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Press Releases

Date: 9/12/2005

Contact: Denise Bottcher or Roderick Hawkins at 225-342-9037

Louisiana Secretary of Department of Social Services Ann Williamson's Memo to Governor Blanco Regarding Housing

DATE: September 11, 2005

TO: The Honorable Kathleen Babineaux Blanco, Governor
Col. Jeff Smith, Louisiana State Coordinating Officer
Bill Lockey, FEMA/Louisiana Federal Coordinating Officer

FROM: Ann Silverberg Williamson, Secretary

RE: FEMA Email: "Shelter Management Team"

I am in receipt of email correspondence sent from James Duncan of FEMA to Bill Lockey and Curt Musgrave September 11th at 12:22 p.m. The subject of the message is "shelter management team." The message misrepresents Louisiana's vision and actions. It is my intent to clarify the issues and request that FEMA communicates and partners with the Louisiana Department of Social Services (DSS) more effectively and efficiently to avoid further waste of time and resources.

The twin issues of sheltering and housing are intertwined as we, Louisiana and FEMA, have agreed on numerous occasions. As acknowledged, they exist along a continuum of needs and services provided for displaced citizens. On September 10th at 2:30 p.m. a meeting was held to address the sheltering issue and a 5:00 p.m. meeting was held to address housing. I participated in both.

The specific purpose of the 2:30 p.m. meeting referred to in Mr. Duncan's email was to establish a joint State/FEMA leadership team to address the strategic issues regarding sheltering of displaced citizens. We discussed the establishment of a sheltering cell, leadership, representation, its operational center and when we would begin coordinated actions.

As DSS Secretary I expressed our Department's support of Governor Blanco's vision to meet the needs of Louisiana's displaced citizens. The concept I outlined included transitioning displaced citizens out of shelters and into permanent housing. Mr. Duncan's email distorts the DSS position. Louisiana's DSS is prepared to accomplish the following:

- Fortification of shelters
- Co-leadership of the sheltering cell
- Co-leadership of the housing cell
- Continuity of effort between sheltering and housing
- Information transfer between cells
- Organizational unity

The Governor believes strongly in the swift, safe relocation of displaced citizens into homes as part of communities. The Governor is clear that the pursuit of this goal is not at the expense of providing basic comfort and meeting human needs of sheltered citizens. These two objectives are not mutually exclusive and she expects both goals to be achieved simultaneously. It is disconcerting that FEMA would paint such an either/or picture under current circumstances that call for us to push through any boundaries that limit our options.

Mr. Duncan correctly reported that DSS wants sheltered citizens to have access to newspapers, televisions, child development services and similar quality of life needs. However, he would be misguided to believe, as he wrote, that either he or Mr. Misczak has to steer DSS in any direction. Both DSS and FEMA would be negligent to ignore the comprehensive needs of thousands of citizens currently in shelters. Making life better for citizens in shelters is not an action that deters our focus from the development of housing. That is why we have distinct cells meeting on housing and sheltering, respectively.

In summary, I ask for the following from FEMA. I expect a FEMA official whose primary responsibility is exclusively Louisiana housing solutions. Additionally, I expect daily status reports at our housing cell meetings that are data based with comparative figures and performance goals illustrating progress.

I remain optimistic that the commitment and skill of FEMA leadership can be more strategic than that witnessed through Mr. Duncan's email. A disaster of this magnitude commands the best of us all and the brightest solutions we have to offer. Oversimplifying efforts while we strive to care for our citizens is inexcusable.

- Ann Silverberg Williamson
September 11, 2005 9:18 p.m.

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