[StBernard] Governor Blanco, LRA Recap Recent Changes to Road Home Program

[Westley Annis]

Governor Blanco, LRA Recap Recent Changes to Road Home Program

Adjustments add flexibility, increase eligibility 


BATON ROUGE, La. (October 30, 2006) - In recent weeks, Governor Kathleen Babineaux Blanco and the Louisiana Recovery Authority (LRA) have implemented substantial changes to the Road Home program providing added flexibility for homeowners whose homes were damaged or destroyed by hurricanes Katrina and Rita. 

"It is my mission to ensure the Road Home program moves quickly while addressing the needs of families facing unique and complex circumstances as they rebuild their lives," said Governor Blanco. "I believe these recent changes do just that. They were designed to remove barriers, make the grants as generous as possible and speed the process of getting help to our people."

The most recent round of changes to the program include:

MOBILE HOME OWNERS
All mobile home owners, regardless of whether they own the land where their home was located, who otherwise meet the criteria of eligibility under the Road Home program may be eligible for financial assistance under the Road Home. Previously, the owner of a manufactured home or mobile home must have also owned the land on which the damaged home was located. 

SENIORS
Homeowners 65 years of age or older will be exempt from a financial penalty, should they decide not to repair their home or buy a new house with their Road Home grant. The Road Home homeowner assistance program was designed to encourage families to remain in Louisiana and reinvest in their communities. Therefore, homeowners choosing to leave the state, or remain as a renter not reinvesting in property, are subject to a 40% reduction in potential compensation. Based on feedback from the Road Home pilot program, it was decided that elderly homeowners should not experience such a penalty. Many of them were making different choices by moving in with their children or entering assisted living facilities making homeownership difficult in some cases. As of October 27, 2006, the Road Home has received applications from more than 13,000 applicants and co-applicants who were 65 or older as of December 31, 2005. 

HAZARD MITIGATION
Road Home applicants meeting basic eligibility requirements, may receive additional dollars to help protect their homes against future water and wind damage. A new provision to the program allows homeowners in the affected parishes to receive up to $37,500 for undertaking specific mitigation measures when rebuilding their homes, including $30,000 for elevation. Now, homeowners may also receive up to $7,500 to complete specific non-elevation mitigation measures such as reinforcing garage doors, raising the washer and dryer, and raising or relocating water heaters or furnaces to a higher level. Various forms of window protection such as installing shutters, installing impact resistant glass or window covers also fall under the non-elevation mitigation category. The original policy capped assistance for all mitigation measures at $30,000. The maximum Road Home grant, including mitigation, is still $150,00! 0. 

Homeowners who are eligible for Increased Cost of Compliance (ICC) funding from the National Flood Insurance Program, will still be eligible for Road Home elevation funds of up to $30,000 (based on the cost of elevating the home) in addition to ICC funds up to a total maximum of $60,000 for elevation. 

The Road Home program is designed to help residents of Louisiana affected by Hurricane Katrina or Rita get back into their homes as quickly and fairly as possible. This groundbreaking program represents the largest single housing recovery program in U.S. history. Working together, Governor Blanco, the Louisiana Recovery Authority, and the Office of Community Development created The Road Home Program to afford eligible homeowners up to $150,000 in compensation to get back into their homes.

To start your application to The Road Home program, visit www.road2LA.org <http://www.road2LA.org>  or call 1.888.ROAD.2.LA (1.888.762.3252). TTY callers use 711 relay or 800.846.5277.

Hurricanes Katrina and Rita devastated South Louisiana, killing 1,464 people, 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 across jurisdictions, supporting community recovery and resurg! ence, ensuring integrity and effectiveness, and planning for the recovery and rebuilding of Louisiana.


###