Katrina-Rita-Ville Express

The Gulf Coast Housing Recovery Act (S.1668) is an important bill that would help low-income families return home by ensuring that adequate affordable housing is available. One of the bill’s co-sponsors, Senator Mary Landrieu (D-La.), recently offered several amendments that would directly benefit Alabama storm survivors. But the bill is languishing in the U.S. Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee, where Senator Richard Shelby (R-Ala.) is the ranking member. If Senator Shelby would allow this bill to come up for a vote, it would pass overwhelmingly – but he refuses to budge. Please let Senator Shelby know that you support this legislation and want action NOW!

On May 1 and 2, a FEMA trailer called The KatrinaRitaVille Express will be in Birmingham, Ala., to help rally support among Alabama residents and send a message to Senator Shelby about the urgent need for the Gulf Coast Housing Recovery Act to help hurricane survivors.

Please join us in Birmingham and see for yourself what life is like inside a FEMA trailer.

* * *

Thursday, May 1
Noon, Greater Birmingham Ministries Economic Justice Table
Speakers will include Mary Fontenot, executive director of All Congregations Together; Katrina Survivors living in Birmingham, Zack Carter, organizer, Alabama Arise; and representatives of UUSC and Greater Birmingham Ministries.

Greater Birmingham Ministries
12th Avenue and 23rd Street North
Birmingham, Ala.
Tel: (205) 326-6821

5p.m., Tour The KatrinaRitaVille Express, a FEMA trailer.
Thousands of people are still living in these toxic trailers, recently classified by the Centers for Disease Control as unsafe for habitation. For more information about The KatrinaRitaVille Express, please visit www.krvexpress.org.

7 p.m., Gulf Coast Update –The Struggle Continues
Music and program
Darryl Hunt, president, Unitarian Universalist Church of Birmingham will introduce speakers who include Mary Fontenot, executive director, All Congregations Together; Zack Carter, organizer, Alabama Arise; and Bev Hoffman, UUSC. Katrina survivors living in the Birmingham area will also be present. Singer Gigi Hines from Mississippi will perform. Admission free; donations to The KatrinaRitvaVille Express are encouraged.

Unitarian Universalist Church of Birmingham
4300 Hampton Heights Drive
Birmingham, Ala.
Tel: (205) 945-8109


Friday, May 2
9 a.m. – noon, Tour The KatrinaRitaVille Express

Join us in a show of Gulf Coast solidarity outside the Federal Building. Be part of the delegation that lobbies inside Senator Shelby’s office. If you are interested in taking part, please e-mail Jack Zylman (jzylman@bellsouth) or Helen Rivas (Helen @ helenrivas.com).

Federal Building
5th Avenue North and 18th Street
Birmingham, Ala.

Laura Katz ParenteauAdmin. Assist./Disaster Relief Coord.City Action Partnership1801 Third Ave. NorthBirmingham, AL 35203
www.CAPISDOWNTOWN.COM
Email: CAPbham@aol.com

Holiday Season In Need

I know we all have people in our communities needing assistance with the holidays. But I want to highlight the needs that are still being unmet along the Gulf Coast since hurricanes Katrina and Rita.

So many people are still unable to celebrate the holidays in any fashion. Paying bills is proving too difficult, much less the luxuries of a big meal or gifts being within their budgets.

I have had 3 new families join the Real People Relief blog in the last month alone. All of these folks are just not able to keep up with life. Commutes are longer. Pay is less. Bills are 20%-100% higher. 2 income families are splitting, leaving 1 income to pay all the bills. 1 income families are losing their jobs. Even for a week, this proves catastrophic. 12/12/07 - 2 new families in as many days. Please consider helping!

And every family has but one wish - for Christmas for the children. The children! Not for themselves - the adults. But their children.

I have sent a note out to my family and friends, asking them to join me in assisting 3 families through Thanksgiving and Christmas. Last year, I helped 1 family. This year, it needs to be more. Why? Because hope is fading. Donations to organizations are dwindling (for the very reasons listed above). Those of us who can, even in the smallest of ways, must step up and help.

Very soon, I will be posting information on organizations needing assistance for their holiday plans. As I receive the information, the pages will be updated.
Here's the link for easier access

I ask YOU to do something.
- a sample is here:
Write a letter to the editor
Write a letter to your local churches

Make a poster (use or copy) post at local public gathering places (laundromats, restaurants, schools, colleges, etc.)

I'll be doing all of the above, as well as helping 3 of my families. What are you going to do? Let me know - write a comment or write to me directly and I'll post the general information.

12/8 Well, that 200 is still being spent. I went to Reader's Digest online ED.com - and ordered 9 subscriptions to the same families who are getting the National Geographic for Kids. This way, both adults and kids will have something to look forward to all year. AND - by paying when I ordered, I got 3 subscriptions for the price of 1. Which makes it so I can add a family (small one) to buy for. I hope to do that tomorrow. We'll see.
I've sent out close to 20 boxes so far - and that's just my collection of stuff. I do hope to get a call or two from local churches as well, but I'm not holding out hope. Life around here is very hard - not a lot of good work to be had.
I heard from my contact at the City of Waveland and found out at least 2 organizations are going to be helping with their Xmas assistance program because of the page I set up. Good! They had 2 dozen families signed up before they even announced they were doing this. So, it's scary how many people are still in need.
My sister sent my the list of items they have collected thus far for Thai and her family. It truly excites me that it will be such a good Xmas for them!
I have more fun doing Xmas this way than 'the normal way'. I don't need anything. I don't have ROOM for anything more. So why have people get stuff for me or I get anything for them?
I'd love to hear what others are doing this Christmas. Let me know and I'll make posts for each.
Leslie


12/3 WOW - a friend just dropped me a $200 check! I was thinking maybe 100. WOW. So, 3 families are getting everything for a tree. The tree itself (prelit), tree skirt, tinsel, tree topper, ornaments, and hooks.
The check has also just bought 2 more subscriptions to National Geographic for Kids - it will be read by 7 kids who get to look forward to it all year long. My kind of Christmas gift!
I still have money left, so will be checking my list again and seeing what I can come up with for folks. Ha! Life is good!
I've shipped clothes to the 9 girls, a tree kit to 1 family, have boxed up another tree kit for another family and have shipped the rest of the stuffed animals out to Waveland - about 40 left from the girls. I still have to go through the shoes I got, but that's what tomorrow is for.

