[StBernard] La. recovery chief: Road Home appeals process to be streamlined
Westley Annis
Westley at da-parish.com
Sat Mar 22 21:13:34 EDT 2008
La. recovery chief: Road Home appeals process to be streamlined
ATON ROUGE, La. (AP) -- The head of Louisiana's hurricane recovery agency
said Thursday he's working to streamline the Road Home housing program,
particularly the system for handling appeals from homeowners who feel
they've been offered too little money.
Critics of the contractor that distributes the Road Home checks, ICF
International Inc., accuse the firm of manipulating the appeals process so
homeowners are forced into a lengthy mediation process that often
shortchanges homeowners.
Paul Rainwater, executive director of the Louisiana Recovery Authority,
which oversees the Road Home, told a legislative committee that the system
is being improved as part of a broader consolidation of recovery oversight
from several areas of state government.
Rainwater was complimented on the changes by lawmakers who are normally
critical of the Road Home, including Sens. Nick Gautreaux, D-Meaux, and Ed
Murray, D-New Orleans. Gautreaux, Murray and others often complain that the
program still was moving too slowly and that the costs of the company's
state contract seemed inflated.
The Legislative Audit Advisory Council also heard from Steve Theriot, the
legislative auditor, who is investigating ICF's performance and whether the
company's billing matches the work it performs. Theriot said his auditors
have questions about changes to the contract that apparently benefited the
company.
Murray complained that changes in the contract, including one late last year
that could boost the company's earnings, always appeared to benefit ICF but
not the state.
"How come every time there's some amendment or some change, it didn't work
out for the benefit of the people we represent? It went to ICF's benefit,"
Murray said.
Theriot's office is reviewing the contract with ICF, which was hired by
former Gov. Kathleen Blanco's administration. The contract can pay ICF as
much as $912 million, a figured boosted in the waning weeks of the Blanco
administration - a change being investigated by state Inspector General
Stephen Street.
The company already has received nearly $593 million for its work, roughly
$368 million of which has gone to subcontractors.
ICF spokesman Gentry Brann issued a statement saying "we look forward to
working with the Louisiana Inspector General and Office of Legislative
Auditor to provide whatever information is requested from us."
More than 103,000 homeowners have received grants so far, but as many as
164,000 people are expected to be eligible. The program is funded with $11.5
billion, mainly federal recovery money.
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