[StBernard] Governor Jindal Awards Over $21 Million in Grants to St. Bernard Parish

[Westley Annis]

Governor Jindal Awards Over $21 Million in Grants to St. Bernard Parish

 

CHALMETTE - Today, Governor Bobby Jindal awarded three grants totaling
$21,010,514 to St. Bernard Parish that will go towards hurricane recovery
efforts and hazard mitigation. Governor Jindal awarded the funds to local
officials in a ceremonial check presentation during an address to the St.
Bernard Parish Chamber of Commerce in Chalmette as part of his "Louisiana
Working Tour."

 

The first grant is a commitment of $20,486,703 in federal Community
Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds to allow St. Bernard parish to pay for
the demolition of blighted homes damaged by Hurricane Katrina in the parish
that FEMA would not cover. The federal recovery funds will flow through the
Louisiana Land Trust, which is funded by the Louisiana Recovery Authority
and the Office of Community Development.

 

Governor Jindal said, "When FEMA refused to reimburse St. Bernard Parish for
these demolitions, we were determined they not be stuck paying this bill. We
fought to cut through the red tape to get funding. We're happy to announce
funding that will go towards the demolition of more than 750 blighted
structures that served as old wounds and reminders of the destruction of
Hurricane Katrina and would have burdened the parish's effort to attract new
businesses to the parish."

 

St. Bernard President Craig Taffaro, Jr. gave Governor Jindal a framed
commendation at the luncheon sincerely thanking him for all of his support
in St. Bernard's growth and recovery efforts.

 

President Taffaro said he was truly grateful for the check to cover
completed recovery work.

 

"This is for the reimbursement of costs that have already been incurred
because of demolition work that has been completed. This will pay
contractors for work that they have been waiting for up to 18 months. This
has nothing to do with operations."  

 

The second and third grants include a Community Development Block Grant
(CDBG) totaling $250,548 and Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) funding
totaling $273,263 that are related to Hurricanes Gustav and Ike.

 

Governor Jindal said, "Folks in St. Bernard Parish know firsthand the
devastation a hurricane can cause and the frustrating recovery process that
often follows. After Gustav and Ike hit last year, we vowed to cut through
the red tape and help people get back on their feet as quickly as possible.
We followed through on that pledge by rejecting a one-size-fits-all program
in Baton Rouge and instead, we decided to distribute funds directly to
parishes so officials on the ground could have the flexibility to make their
own rebuilding decisions and preparations for future storms."

 

The Governor said St. Bernard Parish received $250,548 in federal Community
Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds to aid the recovery efforts from
hurricanes Gustav and Ike, which caused widespread housing and
infrastructure damage last year. 

 

Damage levels were determined for each parish based on HUD analysis of FEMA
damage assessments. To use federal CDBG funds, states must present action
plans for federal approval. HUD already approved Louisiana's first action
plan for using these funds.

 

Governor Jindal said the parish received $273,263 in Hazard Mitigation Grant
Program (HMGP) funding to support local hazard mitigation projects to
protect St. Bernard from future damage following Hurricanes Gustav and Ike.

 

Unlike HMGP funds given to Louisiana after hurricanes Katrina and Rita, this
HMGP funding comes with a requirement for local and state governments to pay
matching costs, meaning the federal government pays 75 percent of the costs,
with local or state government required to pay for 25 percent of the cost of
the projects.

 

Louisiana has repeatedly requested that federal government waive or lower
the state and local match requirement, given the scope of the destruction
wrought by four storms in three years.

 

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