12/2 Luck has remained with me for once! I called a guy who had an ad in the paper about stuffed animals. Not only those, but girls clothes as well. I got all of the stuff yesterday for about $.30 per piece, washed it, cleaned it, sorted it and packed it up for my dad to take to the post office tomorrow. 9 girls have at least one new outfit each - if the stuff all fits! I have NO clue how parents buy for their kids. There are 2 different sets of S,M,L and then the overlap between kids and adults. I glazed over after awhile. Crap! So, I truly hope the stuff fits. It's all great clothing - Old Navy, Ltd, etc.

Plus, some toys thrown in just because and the rest of the stuffed animals will be sent to Waveland's Xmas program. They have 23 families thus far and have no idea how they'll cover them all. http://katrinanetworking.blogspot.com/2007/11/waveland-ms-christmas-needs.html
And another friend from the CoHR is going to buy what she can for a family that has dealt with health issues and death ever since The Storm hit. So I have to recount, but this is 6 completely and 8 partially. Great compared to last year!

Thank you to everyone, and please, keep up the great work!

L

11/14 - Update. Well, between my friends and family, we are helping 7 families have Thanksgiving and at least 3 have a real Christmas (11/26 *5* completely and 7 partially). I am thrilled and blessed to know such generous people. THIS is what Thanksgiving is about.

11/26 A friend has purchased 3 trees and 3 sets of 50 ornaments to send down, so am waiting to find the right families who will have something to put under the trees to send them.

Another friend has purchased 7 subscriptions to National Geographic For Kids that will give 13 kids something to look forward to all year long!

A family member's work department has sponsored one of the larger families on Real People Relief for Christmas and are starting to collect the items on their collective list as well as gift cards from some of their vendors!

A new friend (through the relief effort) has adopted 2 of the single families to assist throughout the year as well as this Christmas.

A family friend is taking care of Christmas for a new family on the list. It's a larger family too, so this is wonderful!

My latest project is complete. I have made 6 Christmas stockings for 2 of the families. 1 is being taken care of by one of the above mentioned and the other is the family my mother and I are taking care of for Christmas. The picture is at the top....

11/27 - I just got done shopping for this week. I do NOT see what the allure is. I never have. However, I went to Kohl's and got 50% off all toys, and then my mother paid for them, getting another 15% off the total. Woo! Shopping in teams really makes it worth the effort.

I also was able to have 60 stuffed animals promised to me for $15 by a father of 3 girls who have grown up. I may get some of the clothes too, we'll see if the woman going Thursday takes them all, or just some. So I'll be able to send more Christmas to more families than I thought! That makes me very happy! Go through your classifieds!

LA Assistance

One Stop Shopping
3/12 Families Helping Families of Greater NOLA - Post Katrina Resource Guide
55 pages of GREAT resources.

Job Assistance
Back To Work! New Orleans LA (searchable) http://www.nola.com/backtowork/
Working in Lousiana http://www.laworks.net/

Child Care
1/10 LA 4H Child Care Assistance
http://www.louisiana4h.org/NR/rdonlyres/7211869F-A82E-4F70-BDE4-EEBB54E264D9/32079/HeresHelpBrochure.pdf

1/18 Food Banks
Food Bank of Central Louisiana
3223 Baldwin Avenue
Alexandria, LA 71301
Phone: 318.445.2773
Contact: Jayne Wright
Lagniappe du Coeur Greater Baton Rouge Food Bank
5546 Choctaw Drive
Baton Rouge, LA 70821
Phone: 225.359.9940
www.brfoodbank.org
Contact: De Shion York
Northwest Louisiana Food Bank
2307 Texas Avenue
Shreveport, LA 71103
Phone: 318.675.2400
Second Harvesters Food Bank
1201 Sams Avenue
New Orleans, LA 70123
Phone: 504.734.1322 ext.211
www.secondharvestersfoodbank.org
Contact: Ken Woodson
Tangi Daily Bread
206 East Charles Street
Hammond, LA 70401
Phone: 504.542.7407
Contact: Rocky Plus
1/25 Community Meal
New Community Center serving Hot Meals 7 days a week in the Lower 9th
Goin’ Home Community Café
Where: 6030 St. Claude Avenue (corner of St. Claude and Tupelo)
When: Seven Days a week beginning Monday January 22nd, 2007!!!
Monday thru Friday Breakfast 7-9, Lunch 12-2 and Dinner 6-8
Saturday and Sunday Brunch 11-1 and Dinner 4-7
Who: Emergency Communities
FREE Facilities: Book Library, Laundry Room, and Kid’s Space
FREE Services: Gutting, General Labor, Rebuilding Assistance
Coming Soon: Internet Access, Tool Library, and Movie Night
Contact us with questions and concerns: Matt (site manager) (917) 853-7877

