[StBernard] LRA cost me $24,000 & called to say "I was lucky."

[Westley Annis]

Larry,
 
    I am with you...I heard that the reason the guidelines were so shady
with the LRA was because FEMA gave the money to La. as a block grant and
whatever wasn't used the state could keep- which would explain why they have
made the guidelines to qualify almost impossible to achieve the "$150,000"
in assistance unless of course you had NO INSURANCE!. The LRA rep I met with
tried to tell me the money was actually coming from HUD, which the WDSU news
proved wrong- it is coming from FEMA!!! 
   You are correct, this plan punishes us that did what we were suppose to
do. Yes we had insurance but our lives are no better for it, we are punished
time and time again because we did. We do not qualify for any help from FEMA
why, we had flood insurance. I truly understand that many people were told
by their agents that they didn't need flood, and for them I am truly sorry.
But no one can tell me why I should be punished because I did. It doesn't
seem to matter if you were underinsured for personal possessions, if not the
property itself. I had 100 on the building and 40 in content, we have been
punished all along they way. My house was valued at 128, so technically I
lost 28 and I lost thousands of dollars in damned Disney movies and
collectibles than the 40 would have never covered. Let's not even discuss
everything else, stuff you can't value. I'm sorry but the federal government
with their complete screw up with the Corps should have dispensed 26,400 to
each HOMEOWNER and 124,600 from the state without bias. The fact that they
keep citing the Stafford Act is only another way for people who paid to get
screwed. WE PAID FOR INSURANCE this was not a dispersment for or from the
federal government that the homeowners are being punished for. 
 
   To add insult to injury, I have friends in Miss., with flood and
homeowners insurance (and he only got about 1 foot of water) he has already
received 124,000 to do his repairs (not including what he got from his
insurance co.). They based his repairs on POST KATRINA prices for materials
and labor. Needless to say he has done most of the work himself and did not
have the added expenses of evacuating that most of us had- he lived far
enough inland that he didn't have to. I figure why the hell should I even
have insurance if the feds will bail me out the next major disaster I can be
banking my money to cover losses they won't.
 
Wendy Hall