommittee on Disaster Recovery on the Road Home Program, CHAT Co-Chairman Frank Silvestri asserted that the estimated shortfall in RHP funding is the most serious threat facing the recovery of Louisiana. New Orleans still remains devastated and “no applicant should be left behind or told his grant had to be cut because there isn’t enough money.â€
CHAT urges that Congress help with desperately needed additional funding and that the LRA implement an immediate independent “in-flight†review to dramatically improve the handling of grant applications to aid tens of thousands of desperate applicants. With the upcoming hurricane season, 16,000 thousand Katrina/Rita victims are still in FEMA trailers or others are holding on in temporary housing situations.
- K.C. King’s Affidavit.
- Laura LeBon’s Affidavit.
- Illene Powell’s Affidavit.
- Melanie Ehrlich’s Affidavit.
- Frank Silvestri’s Testimony.
3 Comments | 1 Trackback |
comments feed  |
i was under the impression that the “cdg” community development grant, would pay up to $7500.00 for the wind damaged homes, and that the road home program would take care of the flooded homes, of up to $150,000.00.
since road home funds are federal funds, and the corp-of-engineers is also federal, would that be a duplication of funds if and when we are able to sue them??
[...] CHAT sent neighborhood representatives to testify before the U.S. Senate’s Ad Hoc Subcommittee on Disaster Recovery. Listening to this intelligent and informed testimony on C-Span made me very proud. New Orleans resident Frank Silvestri addressed Senator Ted Stevens’ dismissive closing with fact and precision. I am proud to have the experience of working with these citizens who have become so savvy with information. Tags: CHAT, New Orleans, Road Home Program, Think New Orleans [...]
Laura, If only the Senate was as well versed on the ins and outs of the RHP as CHAt is.
Citizens across the City have formed AdHoc Support Group Think Tanks. I think maybe the time is ripe to host a Recovery Comedy Night and “roast” some of the misteps and fools in office who have so deftly led us into this nightmare.