Rental Assistance
From Marlene
Tenant Based Rental Assistance Program. LHFA has setup a housing program where eligible residents are given vouchers to help with basic housing needs. The voucher can provide eligible residents with more housing opportunities and choices.
Just the Facts:
Low-income residents must be displaced by a recent disaster
Must be registered with FEMA
Must live in one of 11 parishes
Provides 12-months rental assistance for emergency housing
Can be used for rent and security deposits
Homes must meet U.S. Housing and Urban Development (HUD) standards
Voucher is provided to the tenant not the property
Eligible applicants are allowed to move from one residence to another
Applications are available through Public Housing Authorities (PHAs)
Information listed subject to change, contact LHFA for more details.
Income Limits:
1 person $29,300
2 person $33,500
3 person $37,650
4 person $41,850
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT LOUISIANA HOUSING FINANCE AGENCY
2415 Quail Drive, Baton Rouge, LA 70808 • Phone: 225-763-8700 • Toll Free 888-454-2001 • Fax: 225-763-8710
www.lhfa.la.gov
12/27 Booker T Community Outreach http://www.hud.gov/local/la/community/diffinmonroe.cfm Help for home owners, renters, buying a home, utility payment assistance.

Utilities
Helping Hands Organization
Now Offering Utility Payment Assistance, Housing, Food Assistance
If you are disabled, elderly or homeless, call today and see if you qualify for our program.
For more information call 225-299-9384 Ms. N. Wilson

For Disabled
1/25 Louisiana Answers
www.LouisianaAnswers.com.
Louisiana Answers isdesigned to assist older adults and persons with disabilities in locating supportive services and resources in order to continue living as they choose in their community.
Please contact the toll-free Louisiana information, referral andassistance line at 800-738-2256 or at www.LouisianaAnswers.com.
Families Helping Families Groups in Louisiana
http://www.fhfla.org/fhfcenters.php
www.familieshelpingfamilies.net
FHF - Crossroads is working to meet the immediate needs (diapers, clothing, medical equipment) of individuals with disabilities who were affected by the hurricanes.
Louisiana Disability Information Resource
http://www.ladir.org/links/accessibility.html
Information for people with disabilities and their families who have been affected by Hurricane Katrina.
http://www.katrina-la.net/
Katrina Disability Information
http://www.katrinadisability.info/
EASTER SEALS Louisiana
305 Baronne Street, Suite 400
New Orleans, LA 70112-1617
(504) 523-7325 (Voice/TTY)
(800) 695-7325 (Voice/TTY in LA only)
E-mail: DanUnderw1@aol.com
http://www.louisiana.easterseals.com
11/20 Assistance for LA Disabled http://advocacyla.org/ (from Jenni)
The Advocacy Center is Louisiana's protection and advocacy system. Federal law requires that a protection and advocacy system operate in every state to protect the rights of persons with mental or physical disabilities.
1010 Common Street, Ste 2600 New Orleans, LA 504-522-2337 1-800-960-7705

General Assistance
3/25/07 Adopt a Family for LA
1/18 Business Assistance
Louisiana Business Assistance
Do you need financial assistance and professional guidance, but your business does not have the funds to support it? Well, believe it or not, your business may qualify for FREE financial assistance and FREE professional guidance. http://www.alldaycpa.com/certified-small-business.Asp
1/18 NOLA Bound
"NOLA Bound is easing the process of negotiating the overwhelmingdetails of moving home and giving residents the opportunity to askquestions directly to people who can help them get their plan inplace. The way home starts by calling NOLA Bound."
Greater New Orleans Area residents living outside Louisiana can call toll-free, 1-877-PLAN4LA (752-6452) to speak with a NOLA Bound planning partner Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. -5:30 p.m.
The NOLA Bound call center will provide displaced Greater New Orleans Area residents with personal planning assistance and support in identifying individual steps toward making a successful transition back to New Orleans. NOLA Bound will offer personal attention for residents seeking specific information about the rebuilding and recovery progress of their city as well as the status of neighborhoods and communities, including open businesses, rebuilding updates, jobs,school and child care openings, health care facilities and informationabout housing.
A Recovery Authority
http://www.lra.louisiana.gov/
The planning and coordinating body that was created in the aftermath of hurricanes Katrina and Rita by Governor Kathleen Babineaux Blanco to plan for the recovery and rebuilding of Louisiana.
11/18 LA Resource Clearinghouse http://www.louisianahelp.org/ The Louisiana Disaster Recovery Foundation has been established in order to help provide assistance to our citizens in need through a network of Louisiana charities, non-profit and governmental agencies, including clearinghouses like the Louisiana VOAD (Volunteer Organizations Active in Disaster).
1-877-HELPLA1 (877-435-7521) CONTACT: Cliff Mintz, 202.416.6116 (work)
For more information or to apply for a grant, go to: http://www.louisianahelp.org
The Salvation Army (at least in Slidell, LA) is giving out voucher worth up to$1,500 for furniture. Hours to call for appointment: M-F, 8am - 11am and 1pm - 3pm Phone numbers to call for appointment: 985-781-3580 985-781-3991 take a picture ID, FEMA application, Social Security card and utility bill.
Nola Future Hope
http://nolafuturehope.org/ Providing basic temporary housing and daily needs for displaced victims of Hurricane Katrina.The N.O.L.A. Hope Center will be providing temporary housing, meals, daycare, and tutoring for homeless residents of New Orleans who have stayed or returned and need assistance while they renovate their home or find a new home.
LA Family Recovery Corp
http://www.recoverycorps.org/
Contact this agency for referral to more agencies.... Will help you get a case manager -
225-381-3915 in Baton Rouge or 504-301-3420 in New Orleans
New Orleans 800-749-2673
Baton Rouge 877-923-2114
Lake Charles 866-310-4636
Lafayette 866-778-2618
Shreveport 866-823-9615
Monroe 800-644-9886

The Road Home - GOOD Resource
http://www.road2la.org/
How To Apply For The Road Home Funding
http://www.road2la.org/how-to-apply.htm
1-888-ROAD-2-LA (1-888-762-3252) or
TTY: use 7-1-1 relay or 1-800-846-5277 (TTY) /
1-800-947-5277 (V)

