The state last week distributed the first checks for home elevations through the Road Home program to homeowners, just six weeks after announcing it was reactivating its elevation program and speeding the process of getting aid by forgoing award calculations and offering a flat amount for elevation.
"Homeowners should take this as a sign that the state of Louisiana is committed to helping them to rebuild safer, stronger and smarter than before," said Walter Leger, chair of the Louisiana Recovery Authority's (LRA) Housing Task Force. "Applicants should consider their options and return their elevation letters to the Road Home so that we can quickly move to get them the funds they need to elevate their homes."
Louisiana put its elevation program on hold in April 2007 after serving 2,000 homeowners because of concerns over a potential shortfall in the Road Home budget. The LRA and the Office of Community Development (OCD) announced in late February 2008 that the state was reactivating the elevation program and notifying homeowners who qualified for elevation awards by letter.
To date, the Road Home has mailed more than 22,000 of 70,000 letters to homeowners. The rest will be mailed in the next few weeks. At this time, more than 2,000 people have returned their letters indicating that they would like to participate in the program. The state estimates that 35,000 to 40,000 people will elect to participate in the Road Home Elevation Program.
Homeowners with questions about their letters or their eligibility for elevation funding should contact their Road Home Personal Applicant Liaison.
Rather than each homeowner having an individual elevation grant calculation, homeowners will receive standard elevation amounts through the Road Home program, based on the type of home they have, at the following levels:
Site built homes and modular homes: up to $30,000 elevation allowance;
Mobile homes: up to $20,000 elevation allowance.
Homeowner compensation through the Road Home is capped at $150,000 per applicant. Those homeowners who have already closed on their Road Home grants will receive elevation funds as a second disbursement from the program. Eligible applicants who have not closed will receive elevation funds during their Road Home closing. These funds are made possible through Community Development Block Grant funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
Louisiana will also issue a request for proposals in the coming weeks for a contractor to run a second elevation program using Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) funds beginning this summer. This program will help some eligible Road Home applicants cover the gap between their Road Home elevation awards and the actual cost of elevation.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency recently announced new program rules to allow property owners who have already begun or completed elevation to be eligible for this hazard mitigation funding.
Homes damaged by Hurricanes Katrina or Rita may be eligible for the retroactive funding through this second elevation program as well, provided that they meet all other federal requirements. This exemption applies to property owners who completed or started mitigation work on their property by March 16, 2008, and whose properties fall into one of the following categories:
Properties identified as eligible for elevation through the state's Road Home program, which will be included in the OCD's HMGP application; or
Properties included in an HMGP application proposed by a parish and submitted to the Governor's Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness.
To date, the state has disbursed $6.2 billion to more than 105,000 homeowners through the Road Home program, making it the largest home rebuilding program in American history.
High Water
Agriculture and Forestry Commissioner Mike Strain, D.V.M., has initiated the process for eligible farmers affected by high water and flooding to possibly receive assistance from USDA’s Farm Service Agency.
Strain asked Governor Bobby Jindal to send a letter to USDA Secretary Ed Schafer requesting that he declare Pointe Coupee Parish a disaster area and that all federal benefits be made available to farmers in the parish.
“It is imperative that a declaration be made as soon as possible to help our farmers,” Strain said.
About 5,000 acres of farmland could be impacted by flooding in the Morganza Spillway area in Pointe Coupee as the Mississippi River water levels continue to increase.
New Orleans Red Lights
Since the start of the red-light camera enforcement program seven days ago, over 1,150 red-light violators have been cited. The City began issuing citations after a 30-day warning period and public education campaign designed to educate drivers on their safety concerns, and the importance of stopping at red lights.
“Our goal is to create a safer environment for our residents and we are urging all citizens to stop at red lights, which prevents crashes and injuries that are often the result of these violations,” said Robert Mendoza, Director of The Department of Public Works. “We’ve worked hard to publicize the program and encourage the public to follow the law. As these first 1,150 drivers now understand, when a driver violates the law and puts lives at risk by running a red light, they’ll no longer get away with it.”
“Looking at the number of citations issued in just the first week, it’s clear that New Orleans needs these red-light enforcement cameras and we look forward to seeing a reduction in traffic violations over the next several months,” said Mendoza.
Intersections using red-light cameras include the following:
Southbound N. Carrollton Avenue at Canal Street;
Eastbround Canal Street at N. Carrollton Avenue;
Northbound N. Carrolton Avenue at Palmetto Street;
Southbound S. Carrollton Avenue at Palmetto Street;
Northbound S. Carrollton Avenue at Earhart Boulevard;
Southbound S. Carrollton Avenue at Earhart Boulevard;
Eastbound Earhart Boulevard at S. Carrollton Avenue;
Westbound Earhart Boulevard at S. Carrollton Avenue; and
Eastbound Poydras Street at Loyola Avenue.
Ten additional red light enforcement cameras will be installed within the next few months.
Mendoza concluded that it is far too early to discuss trends or results based on the number of citations, further stating that it often takes a full year to evaluate the results of red-light programs in reducing violations, crashes and injuries. The city will announce an update on the total number of citations issued sometime in May.
American Traffic Solutions, Inc. (ATS) was awarded the contract through the public bid process to provide the photo safety program. More information about ATS is available at www.redlightcamera.com.
Since thebeginning of 2008, according to IdeaVillage, the organization has:
Directly supported 56 entrepreneurial ventures.
Worked with 68 students, participating universities include: Tulane, StanfordUniversityBusinessSchool, HarvardBusinessSchool, MIT, and University of Pennsylvania.
Selected an entrepreneur to occupy the retail space in our pilot BusinessInnovationCenter in the Upper Ninth Ward.
Engaged a global network of talent to drive innovation in New Orleans.
IdeaVillage
Since January 2008, The Idea Village has:
Directly supported 56 entrepreneurial ventures.
Worked with 68 students, participating universities include: Tulane, StanfordUniversityBusinessSchool, HarvardBusinessSchool, MIT, and University of Pennsylvania.
Selected an entrepreneur to occupy the retail space in our pilot BusinessInnovationCenter in the Upper Ninth Ward.
Engaged a global network of talent to drive innovation in New Orleans.
