[StBernard] Permits aimed at elevation rule

[Westley Annis]

They are evidence of early rebuilding 
 
Saturday, August 12, 2006 
 
By Karen Turni Bazile
 
Electricians will soon begin issuing permits to St. Bernard Parish
homeowners that could help them avoid raising their damaged homes to meet
more stringent federal flood elevations. 
 
An electrical permit can be used as proof that a homeowner began rebuilding
before Sept. 1, which is expected to be the deadline set by the Louisiana
Recovery Authority's Road Home grant program for rebuilding at existing
elevations, parish officials said. 
 
After the LRA deadline, homeowners who suffered more than 50 percent damage
and who have not started rebuilding prior to that deadline must rebuild at
the higher elevations to be eligible for grants up to $150,000. 
 
Parish officials are also ironing out details of an earlier-announced plan
to issue what they called "Katrina rebuilding permits" that would also serve
as proof that rebuilding was started prior to the LRA deadline. FEMA has
said it will require the parish to document each home's damage assessment,
which parish officials fear will slow the process and put some homeowners
behind the LRA deadline. 
 
So parish officials are working to get local electricians to two events,
Aug. 19 and Aug. 26, to help residents get electrical permits. The events
will be from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the brown and white tent behind by the
government complex on Judge Perez Drive, officials said. 
. . . . . . . 
Karen Turni Bazile can be reached at kturni at timespicayune.com or (504)
826-3335.