Road Home Centers
Calcasieu Parish
1417 E. Prien Lake Road
Lake Charles, LA 70601

Cameron Parish
1161 Highway 384
Grand Lake, LA 70605

East Baton Rouge Parish
7850 Anselmo Lane
Baton Rouge, LA 70810

Jefferson
2400 Veteran's Boulevard
Suite # 300
Kenner, LA 70062

Orleans
1555 Poydras Street
Suite #9
New Orleans, LA 70112

New Orleans East
4949 Bullard Ave
New Orleans, LA 70128

Plaquemines
7976 A-B Highway 23
Belle Chasse, LA 70037

St. Bernard
3002 Jean Lafitte Pkwy
Chalmette, LA 70043

St. Tammany
3127 Pontchartrain Drive
Slidell, LA 70458

Terrebonne
5058 West Main Street
Houma, LA 70360

Vermilion
America Legion Bldg.
605 North Gin Street
Erath, LA 70533

Houston
6260 West Park Drive
Suite 200
Houston, TX 77057

LA Rebuilds
http://www.louisianarebuilds.info/
A portal that provides an entrance to the services, resources, support networks, and other vital information to help residents and businesses rebuild their lives, their communities, and their state.
For more information on our State Coalitions Partners and nationalnetwork of housing organization members, please contact KimSchaffer, NLIHC State Coalitions Director at the National Low IncomeHousing Coalition at kim@nlihc.org or at 202-662-1530 x 232.
1/3 - new stuff added to their site:
Access NOPD crime maps, crime forums, and police logs on the new Public Safety section of LouisianaRebuilds.info. Keep up to date with issues in wetlands and levee protection, and find hurricane preparedness information as well.
http://www.louisianarebuilds.info/publicsafety
New in Homeowners
The Hope for Homeowners program can help homeowners facing foreclosure with assistance and resources to help you get back on track. Call the home ownership hotline at 1-888-995-HOPE for immediate assistance 24/7.
http://www.louisianarebuilds.info/homeowners#financial/
Road Home Rethinks Appraisals
http://www.nola.com/news/t-p/frontpage/index.ssf?/base/news-7/1166687735146230.xml&coll=1
Road Home Feedback
Read what people are saying about the Road Home program. http://www.louisianarebuilds.info/homeowners#financial
New in Business Assistance
Louisiana Small Business Retention Program
The LRA and the Department of Economic Development have announced a proposal to use recovery funds to create a $100 million grant program for small businesses. Pending final approval of the proposed amendment, the state expects to begin accepting applications in early January 2007. Sign up through the Louisiana Department of Economic Development to be notified when the program is open.
http://www.louisianarebuilds.info/business#assistance
New in our Contractor Guide
Every Saturday from 12-3 PM the Common Ground Collective offers free legal advice and contract review services at 1415 Franklin Avenue and North Robertson. Assistance is available only with an in-person visit.
http://www.louisianarebuilds.info/contractor#hire
New in Local Services
Recycling in New Orleans Recycling in New Orleans is now available. Download this directory to find out where you can recycle in the New Orleans area. http://www.louisianarebuilds.info/localservices#debris

Phone Numbers for Help
LA Legal Assistance http://www.lawhelp.org/LA/
The American Bar Association is offering its services for hurricane relief. In Louisiana, call 1-800-310-7029.
Cleanup: Hotline for free debris pickup from hurricane in Orleans Parish (800)849-1355
Army Corp of Engineers.
Cleaning: To set up pickup by CERES Environmental to pick up vegetation, building materials and large appliances in unincorporated Jefferson Parish and Lafitte call (888)376-2220 or(985)359-3017
Temporary roof repairs: Call (888)ROOF-BLU (766-3258), or go to www.usace.army.mil
For blue roof problems call (866)632-0030, 7 AM to 7 PM weekdays and 9 AM to 5:30 PM weekends.
If you had a claim pending in one of the closed New Orleans area offices, Social Security needs your current address & phone number, call toll free 1-800-772-1213.
Small Business Administration: (800)659-2955 or www.sba.gov
Louisiana Department of Insurance (800)259-5300 or (225)342-1258
If you do not know your insurance company's phone number, look it up by going to the LA Department of Inusrane's website at www.ldi.state.la.us and clicking on "Hurricane Katrina and Rita." then click on "Contract information."

The website of the Insurance Information Institute also lists numbers: www.disasterinformation.org/findins.htm

The phone numbers of the larger insurance companies operating in Louisiana are
Allstate: (800)547-8676
Farm Bureau: (800)772-6535
State Farm: (800)732-5246
Citizens Property Insurance Corp: (800)931-9548

