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Release Date: November 18, 2008
For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
Contact: Rebecca S. Cotton (202) 325-0197
Washington, D.C. – General Douglas O'Dell, Federal Coordinator for Gulf Coast Rebuilding, today told experts gathered for a rental housing roundtable discussion that their ideas were key in helping restore, rebuild and build affordable rental housing for the residents of Louisiana. O'Dell hosted the roundtable discussion with housing experts from the private and nonprofit sector, as well as those with federal, state and local governments.
"There is no silver bullet. Government alone cannot create every solution - in fact some solutions involve government getting out of the way of those currently addressing the issues on the ground,” O'Dell said. “The recommendations of those with first-hand experience in the region - those who have had the desire and courage to invest, improve property and swing a hammer are often the ones that need to be heard the loudest in Washington, D.C."
O'Dell reiterated to the panel the importance of providing affordable housing, noting that only a few hundred units are currently available. Hurricane Katrina destroyed more than 50,000 rental units in New Orleans and damaged thousands of apartments, affecting two-thirds of the city’s rental stock.
The panel of experts was convened following a mandate from Congress to develop a framework for affordable rental housing in the Gulf Coast. As part of this framework, the OFC is in the process of examining the affordable rental housing landscape in the Gulf, the barriers that still exist, and what policy changes could be recommended to address these barriers. The panel focused on three major factors: supply, cost and location. The OFC will report its findings and recommendations findings to Congress and to all citizens by December 30, 2008. The report will be available for review on the OFC Web site at: www.dhs.gov/gulfcoastrebuild.
Other Federal agencies represented included the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
The Office of the Federal Coordinator for Gulf Coast Rebuilding has been engaged in facilitating and streamlining the recovery effort, providing key federal support and resources to state and local leaders, as well as reinforcing the federal government’s commitment to the people of the Gulf Coast.
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This page was last reviewed/modified on November 18, 2008.