[StBernard] New York Times Publishes Letter to the Editor from LRA Executive Director

[Westley Annis]

New York Times Publishes Letter to the Editor from LRA Executive Director

In response to the April 14, 2006 New York Times Editorial "Houses of
Straw," <http://www.nytimes.com/2006/04/14/opinion/14fri1.html>  LRA
Executive Director Andy Kopplin sent the following letter
<http://www.nytimes.com/2006/04/21/opinion/l21orleans.html>  to the New York
Times:

To the Editor:

Re "Houses of Straw" (editorial, April 14):

Much like the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation created after 9/11,
the Louisiana Recovery Authority is the unit responsible for recovery after
Hurricane Katrina. 

This country had never witnessed devastation comparable to Katrina and the
failure of the New Orleans levee system. 

Housing recovery is a complex situation. But we can promise one thing:
federal dollars will go only to homeowners who rebuild safely, in accordance
with our guidelines.

We have already adopted new statewide building codes, tied mitigation
dollars to adoption of the Federal Emergency Management Agency flood map
requirements and developed the Road Home housing plan in conjunction with
the White House. 

In the past eight months, we've made much progress in reaching our goal of
reinvestment in Louisiana - not simply reimbursement. 

As we receive new information from the Army Corps of Engineers, FEMA and the
administration, we continue to revise our plans in a way to make sure
Louisiana is built safer, stronger and smarter.

Andy Kopplin
Executive Director
Louisiana Recovery Authority
Baton Rouge, La., April 17, 2006