For storm releated information in St. Tammany call (985)898-2323
· To get in contact with your company or employees – go to www.findyourneworleansemployer.com.
· If you are or were a federal employee impacted by Hurricane Katrina - call 1-800-307-8298 or go to www.opm.gov/katrina.
· The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is providing temporary roof repairs. Call (888)766-3258 · For more information on Blue Roof Program, call 1-800-ROOF-BLU
· Teleregistration/Helpline: www.fema.gov or (800)621-3362.
Service Repair Phone Numbers
· Entergy Corp: To report a power outage, call (800)968-8243.
· To report a power-related emergency, call (800)368-3749. For updates on power restoration go to www.entergy.com/corp/.
· Cox Communications: www.cox.com and click on "Important Storm Information about Hurricanes Rita and Katrina."
BellSouth Corp: www.bellsouth.com or call (800)737-2478 for repairs
If you need help with demolition or building permits The phone numbers of parish permitting offices are as follows:
Orleans: (504)658-7100
Jefferson: (504)736-6957 and (504)364-3515
St. Bernard: (504)278-4310
St. Tammany: (985)898-2574, (985)646-4166
Post Katrina Disaster Electrical Repairs Replace or Recondition?
Some items may be reconditioned, while others will need to be completely replaced to protect your family. It is recommended that you allow an electician or elctrical inspector to guide the restoration or replacement of any electrical wiring or equipment.
Corrosion and insulation damage can occur when water and silt get inside electical devices and products. Water can also damage the motors in electrical appliances.
Therefore, you should be prepared to replace:
1. Circuit Breakers
2. All electrical wiring systems
3. Light switches, thermostats, outlets, light fixtures, electric heaters, ceiling fans.
4. Furnace burner and blowers motors, ignition transformers, elements, relays (for furnaces and hot water tanks)
5. Hot water tanks
6. Washing machines, dryers, furnaces, heat pumps, freezers, refrigerators, dehumidifiers, vacuums, power tools, exercise equipment and similar appliances
7. Electronic equipment, including computers and home entertainment systems.
*Underwriters laboratories Inc. publishes guidelines that address flood damaged electrical equipment and wiring.

To find a licensed mold clean-up contractor call 1-866-310-7879 or visit http://www.lslbc.state.la.us/findcontractor.asp .

Keep the following tips in mind when hiring a contractor:
1. Contact the LSLBC, Louisiana State Licensing Board for Contractors for Do's and Don'ts when hiring a contractor.
2. Check with your insurance agent for referrals.
3. Get the contractor's business name and address.
4. Get in writing the estimated start and completion dates and the total amount to be paid when the work is done.
Never pay more than 10% of the total cost down at the beginning of the job.

Debris Removal: To contact the Louisiana Homeland Security Debris Hotline, please call 1-866-617-1780 or visit online at http://www.ohsep.louisiana.gov/ .

Other Resource Pages
Businesses
Children/Childcare
Dental
Disabled
Education Assistance Elderly
Emotional Resources
Family Resources
Furniture and More
Grandfamily/Single Parent ResourcesGrants for Individuals - does not include homeowner or repair grants
Home/Utility LA Family Resources
Medical ResourcesMortgage Resources

When $110 Billion Isn't

5 states, 3 storms slice up federal pie
Sunday, February 11, 2007
By Bill Walsh
WASHINGTON -- In the wake of the brutal 2005 hurricane season, the White House and Congress made a point of repeatedly noting that $110 billion in federal aid had been dispatched to the Gulf Coast, the most ever for a disaster. The total was widely touted as a blessing.

But as the region struggles to rebuild 18 months later, the figure has become something of a political curse, especially for Louisiana officials who say they have been consistently shortchanged and are back in the nation's capital looking for more.

The new Democratic majority in Congress seems more than willing to cut bureaucratic red tape to speed the recovery, but hasn't committed to the infusion of new cash the state says it needs.
Republicans and the Bush administration, meanwhile, say the state needs to spend what it has first.

Louisianians making the rounds on Capitol Hill last week kept hearing the same question: Didn't we just send you $110 billion?

"I hear it all the time," said Walter Leger, of the Louisiana Recovery Authority, the state entity in charge of rebuilding programs. "It's frustrating."

The LRA estimates that in Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, Louisiana alone sustained upwards of $100 billion in losses, but hasn't gotten anywhere near that amount. Leger figures the state has $34 billion in "uncompensated losses."

A misinterpretation
He says the $110 billion in federal assistance for the Gulf Coast is widely misinterpreted. First, the money was divided among the five Gulf Coast states and covers damage from Katrina, Rita and Wilma, which hit south Florida. The LRA figures that Louisiana's share of that was about $59 billion, but even that is misleading.

About $18 billion came in the form of disaster relief, which includes the kind of post-crisis assistance -- health care, evacuee assistance, business loans -- the federal government routinely extends in a major crisis. An additional $14.7 billion was in payouts from the National Flood Insurance Program, for which Louisiana policyholders had paid premiums.

By the LRA's calculations, the state has received $26.4 billion in genuine federal help, including money to rebuild levees, homes, schools and community infrastructure.

"A lot has been said about the $110 billion," said Rep. Richard Baker, R-Baton Rouge. "We just haven't seen it."

But skeptics of the state's position aren't hard to find in Washington. The skeptic in chief is President Bush, who has said that the state doesn't need more money, but to spend what it already has.

Shortchanged from start Exhibit A, he said, is Gov. Kathleen Blanco's Road Home housing program, which has been allocated nearly $12 billion; as of Thursday, 590 people had gotten checks totaling $38.3 million.

"I think it's important for the state and the parishes to use what they have right now," said Donald Powell, Bush's Gulf Coast recovery coordinator. "My job is to look at the needs and make recommendations for more funding. But I think anyone would be hard- pressed right now to recommend more funding when the vast majority of the state's federal funds remain unspent."

There also is no shortage of doubters on Capitol Hill. At a hearing last week, Rep. Spencer Bachus, R-Ala., said he thought Louisiana had enough. He read aloud comments Blanco made a year ago praising President Bush and touting the "carefully crafted, legitimate numbers" for the assistance received.

But Leger said Bachus was quoting her out of context and that Louisiana has been shortchanged from the start.

"If we got $59 billion, that means the rest went to Mississippi, Alabama and Texas, and we had four times the damage," Leger said. "That's not fair. That's what people ought to be looking at."

He and Democrats in the state's delegation told the House Financial Services Committee last week that Mississippi has fared far better because of its Republican political clout on Capitol Hill. In December 2005, Mississippi got $5.2 billion for housing recovery in an emergency supplemental spending bill and Louisiana got $6.2 billion, even though Louisiana had far more damage from flooding.

