[StBernard] The LRA Progress Report - December 8, 2006

[Westley Annis]

Inside This Issue: 

*	Governor Blanco Proposes Plan to Give $100 Million in Grants to Small Businesses 
	
*	Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority to Hold Public Meetings Next Week 
	
*	SBA Administrator to Hold Roundtable Discussion 
	
*	UNOP Five-City Community Congress Attracts 2,250 Participants 
	
*	Ritz-Carlton, New Orleans Reopens on Canal Street 
	
*	Upcoming Events 


Governor Blanco Proposes Plan to Give $100 Million in Grants to Small Businesses

Governor Kathleen Babineaux Blanco, Lieutenant Governor Mitch Landrieu, the Louisiana Recovery Authority (LRA) and the Louisiana Department of Economic Development (LED) announced Thursday a proposal that would give $100 million in grants to small businesses severely affected by hurricanes Katrina and Rita. 

Governor Blanco recommended that $100 million of the economic development disaster recovery programs be reallocated to provide much-needed grants to small businesses. This amount is in addition to the $38 million already allocated for no-interest loans. The additional funds would provide financial relief to sustain and restart small businesses in the most severely impacted areas, primarily in Orleans, St. Bernard, Plaquemines and Cameron Parishes. 

This will require an action plan amendment for approval by the LRA Board of Directors, the full legislature and the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The LRA, LED and partners at Of! fice of Community Development and the Louisiana Public Facilities Authority are working to expedite this process. 

The Action Plan amendment will be available for public comment beginning Friday, Dec. 8. The LRA Board will vote on the recommended changes on Thursday, Dec. 14. The Action Plan amendment will then go to the full legislature for a vote and will subsequently be sent to HUD for final approval. 

For more information on the proposed plan and to view the eligibility requirements for the program, please click here <http://www.gov.state.la.us/index.cfm?md=newsroom&tmp=detail&articleID=2415> . 


Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority to Hold Public Meetings Next Week 

Next week, the Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority will hold several public meetings across south Louisiana to give residents an opportunity to voice their opinions about the state's preliminary coastal restoration plan.

In December 2005, the Louisiana State legislature established the Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority (CPRA) as the single state entity to focus development and implementation efforts for comprehensive coastal protection. 

Over the past year, the Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority has developed a comprehensive master plan for coastal protection integrating the two goals of hurricane protection and coastal restoration. 

Monday, December 11, 2006 
Houma 
Houma-Terrebonne Civic Center 
346 Civic Center Boulevard 
Open House: 2 p.m. - 6:30 p.m. 
Public Meeting: 6:30 p.m. 

Tuesday, December 12, 2006
Ne! w Orleans 
Lindy C. Boggs Conference Center 
2045 Lakeshore Drive 
Open House: 12 p.m. - 6:30 p.m. 
Public Meeting: 6:30 p.m. 

Wednesday, December 13, 2006 
Lake Charles 
Lake Charles Civic Center 
900 Lakeshore Drive 
Open House: 3 p.m. - 6:30 p.m. 
Public Meeting: 6:30 p.m. 

Thursday, December 14, 2006 
Covington 
Greater Covington Center 
317 North Jefferson Avenue 
Open House: 2 p.m. - 7 p.m. 
Public Meeting: 7 p.m. 

Friday, December 15, 2006 
Abbeville 
AA Comeaux Youth, Inc. 
300 AA Comeaux Memorial Dr., Ste. 200 
Open House: 2 p.m. - 6:30 p.m. 
Public Meeting: 6:30 p.m. 

A preliminary draft of the master plan is now available for public review and comment at http://www.louisianacoastalplanning.org/prelim_draft.html  
<http://www.louisianacoastalplanning.org/pre  lim_draft.html> . 

For additional information about the master plan, contact the Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority at (225) 376-7707 or visit www.louisianacoastalplanning.org <http://www.louisianacoastalplanning.org> . 


SBA Administrator to Hold Roundtable Discussion 

The newly appointed SBA Administrator, Steve Preston, will hold a round table meeting to discuss disaster recovery loans at 6 p.m. Monday, December 11 at the Harrah's Casino at 228 Poydras in New Orleans.

The public is invited to attend to voice their concerns with the Disaster Home Loan Program. Loans, collateral, documentation, loan processing time and other issues will be discussed. 

To attend the discussion, please contact Virginia Brumfield at (504) 589-2756 or Patricia Williams at (504) 589-2037. 


UNOP Five-City Community Congress Attracts 2,250 Participants

Last weekend, the Unified New Orleans Plan, with support from Americaspeaks, brought together 2,250 displaced New Orleanians spread over five cities, to discuss various scenarios for how their communities should recover and rebuild. 

In the unprecedented event, participants in New Orleans, Atlanta, Baton Rouge, Dallas and Houston were linked using interactive TV. After hearing the various recovery strategies, citizens used keypads to express their preferred recovery plans. The results were tabulated immediately and simulcast to the entire Community Congress. 

In addition to the five major cities, New Orleans residents living in 16 other cities around the country congregated at libraries to view and submit their ideas over the Internet. 

The information from this meeting will be used as part of the final UNOP recovery scheduled to be completed by the second week of January. The final recovery plan will be presented to the New Orleans City P! lanning Commission, City Council and Mayor C. Ray Nagin for approval. Once approved, the plan will be given to the Louisiana Recovery Authority. 


Ritz-Carlton, New Orleans Reopens on Canal Street 


The Ritz-Carlton, New Orleans, the city's premier luxury hotel, reopened this Monday following severe building damage incurred from Hurricane Katrina. Drew Brees, Deuce McAllister, Joe Horn, Scott Fujita and Mickey Loomis of the NFL New Orleans Saints checked in as the first guests of the newly renovated hotel. 

Known as the "Crown Jewel of the Crescent City," the 527-room luxury hotel underwent a $100 million renovation over the last 15 months. The Ritz-Carlton, New Orleans is the only hotel in the state of Louisiana to be named an AAA Five Diamond property. 

The Ritz-Carlton, New Orleans is located at 921 Canal Street. 


Upcoming Events 

Monday, December 11, 2006
Event: LRA Environmental Task Force Meeting 
Time: 1 p.m. 
Location: Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) 
Galvez Building, Oliver Pollack Conference Room, 1st floor 

Thursday, December 14, 2006 
Event: LRA Board of Directors meeting 
Time: 9 a.m. 
Location: Baton Rouge Community College, Louisiana Boardroom 

Please note that the LRA Economic & Workforce Development Task Force meeting for Tuesday, December 12, has been cancelled. 

For a complete events calendar, click here <http://www.lra.louisiana.gov/events.html> . All meetings are open to the public. Meeting times and locations are subject to change.