[StBernard] LRA Issues Report on Hurricane Rita, One Year Later

[Westley Annis]

Louisiana Recovery Authority Issues Report on Hurricane Rita, One Year Later 

LAKE CHARLES, La. (September 18, 2006) - The Louisiana Recovery Authority (LRA) released a comprehensive report on Hurricane Rita today, outlining progress made since the storm one year ago. The report summarizes the social and economic impact and recovery of parishes throughout Southwest Louisiana that were affected by Hurricane Rita. 

"Just one year ago, Hurricane Rita wrought unthinkable devastation on our state," said Governor Kathleen Babineaux Blanco. "But, through all this hardship, I am pleased to say this report shows that the people of Southwest Louisiana have made substantial progress. It also shows us we have much work still ahead of us as we continue rebuilding a safer, stronger, and smarter community for generations to come."

With a special focus on Cameron, Vermilion and Calcasieu Parishes, the three parishes affected most by the storm, the report examines the scope of the disaster and assesses the status of the recove! ry effort in areas such as infrastructure, economic activity, community and social activity, housing, health and hospitals and education. The report also details the impact of LRA policies and activities in the region and discusses the challenges facing Southwest Louisiana as the rebuilding effort progresses. 

"This report serves as a stark reminder of the immense challenge facing us in the aftermath of Hurricane Rita. I want to thank the LRA for documenting the scale of this disaster, but most of all, detailing our progress," said Lake Charles Mayor Randy Roach. 

Recovery activities highlighted in this report include: 

*	The Road Home, the largest housing recovery program in U.S. history, which will help homeowners get back in their homes as quickly and fairly as possible by providing up to $150,000 in compensation for their losses. At the request of LRA Board members and other leaders from Southwest Louisiana, the Road Home program covers all uninsured, uncompensated damages incurred by homeowners, regardless of their geographic location or whether their losses were caused by wind damage, flooding, or both. This means all homeowners in Southwest Louisiana that incurred major or severe damage to their homes due to Hurricane Rita are eligible for assistance through the Road Home program. Some 8,500 homeowners in Calcasieu, Cameron and Vermilion parishes are estimated to be eligible for the program. Road Home Assistance Centers opened last month in each of the three parishes. 
*	Weeklong neighborhood workshops or "charrettes" hosted by the LRA in downtown Lake Charles and Vermilion Parish to solicit community input and develop detailed plans that might serve as a guide for rebuilding and improving the area. Community Design Workshops were held in Cameron Parish, which resulted in the development of a strategic master plan to reestablish the infrastructure in Cameron, promote eco-tourism, and re-connect Cameron to its unique coastal setting. 
*	As of September 2006, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) reported workers had hauled 99% of Hurricane Rita debris and demolished more than half of the structures severely damaged by the hurricane.
*	FEMA's Advisory Base Flood Elevations (ABFEs), which will help to better protect communities and homes in future disasters, have been adopted by three parishes under advisement in Southwest Louisiana, including: Calcasieu, Cameron and Vermilion. The adoption of these standards makes funding available to these parishes for public infrastructure repair and hazard mitigation projects. 

"This report summarizes the progress that's been made in Southwest Louisiana since Hurricane Rita and the many challenges that are unique to this region that must be addressed to achieve long-term recovery," said Laura Leach, Chair of the LRA Southwest Louisiana Task Force. 


Click here <http://lra.louisiana.gov/assets/RitaReportFinal091806.pdf>  to download the full report. 

When Hurricane Rita made landfall along the Texas/Louisiana border on September 24, 2005, it was a Category 3 hurricane with winds in excess of 120 miles per hour pushing a 20 foot storm surge. The devastation it left behind made it the third most expensive natural disaster in US history. 

The report was authored by Dr. Michael M. Kurth and Dr. Daryl V. Burckel. Dr. Kurth is Head of the Department of Accounting, Finance and Economics at McNeese State University and Dr. Burckel in a professor of accounting at McNeese.

The report was released at SOWELA Technical Community College, one of two public, comprehen! sive technical community colleges in Louisiana. Hurricane Rita severely damaged SOWELA's campus, destroying eight buildings and 12 support buildings, with estimated repair costs between $5 and $9 million. In the aftermath, SOWELA administrators, staff and students worked to remove debris, consolidate classrooms and administrative support services, and utilize 24 temporary modular units to reopen the campus. Classes resumed this fall, with student enrollment slowly returning to pre-Rita status. 

Hurricanes Katrina and Rita devastated South Louisiana, destroying more than 200,000 homes and 18,000 businesses and inflicting about $25 billion in insured losses. The Louisiana Recovery Authority (LRA) is the planning and coordinating body that was created in the aftermath of these storms by Governor Kathleen Babineaux Blanco to lead one of the most extensive rebuilding efforts in the world. The LRA is a 33-member body which is coordinating acro! ss jurisdictions, supporting community recovery and resurgence, ensuri ng integrity and effectiveness, and planning for the recovery and rebuilding of Louisiana.


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