According to the Office of Gulf Coast Rebuilding, Louisiana had 204,737 homes destroyed or with major damage. Together, Mississippi, Alabama and Texas had 77,173.

It helped Mississippi's case in Congress that the man making the final spending decisions, Sen. Thad Cochran, chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee, is the state's senior senator.

Louisiana officials say the unfairness continued in the supplemental spending package passed in the summer of 2006 in which the state got an additional $4.2 billion for housing. Leger estimated that the actual need was $8 billion to $9 billion, but because of Mississippi's clout, Louisiana's portion was limited.

"I don't begrudge Mississippi its money, but we have to ask what does it really take to fund the recovery?" Rep. William Jefferson, D- New Orleans, said. "There just isn't enough money starting out to measure up to the scope of the damage. The amount was pulled out of the air and politics took over."

The 10 percent rule
The disparity, they say, continues today. At the top of Blanco's wish list is waiving the requirement that Louisiana pay 10 percent of the disaster recovery costs. The Bush
administration reduced the amount from 25 percent, but the Blanco administration says it has cost Louisiana $400 million that could be spent on rebuilding and will cost plenty more.

She says that the federal government waived the local cost-share for Hawaii in 1992 when Hurricane Iniki hit and for Louisiana and Florida the same year after Hurricane Andrew. The local contribution was also waived for New York after the 2001 terrorist attacks.

Powell, the Bush-appointed recovery coordinator, said that extra money was given to Louisiana to cover the state's share and that it's important for locals to take some "ownership of these
projects."

But state officials say they will be in a better position to help themselves when they receive a little more help from Washington.

A pamphlet members of the LRA were handing out on Capitol Hill last week quoted from Bush's Sept. 15, 2005, speech in Jackson Square promising "an unprecedented response to an unprecedented crisis."

