[StBernard] Repair Cost %, FEMA and the LRA

[Westley Annis]

I lived on Karen Drive in Chalmette and know the pre-storm value of my house
because I had just had it appraised two weeks before the storm.  I have
gutted the house, but need to have some questions that need to be answered
before I even think about repairing it.  I did not have flood insurance and
am hoping that the grants provided by the LRA will provide some help.  I
know that I was in flood zone B.
 
1.) It is my understanding that FEMA is using somewhere between $60 to $67
per sq. ft. repair cost as a way to assess damage.  Even using $60, my
damage would be over $100,000 which is greater than 50% of the value of my
house including the land.  Does this mean that I would be required to raise
my house in order to be able to get flood insurance in the future?
 
2.) Since my damage is about 90% of the value of my house alone, will the
LRA say that the house should be torn down and start again from scratch?
 
3.) I was in the Murphy Oil Spill area.  Does anyone know if that affects in
any way how FEMA or the LRA will consider my property?  I have a loan from
the SBA, but even they say they won't bother to put a lien on my house
because it is in the oil spill area and they don't want to have to deal with
that issue.
 
We are currently living outside of the state and I use this website to try
to keep up with what is going on in the parish.  It would be a great help to
all residents if someone in either our local government or the state or
federal government would design a matrix that residents could look at to see
what their choices are.  
 
Westley,
thanks for keeping up this site, it has been a great help.