Posted on 02/12/2007 4:34:29 PM PST by Ellesu
BATON ROUGE, La. -- Gov. Kathleen Blanco said Monday that she wants to temporarily reopen the New Orleans public housing projects that have been closed since Hurricane Katrina, despite federal plans to demolish them and make way for new housing developments.
Blanco said the projects that can be repaired should be reopened to families who were driven out by Katrina floodwaters _ at least until the federal government gets closer to its goal of replacing them with new structures. Blanco said she got encouragement for the idea last week, when she met on Capitol Hill with the chairman of the House committee that oversees the U.S. Housing and Development agency, which controls the New Orleans housing developments and wants them pulled down.
If reopened temporarily, Blanco said, the apartment complexes could help relieve the housing problem in the city and allow displaced New Orleanians to return home.
"People are clamoring to get home," Blanco said.
But the U.S. Housing and Urban Development agency, which controls the projects, plans to tear them down and replace them with "mixed income" housing developments.
"That's still the plan," HUD spokeswoman Donna White said.
About 1,100 families are living in two projects, called Iberville and Guste, and the agency is fixing up other apartments in those complexes so residents can return, White said.
HUD plans to demolish four other housing developments that were damaged in Katrina's aftermath, White said. The agency has not set a timeline for the demolitions.
About 5,100 public housing apartments were occupied in New Orleans before the storm, according to the city's housing agency.
The demolitions had been tied up by a lawsuit filed by former residents of the housing complexes who claimed that HUD's plans are discriminatory against the projects' black residents. A federal judge last week dismissed that argument, issuing a ruling that HUD has interpreted as a go-ahead to tear the buildings down, White said.
But Blanco could get support from Congress in seeking to reopen the projects. She met last week with U.S. Rep. Barney Frank, D-Mass., chairman of the House committee that oversees HUD, who the governor said was receptive to the idea of opening up some apartments if they're not too expensive to repair.
Legislation concerning the New Orleans projects would likely come to Frank's committee via a housing subcommittee chaired by U.S. Rep. Maxine Waters, D-Calif. A spokesman for Waters did not return a call for comment.
Steven Adamske, a spokesman for Frank, said the congressman is interested in opening up at least some of the apartments: "The general emphasis is, if there are habitable places that can provide housing for people, then we should work on that."
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On the Net: http://www.hud.gov/
That's a new one on me. Mixed income? Wonder if Looter guy is in that bracket?
About 1,100 families are living in two projects
I can't see how anyone would want that for their family.
They could probably get the folks in Houston and Dallas to pay some of the costs of reopening the projects
Chocolate...chocolate...anyone want some sweet chocolate???
Pure political desperation. She and Mary need the projects or they can never win another election. Roll Jindal Roll.
Here's an idea, Blank-oh - Why not reopen the housing with STATE or LOCAL funds and quit trying to live off the taxpayers in the other 49 states. Daggone welfare queen.
That is also a stupid idea.
"This new Congress is ready to work with us and remove federal barriers that are currently slowing our recovery," Governor Blanco said. "I told members of the House Democratic Caucus during this cold week in Washington, that this is the warmest reception I have ever experienced on Capitol Hill. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and their leadership teams understand the urgency of our needs, and have committed to making Louisiana's recovery from Hurricanes Rita and Katrina a national priority. House committee chairs are already drafting legislation to accomplish my agenda and will push it forward this Spring."
In addition to overarching items of national significance impacting Louisiana's recovery, Gov. Blanco offered ten quick steps for Congress to act on immediately:
Remove State Matching Requirements for Federal Assistance Grants: Congress would send a shot of adrenaline into the Gulf Coast recovery by authorizing 100% federal cost-share for Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Waiving the 10% non-federal cost-share responsibility would speed up our recovery, just as it did in New York when Congress provided 100% federal cost share after 9/11 and after Hurricanes Andrew and Iniki. This would allow the state to invest an estimated $700 million in CDBG funds in critical needs, including repairing our police stations, fire stations and other important infrastructure. Louisiana urges Congress to include this fix in the upcoming Supplemental Bill.
Cut the Red Tape in Hazard Mitigation Funding for the Road Home Program: Federal red tape holds hostage $1.2 billion of Hazard Mitigation Grant Program funding needed to return people to their homes. The White House required Louisiana to include HMGP funding as part of The Road Home Housing Program to fill our funding gap so we could offer a $150,000 maximum award to
homeowners, the same as Mississippi. FEMA is unwilling to approve this funding due to restrictive rules governing HMGP usage. Louisiana plans to use HMGP funding for: 1) The voluntary acquisition of structures on sites that local governments wish to return to open space; and 2) The provisions of grants to homeowners of up to $7500 to fund individual mitigation measures. Congress can quickly free up these funds for homeowners by simply allowing a waiver of the FEMA regulations or transferring the funds to CDBG
dollars.
Exempt the Road Home Awards from Federal Tax Penalties: Louisiana asks Congress to exempt homeowners who claimed a casualty loss deduction on their 2005 federal income tax return from having to pay this money back to the IRS upon receipt of the Road Home grant. Homeowners who received a casualty loss deduction and decide to rebuild are penalized by having to repay the IRS, while homeowners who received the deduction and decide to sell their property and move away are not penalized. Louisiana urges Congress to exempt tax penalties from the Road Home awards (S.29/H.R.641).