"We are still waiting to be treated like other states," it says.
From Jenni

Discussing Effects of Temp Housing On Children

Rapid assessments of temporary housing camps for hurricane-displaced children and families
INTRODUCTION Transitional housing for Hurricane Katrina evacuees presents a variety of physical and social hazards for the children who live there. And, despite the temporary housing label, it will long remain a risky and disruptive environment unless action is taken now to remedy the situation. In addition, current policy must change so that displaced populations are not simply given shelter but are provided with safe and protective communities that promote recovery after a disaster.
Housing as many people as possible on the space available with little regard for the needs of children has become the de facto standard operating procedure, dating back over six presidential administrations and continuing through Hurricanes Andrew (2002), Charley (2004) and Katrina (2005). However, mass-displacement camps are some of the most dangerous and unhealthy places in the world for people to live. As Save the Children knows from decades of experience, poorly planned camps will lead to a deterioration of social conditions and put already vulnerable children further at risk.
In February and March 2006, Save the Children conducted a rapid assessment of conditions in 20 camps in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama that raised a variety of concerns and reinforced our understanding of how best to protect children in post-crisis situations. Since then, efforts have been made to correct some problems in temporary camps. However, more can be done to ensure that children displaced by the hurricane have a safe place to live, a nurturing environment to learn and a true community within which to thrive.
Rapid assessments are snapshots: They reflect the stories, concerns, priorities and reality of daily life in the camps as communicated by residents. The assessments are not an exploration of the U.S. system of emergency management and human services, nor are the findings meant as indictments against any agency or organization. Rather, they allow for insight into conditions and provide the opportunity to address unmet needs.
This summary includes recommendations to mitigate risks to children and their families now and in future U.S. disasters.
DEMOGRAPHY
Not all people displaced by Hurricane Katrina were impoverished. It is simply the impoverished who have the greatest difficulty recovering from such an event. And it is the women, disabled, elderly and the children who are most vulnerable and who ultimately suffer most.
As of September 14, 2005, residents of 76 counties and parishes in Mississippi, Louisiana and Alabama were designated eligible for federal assistance — a basic guideline for determining areas most severely affected by the storm. FEMA reports that 36,504 individuals were affected by flooding alone. Countless others were affected by sustained high winds, rain, flooding and hurricane-related tornados.
At the time of the storm, according to the U.S. Census Bureau:
- In the 10 Alabama counties designated disaster areas, an average of 26 percent of the under-18 population lived below the poverty level; countywide poverty rates were as high as 36 percent;
- In the 19 Louisiana parishes receiving the designation, an average of 23 percent of the under-18 population lived below the poverty level while countywide poverty rates were as high as 34 percent;
- In the 47 Mississippi counties designated disaster areas, an average of 27 percent of the under-18 population lived below the poverty level, and countywide poverty rates were as high as 36 percent.
THE FINDINGS
Physical Environment
- Throughout the 20 sites, housing density was a consistent complaint of both children and adults. Residents attributed rising tensions within the camp community, in part, to overcrowding. They also cited cramped living conditions as a major stressor that led to conflict within the family.
- Transportation is one of the greatest challenges for Katrina's displaced families. Many camp residents have either never owned or needed a vehicle or have since lost their car. They are dependent on public transportation to get to work, health facilities and other services. The not atypical Cash Point RV Park outside of Bossier City, La., is located 7.8 miles from the nearest marked bus stop and approximately 7.5 miles to the nearest hospital or major grocery store.
- Commercial sites generally offer more green space and recreational area, and trailers tend to be less densely situated. New families are integrated with other residents rather than isolated. Newly formed group sites, however, are often bleak and unwelcoming. For example, Zirlott Park (Alabama) is dominated by broad roads and is without vegetation. The children have no playground but can see a ball field through a recently installed chain-link fence.
- Community can play an important role in improving the camp environment and relationships with host populations, but community is noticeably absent. Only three of 20 sites provide a tent or space for communal gatherings, programs or activities for children or religious services. The lack of communal space limits interaction among community members and hinders the ability to organize and attract services, thereby adding to the further deterioration of quality of life for and the safety and security of children.
- Renaissance Village (Baton Rouge, La.), still the largest of the post-Katrina trailer camps and home to about 300 children displaced by Hurricane Katrina, exemplifies many problems inherent in camps built for evacuees. It is characterized by insufficient pedestrian-scale lighting; the presence of debris and other hazards; an absence of community centers and other safe spaces for social interaction and after-school programming; wide passages that facilitate dangerous driving and put children at risk; a lack of defined pedestrian areas; and the existence of especially unsafe areas, such as unlit wooded areas and outlying laundry rooms that may provide opportunity for sexual predators.
Child-Protection Issues
- Many children are not attending school. Parents cited treatment by school officials and other students, unfamiliarity with the neighborhood and difficulty related to relocations as reason for non-attendance. Transportation problems and difficulties with peers also were contributing to non-attendance.
- The hurricane and its aftermath separated children from their parents in 11 of 20 sites. In Picayune, Miss., two residents reported sending their children to live with relatives elsewhere due to conditions in the camp. Anecdotally, camp residents said that many people are separated from their children for reasons that include: transportation, quality of life, separation during rescue and sheltering after the storm, post-storm divorces and inaccessibility of medical care.
- Children are vulnerable to crime and physical and sexual abuse. Drug abuse and dealing were reported in nine sites. A feeling of tension and reports of violence were registered in seven and eight sites, respectively. Theft and prostitution were reported in six sites. Alcohol abuse, domestic violence and poor relationships with the local community were reported at five sites. Interviewees at five sites said they were concerned about suspicious neighbors. Residents at four sites reported sexual assaults/rapes; and, residents at three sites report having known sexual predators living at their site.
- Residents from across the camps reported changes in their children's behavior. Parents cited apparent boredom in seven sites, fighting in five sites, and crying and irritability in four sites. Depression, weight change, "acting out" and a change in school performance were each reported in three sites. Change to sleep patterns was reported in one site.
RECOMMENDATIONS
Creating a positive and protective environment for children
The lack of a community leaves children and their families at risk and vulnerable. Building trust in temporary communities creates a safe environment for children but also nurtures self-help for adults. People who have met and know each other can work together on commonly identified goals that benefit the community. This type of trust building needs to occur both inside the camps as well as between the camp residents and local towns. Encouraging adults to integrate into the local community and learn about job training, transportation, economic opportunities and educational opportunities for children will ultimately expedite their transition out of temporary housing communities.
Issues of overcrowding, unsafe environments and alienation from surrounding communities put children further at risk. However, safe and protective communities are still possible for Katrina evacuees if they have support and are enabled to help themselves, and if a number of important measures are taken, including:
- Creating a meeting space for parents and children. Residents of temporary housing camps need a meeting area—for adults to gather as well as for children's clubs and, potentially, for child care. Ideally, this would entail a double-wide trailer with accompanying tents for children's activities during the summer and after school. Communal space should also be available for the host community to meet with camp residents. Job boards, camp/school notices and other information posted there would ultimately help residents to help themselves.
- Ensuring the provision of basic activities. Parents and children need productive social activities. Individuals within the community and local community groups could provide these services. Children should be provided with games and materials for child play and to encourage activities between children and adults. These activities support children's development but also encourage expression, exercise and a healthy lifestyle.
- Improving the physical environment. Having been moved many times, many displaced people do not feel they have control over their lives or environment. Small grants should be made to communities to allow residents to address issues such as lighting, ramps, signage for children, playgrounds, flowers, murals and social events. All of these would increase the security of the camps as well as give residents control over their environment. Other grants could be given to youth groups to undertake similar activities.
- Linking residents with state and local resources. Residents feel cut off from public resources that could facilitate their recovery. A focus on connecting them with these resources is critical. • Addressing transportation concerns. A key concern for many in the rural displaced communities is the lack of transportation to the nearest city. Many residents have no vehicle and cannot address basic needs (e.g., laundry, grocery shopping, post office and medical appointments). Residents cannot find and retain employment without transportation.
- Facilitating integration into local communities. Local officials and nonprofit organizations should facilitate activities between the displaced and host communities. Ideally, these would focus on addressing problems common to both communities. Strengthening the bonds between two communities could support the displaced and allow for local assimilation. Youth-serving organizations should facilitate young people gathering together for positive activities such as sports or music events.
- Improving school integration. Schools are often sources of tension for the children of host and displaced communities. To address this situation, qualified nonprofits should work with children, teachers and principals and identify appropriate solutions, for example: tolerance education programs, integration programming and support for teachers.
Implementing change and building community now
In July 2006, Save the Children will begin working with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) on the "Safe and Protective Communities" project. Starting with a pilot project in one Louisiana temporary housing settlement, Save the Children will launch proven programs to improve the living environment for children and their families. Among planned activities are: establishing safe play areas for children and a meeting space for adults; facilitating community meetings; collaborating with local private and public organizations to address the recovery and social needs of camp residents; and identifying and funding youth-focused community projects. Plans are to replicate this model in other camps in Louisiana and Mississippi over the coming year. In each area, Save the Children intends to partner with local governments and service providers.
Planning ahead for future disasters
Children are among the most vulnerable members of society, especially during a crisis. While addressing the needs of children who live along the Gulf Coast is an immediate priority, this is also the time to ensure that they are not lost in the process the next time the United States faces a major disaster.
Emergency plans should integrate children's issues—from their basic security and well-being in temporary shelters to the continuation of their education—and should include programs that protect children and assist them through the aftermath of a crisis, into recovery and back to stable communities. The roles and responsibilities of federal, state and local government agencies, as well as local organizations, should be well-delineated.
At the federal level, government agencies should develop specific posts and working groups to address the needs of children in emergencies. Such agencies would include FEMA, the Department of Health and Human Services, Department of Education, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and the Department of Housing and Urban Development.
Also, internationally accepted standards for humanitarian assistance should be recognized and used to guide the U.S. response to disasters. These include the SPHERE Humanitarian Charter and Minimum Standards in Disaster Response and the INEE Minimum Standards for Education in Emergencies, Chronic Crises and Early Reconstruction.
THE METHODOLOGY
In assessing the range of camp situations, Save the Children visited 20 sites across Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama. The sites had a combined estimated population of 2,595 households and ranged in size from as few as 12 to as many as 600 occupied trailers. Sites were located in both urban and rural settings: Some were located in the heart of town and formed an integral part of the surrounding community, while others sat miles from communities and services. We visited sites just beginning to fill with residents, those at maximum capacity with no indication of slowing, and others near closing. Whenever possible, we visited sites of different types within a single area, for purposes of controlled comparison.
The assessments consisted of two phases. The first was an appraisal of the built environment and other physical components, based on observation. Each site was surveyed, the activity of residents noted. Among factors investigated were: housing density and layout, level of debris/trash, availability of green space and recreational areas, safety of units (e.g., whether they were on blocks, had straps, etc.), lighting, sewage services, security, thoroughfares (and the safety thereof) and the availability of public transportation. The status of children was a primary focus. When not prohibited, photographs of the sites were taken.
The second phase consisted of one-on-one and group interviews and discussions with camp residents and others. We interviewed primary informants at length. In internally displaced person (IDP) and refugee situations abroad, humanitarian workers have greater access to the populations at hand and gather focus groups to rapidly assess camp life. For a range of reasons—lack of community space, distrust, absence of community leaders and general inaccessibility to community members, especially children—this proved difficult in the post-Katrina context. Instead, we most often turned to serial in-depth interviews with people from many segments of camp life. Those interviewed included residents charged with caring for children, site administrators, security guards, providers of on-site services (e.g., cafeteria workers), social workers, children and government representatives. Security guards in particular proved invaluable through their constant presence and observation of the community. With a mix of one-on-one and group interviews, we were able to readily detect trends in camps.
Save the Children staff often spent entire days in camps. We were invited into homes and could observe living conditions and their implications. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees' (UNHCR) Priority Issues for Refugee Children was used as a baseline for interviews.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
This report was principally researched and written by Shane Townsend of Save the Children and Nathalie Dajko of the Tulane University Department of Anthropology.

