Posted on 06/17/2007 7:54:31 PM PDT by BBell
Judge halts cutoff of rental aid
FEMA must give notice in advance
By Susan Finch
In a strongly worded ruling, a New Orleans federal judge this week ordered the Federal Emergency Management Agency to stop cutting off rental assistance to low-income Hurricane Katrina and Rita evacuees without giving them advance written notice of reasons for the action or telling them they have a right a hearing on the matter.
U.S. District Judge Ginger Berrigan issued the ruling in response to an April lawsuit brought on behalf of evacuees who still need the help after losing everything in the 2005 storm, as well as for those whose housing assistance was discontinued in efforts by FEMA to recoup what it claims were overpayments.
Berrigan said she granted the order, a preliminary injunction that will remain in effect for the time being, because the plaintiffs convinced her they have a substantial chance of prevailing when the case goes to trial.
"The defendants appear to treat the plaintiffs and their prospects of homelessness and the despair and stress of such added worries as if it were gnats to be brushed away while the defendants busy themselves with creating more bureaucratic regulations," Berrigan said in reasons for her order, called a preliminary injunction, that will remain in effect pending a trial.
(Excerpt) Read more at nola.com ...
blood-sucking gnats. vampire gnats.
In a strongly worded ruling, a New Orleans federal judge this week ordered the Federal Emergency Management Agency to stop cutting off rental assistance to low-income Hurricane Katrina and Rita evacuees without giving them advance written notice of reasons for the action or telling them they have a right a hearing on the matter.
She didn't say FEMA has to give them aid, or keep giving it forever. She said FEMA has to tell them first before shutting them out. There's nothing in there to say that even if FEMA gave notice, it still couldn't end payments.
I know he is a she. She/he...I mean, tee-hee.
I know that you knew. I was being tacky.
I think the statute stipu;lated aid for up to 18 mo. I guess it does not apply to gnats. /s
December 12, 2006
In 2005 FEMA determined, pursuant to a presidential disaster declaration, that the evacuees from Hurricanes Katrina and Rita qualified for short-term housing rental assistance under Section 403 of the Stafford Act. However, in February of this year, FEMA attempted to transfer those evacuees that were eligible to its longer-term Section 408 housing program, which provides up to 18 months of housing assistance to disaster evacuees. During this transfer process, FEMA would ultimately deny the Section 408 applications of thousands of evacuees, and after 30 days notice, terminate their Section 403 benefits.
The court ordered the aid restored retroactively, so affected families are to receive checks for past payments from Sept. 1 to now, and continued assistance until February 2007, or until FEMA gives them adequate notice of why they were ineligible. The ruling affects families mostly in Texas and Louisiana who received FEMA rental assistance.
I knew that you knew that I knew.
So was I being tacky.
Speaking of tacky, I’ll bet the judge...no; I won’t go there. That is too tacky.
is this costing me thousands of dollars per person each month?
Not if you know how to game the system which many of these people have done since birth. They think nothing of it either. Their mentality is that it is owed to them (since they have no clue where it's coming from and don't really care).
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