Allow Forgiveness of Community Disaster Loans: Less than two months after Hurricane Katrina, Congress passed the Community Disaster Loan Act of 2005, requiring local governments receiving Katrina and Rita aid to reimburse the federal government. Congress eliminated the possibility of forgiveness, even though historically, over 90% of Community Disaster Loans have been forgiven. Louisiana asks Congress to repeal the prohibition which forbids cancellation of these community disaster loans by the federal government (S.253/H.R.680).
Combat Crime in New Orleans: Louisiana has sent an additional 300 National Guard Troops and 60 State Troopers to reinforce the New Orleans Police Department since last June. The state continues to assist in providing functions essential to the city's criminal justice system. Louisiana calls on Congress to provide an urgent influx of additional COPS grants to the city, and an overall boost in funding to reestablish the criminal justice system in the area.
Extend SSBG Supplemental Funds for One Year: SSBG supplemental funds remain available until September 30, 2007. Louisiana asks Congress for a one-year extension of funds in order to ensure a continuation of critical hurricane recovery related services. Factors including the slower than anticipated repopulation of affected areas and the tight labor market for social service professionals contributed to the need for this extension. SSBG funding provides critically needed services including mental health, child welfare, the treatment of addictive disorders and other important services (S.293/H.R.184).
Allocate Disaster Recovery Funds Proportional to Damage: Louisiana recommends that Congress mandate a policy requiring the allocation of disaster recovery funds based on actual damages, especially in situations where one state may have a disproportionate share of damages in comparison with other states. The recent decision by FEMA to give nearly four times more housing money for Katrina Cottages to Mississippi than Louisiana, in spite of Louisiana suffering 75-80% of damages from Katrina and Rita,
magnifies the need for this policy.
Invest in Hurricane Protection and Coastal Restoration: Louisiana's master plan for a comprehensive approach to coastal restoration and protection requires a strong partnership with the federal government. Louisiana is grateful to Congress for passing an historic OCS revenue sharing bill. However, real OCS funding will not begin until 2017. We must act now to build up our defenses against future hurricanes. Louisiana calls on Congress to see that the Army Corps works in concert with the State's plan. Congress should begin the Coastal Impact Assistance Program as scheduled, and pass the Water Resources Development Act, a bill that includes critical infrastructure funding.
Increase Recovery Aid to Small Businesses and Approve Key Business Extensions: After 9/11, Congress made available nearly one-half a billion dollars in grants to small businesses. Comparable relief was not extended to small businesses along the Gulf Coast. Small businesses make up the lifeblood of Louisiana's economy, and they were the hardest hit by the storms. Louisiana urges Congress to work with us to supplement existing grant and loan programs and provide the tax relief needed to help our small businesses fully recover.
Key Business Extensions: Louisiana requests an extension to December 31, 2010, of the placed in service deadline for the Gulf Opportunity Zone Tax Credits. The Go Zone allows businesses investing in the parishes most affected by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita to take a 50 percent tax deduction for new facilities or equipment. It is imperative that the extension is granted to facilitate low-income housing tax credits targeted to rental housing developments.
Congress should also extend the 2009 Renewal Communities sunset, and expand the current New Orleans Renewal Community to include the seven parishes most affected by the storms. Finally, Louisiana asks for the Guest Worker Program to be extended to allow foreign workers a full two years in the Gulf Opportunity Zone. We ask for this extension at the same time that Louisiana continues to invest in workforce training geared towards the recovery.
Clarify SBA Loan Treatment Relating to Road Home Grants: Congress needs to instruct the SBA on the difference between a loan and a grant. A federal requirement exists that Road Home Grants be utilized to repay SBA Loans. Our homeowners need capital to rebuild their homes. Forcing them to repay loans with grant proceeds does not give them capital, it forces them to go elsewhere. Louisiana asks Congress to provide a full fix to this problem as homeowners struggle to return home.
I agree. The city needs people who are willing to work. If these people are willing to work -- and I can see there's a lot to do -- by all means, come back! However, there isn't a real economic reason why New Orleans needs to be a city of 500,000 with the changes in ship handling and transport. Instead, it would be better to find work elsewhere.
The operative word is finding work. Many people who have been on public assistance, regrettably, don't want to work. The rewards for hard work aren't as attractive as the known benefits of not working.
Right now I'm between job contracts and I have a hard time not becoming a lazy bum, and it's only been 11 days. I can see how it would be attractive to waste your life on welfare, but it's not good for the soul.
Boy, I bet the remaining New Orleanians can't wait for that to happen!
"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus
Yes, tear down those old free houses, and let's get some new free houses for people that don't want to work for a living.
Taxpayers will pick up the tab, no problem
The people who live in those Free houses are not the people New Orleans needs , They have been living on the government teat for years and they are the cause of many of the problems in that city.
There comes a time when a building is so destroyed by its residents that they are cheaper to tear down than they are to repair, Add to that the water and storm damage and a decision on the cheapest means of replacement has to be made. If that replacement is wanted in the first place.
Unfortunately for Houston and other cities that took in these loads if New Orleans doesnt rebuild they are stuck with this human waste.
Another Libtard War lost, F.Roosevelt/LBJ's War on Poverty....people who live in those Free houses are not the people New Orleans or any other place needs....been living on the government teat for years and they are the cause of many of the problems.
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