[StBernard] The Road Home

[Westley Annis]

I'm finally getting a chance to actually look at the housing plan presented
to HUD.

As always, the media only tells half the story.

At current funding levels, in other words, if Congress doesn't approve the
extra $4.2 billion, the program will be limited to households that are at
70% or less of area median income, adjusted for household size.

St. Bernard gets lumped in with Orleans, Jefferson, St. Tammany,
Plaquemines, and St. Charles Parishes (I'm probably missing a parish or two,
but it is these six for sure).  This area has a median income of $52,300 for
a family of four, which means your family cannot make more than $36,610 at
current funding levels.

If Congress approves the additional $4.2 billion then this limit will be
raised, if not completely removed.

How to tell how much you are eligible for:  Remember the cap is $150,000.

Pre-storm value X percent damage to house + Eligible Mitigation Costs + Gap
to meet allowed repair/rebuilding costs - Insurance - FEMA Repair Payment -
Other Financial Repair Assistance

Or $150,000, whichever is less.

First time I'm seeing the damage percentage.  That's going to slow things
down a lot I think, sending yet another inspector out to determine the
amount of damage.  Maybe you should sign up for the demo now.  If the house
is gone, it's got to equal 100%.

HUD does have a requirement that 50% of the funds must go to low to
moderate-income families.  I guess this is why the state is allocating $390
million for 6,000 rental units to server families that are making 40% or
less of the area median income.

It isn't terrible hard to read, but at 37 pages, I encourage everyone to
print out a copy to read it for themselves.  The link for the proposal to
HUD for the state buy-out plan is here:
<http://www.lra.louisiana.gov/assets/ActionPlanAmendment_Housing_FINAL.pdf>

To get the latest income limits for the State of Louisiana:
<http://www.huduser.org/Datasets/IL/IL06/la_fy2006.pdf>

Westley

PS Baton Rouge has the highest income at $55,800.  Madison Parish has the
lowest at $29,400.