[StBernard] Governor Blanco identifies funding solutions for the Road Home, LSU-VA Hospital

[Westley Annis]

Governor Blanco identifies funding solutions for the Road Home, LSU-VA Hospital

BATON ROUGE - Governor Kathleen Babineaux Blanco issued the following statement today after the Louisiana Recovery Authority Board of Directors voted to apply $300 million in Community Development Block Grant funding toward the projected Road Home Shortfall, bringing the total state commitment to $1 billion. Gov. Blanco directed $300 million in one-time state dollars to cover the cost of a new university teaching and research hospital in New Orleans through House Bills 2 and 765, thus freeing up the CDBG funds previously dedicated to the hospital for use in the Road Home.

Statement by Governor Kathleen Babineaux Blanco:

"I thank the LRA and our legislators for supporting this action that ultimately will assist us in meeting both our housing and health care needs. After my trip to Washington, DC last week, it was clear to me that Congressional Leaders are willing to help meet our projected Road Home shortfall. Louisiana's $700 million contribution toward the solution was well-received, but Louisiana's Congressional Delegation was clear that they believed the state should invest more toward the problem. I believe a $1 billion commitment shows that Louisiana continues to be the primary investor in our own recovery as we seek to secure the additional funding needed from the federal government. 

"It was also clear to me after my meeting with Housing and Urban Development Secretary Alphonso Jackson that in order to move quickly and prevent our health care recovery needs from being bogged down by federal red tape, Louisiana must self-fund our portion of this project. I thank Secretary Jackson for his willingness to help fund the initial purchase of land for this new teaching and research hospital, but we must be allowed to shape our own future for health care in the New Orleans region. Moving forward quickly enables us to secure the vital partnership between Louisiana State University and the Veterans Administration necessary to meet our urgent, growing medical needs in this area of our state as we continue to redesign our health care delivery system. I urge the legislature to join me in this effort and approve these funding solutions."

###


The Louisiana Disaster Recovery Foundation
Louisiana's Fund for Louisiana's People