[StBernard] Debris Removal or House Demolished

[Westley Annis]

Debris Removal 

January 9, 2006

By: Steve Cannizaro


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Residents who get free removal of storm debris from a damaged home by
volunteers can't later ask for free demolition of same structure


About 2,500 St. Bernard Parish residents have signed up for a free program
in which volunteers will clean their home and remove mold-infested walls and
ceilings, but officials are urging people to carefully consider their choice
because once the work is done they can't later ask for free demolition of
the same structure.

Additionally, more than 700 people have signed up under a separate program
to have free demolition of their home by parish government.

But since the cleaning and removal program was announced Dec. 22, more than
20 residents who had previously signed up for demolition have changed their
minds and instead requested their structure be gutted rather than
demolished, according to Mike Hunnicutt, director of community development
for parish government.

Parish officials said such a change at this point is allowed but said they
want to make it clear that residents can't get the free gutting then come in
later and say they now have decided to have their structure demolished for
free.

In essence, there is only one bite at the apple, said David Dysart, who
heads the recovery program for St. Bernard Parish. Either is allowed but not
both, he said.

Parish government can offer free demolitions because the Federal Emergency
Management Agency will reimburse the cost and FEMA has now also agreed to
pay the cost for some 2,000 volunteers from several agencies to be housed at
a base camp and fed while they remove storm debris from homes, said Parish
Council member Craig Taffaro Jr.

But Taffaro said FEMA rules say "people would be ineligible to have their
home demolished (without cost)'' once they have been gutted by a volunteer
because "it would be a duplication of benefits. They (FEMA) consider the
base camp a benefit provided'' by them to the volunteers, Taffaro said.

He said FEMA wouldn't reimburse parish government for demolishing a home
that had already been cleaned and removed of debris.

Property owners may choose to have their homes gutted by a private company.

Volunteers from several agencies, including Habitat for Humanity, AmeriCorps
and Helping Hands, are expected to do volunteer work removing storm debris
from homes later this month, parish officials have said.

Parish council members have also urged that residents who have the time also
volunteer to help with removal of debris in the homes of fellow residents.

Once a home is cleared it will also be sprayed by a different volunteer or
home-owner team with a sanitizing solution to kill bacteria and mold growth.