By Dorothy Rowley
AFRO Staff Writer
More than a year after Katrina ravaged New Orleans, its surrounding locales and parts of coastal Mississippi, residents remain hard pressed to move on with their lives.
The country's worst hurricane sent more than one million people fleeing from their homes——and in the process, effected the largest migration of Americans since the Dust Bowl of the 1930s, according to a recent National Public Radio (NPR) report. Though many Katrina victims have relocated, they are currently living in rented homes——in stark contrast to the life of homeownership to which they had become accustomed. The report further states that many among the dislocated are households that have at least one child to care for and are sustaining themselves on monthly incomes of less than $500.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) said in August that despite an outpouring of billions of dollars in federal funding, as well as support from church and private organizations and teams of volunteers, that many Katrina victims have yet to rebound.
Jobs remain scarce, schools remain closed and places of worship that lost half of their memberships, have little hope of continuing. Katrina's impact also lent itself to destruction that stretched across 90,000 square miles; and it is estimated that some 500,000 people may need mental health assistance to deal with high rates of anxiety, depression and hostility.
"Katrina was a tragedy in itself," Pelosi said during the August news conference in a mold-infested New Orleans neighborhood. "
But it exposed a tragedy of greater proportions. Some people in this region have lost the spirit of their forefathers——the work ethic, the persistence, the determination to overcome adversity."
Reportedly, as of this past fall, about 1,500 evacuees had relocated to Washington, D.C. Baltimore social services personnel however, were uncertain of the numbers that flocked to Charm City. Added to that, there is no national data base for keeping up with Katrina evacuees and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) only maintains a list of addresses for households, rather than individuals, receiving assistance.
"I have no idea about the number of evacuees in Baltimore, as we no longer keep a list. Many who came to the area didn't go to social services for various reasons," said Sue Fitzsimmons, a Baltimore city social services department spokesperson.
As for ongoing efforts at assistance, Fitzsimnons said there's nothing specific she knows of in the Baltimore area aimed at evacuees. While she pointed out that eligible people could still go to social services for help, Fitzsimmons added that the agency has "had people who came to us off and on who meet the criteria for assistance."
Fiztsimmons said the state of Maryland had an earlier effort, where it would essentially "man" the plane loads of evacuees who sought housing. But, said Fitzsimmons, "We never got the plane or bus loads of people we were expecting."
A report distributed a few months ago, titled, "A Continuing Storm," tracked the whereabouts of Katrina victims. Conducted by the Appleseed Foundation, a non profit pro bon legal network with chapters across the country, the report found that most of the 700,000 or so evacuees were doing well in host cities that include Atlanta, Birmingham, Ala., Houston and San Antonio, Tx., and Baton Rouge, La. The report further states that about 40 percent of evacuees had returned to their homes in New Orleans.
The American Red Cross says it continues to help Katrina victims through its Hurricane Recovery Program (HRP) by providing emotional support, help finding vital information and meeting their ongoing needs. According to the agency, more than 90 percent of the resources donated through publicly administered proceeds for victims of both hurricanes Katrina and Rita were dispersed directly following the storms for basic needs that included food, clothing and shelter. The remaining 10 percent funding according to the Red Cross, continues to provide services through the HRP.