** Remember, Gustav-affected residents may also be eligible for DHAP-IKE.  Read more here.**

Read the FEMA press release

AUSTIN, Texas — The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) is only days away from launching a new temporary housing assistance program to help Texans displaced by Hurricane Ike. In anticipation of the program’s November 1 start date, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has given HUD the names of more than 6,500 Texans who may qualify for direct rental assistance until March 2010.

The Texans have been identified by FEMA as eligible for HUD’s Disaster Housing Assistance Program-Ike (DHAP-Ike). The program will provide housing assistance and case management for homeowners and renters whose homes suffered significant damage as a result of the hurricane. Other Texans who believe their homes will be uninhabitable during the 17-month program should register with FEMA at 1-800-621-FEMA (3362) by Nov. 12, 2008. Continue reading »

From the Galveston County Daily News

Only two weeks remain for Galveston County homeowners, renters and business owners whose property suffered damage during Hurricane Ike to apply for assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

State and federal officials are urging anyone who still needs to register to do so before the Nov. 12 deadline.

The U.S. Small Business Administration also has a deadline of Nov. 12 for its low-interest disaster loans.

FEMA’s disaster assistance may include grants to help pay for temporary housing, home repair and other serious disaster-related expenses not covered by insurance or other sources. Continue reading »

Read the FEMA press release from 10-28

LONG BEACH, Miss. — Mississippians, who suffered damages or losses from Hurricane Gustav and who are not eligible for a disaster loan from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), may be referred to FEMA’s Other Needs Assistance (ONA) program to help with disaster-related expenses. These funds help residents of Adams, Hancock, Harrison, Washington and Wilkinson counties with disaster-related expenses not covered by insurance or other federal programs.

Some of the expenses that may qualify for disaster aid are:

• Medical and dental costs;
• Funeral expenses;
• Repair or replacement of personal property such as clothing, room furnishings, appliances, and necessary educational materials like computers, school books, and supplies;
• Repair or replacement of specialized tools, protective clothing and equipment required for work;
• Repairing or replacing vehicles damaged by the disaster, or for other transportation costs; and
• Moving and storage expenses.

FEMA and the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency have approved more than $768,000 for this type of aid under FEMA’s ONA program.

Officials are urging homeowners, renters and businesses who received SBA disaster loan applications to complete and return them before the November 25 deadline. Anyone needing assistance or having questions about the SBA loan applications can call the SBA Customer Service at 1-800-659-2955. Homeowners and renters who are not approved for an SBA disaster loan are referred back to FEMA for any possible grant assistance.

Homeowners, renters, and business owners, who have storm losses from Hurricane Gustav, have until Nov. 25, 2008, to apply for assistance. To apply, simply call, toll-free, FEMA’s registration line at 1-800-621-FEMA (3362). Individuals with hearing- or speech-impairments should call TTY 1-800-462-7585. The lines are available 24 hours, everyday. Applicants also can register online at www.fema.gov.

FEMA coordinates the federal government’s role in preparing for, preventing, mitigating the effects of, responding to, and recovering from all domestic disasters, whether natural or man-made, including acts of terror.

From the Associated Press 10-28

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The U.N. humanitarian chief appealed to donor countries Monday for more than $60 million to help Haiti recover from storms that killed hundreds of people and heavily damaged the Caribbean nation’s agricultural base.

John Holmes said donors have contributed or pledged about 40 percent of the $107 million the U.N. is seeking to help Haiti over the next six months, but that is nowhere near enough to deal with the aftermath of the storms.

Haiti was ravaged by four storms — Fay, Gustav, Hanna and Ike — in less than four weeks during August and September. Nearly 800 people were killed and much of the country’s agriculture was destroyed, leaving many people hungry. World Bank officials estimate that total damage surpassed $1 billion. Continue reading »

In Louisiana: Visit the Louisiana State Bar Association at http://www.lsba.org/dr/index.asp

In Texas: Visit http://www.TexasLawHelp.org

AUSTIN, Texas, Oct 28, 2008 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ — Responding to the broad range of legal problems resulting from Hurricane Ike, Texas legal aid organizations and the Houston Bar Association have developed an online resource to assist Texans affected by the disaster in obtaining free legal information. The new service, called LiveHelp, is available now and enables Hurricane Ike victims to conduct a live online chat with attorneys recruited by the Houston Volunteer Lawyers Program. Attorneys will answer questions and also refer those seeking help to legal resources specific to FEMA appeals and other disaster-related issues

From the Associated Press, 10/28

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Texas officials accused the Federal Emergency Management Agency of slow response and insensitivity on Monday, saying the agency has failed to provide timely help to town officials and Hurricane Ike victims who need temporary housing and money.

“It’s a tragedy, what’s going on down there,” Jack Colley, the state’s director of emergency management, told the Senate Transportation and Homeland Security Committee during a hearing on hurricane recovery.

Colley suggested that FEMA should be removed from the federal Department of Homeland Security and placed under presidential oversight.

“They have been extremely insensitive, in our opinion, to the concept that somebody cannot drive 100 miles a day to keep their job,” said Kevin Hamby, general counsel of the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs. “They don’t seem to care much if we lose these communities down there.” Continue reading »

From AP & the Houston Chronicle

GALVESTON, Texas — A tent city on Galveston that was home to as many as 800 displaced Hurricane Ike residents has closed.

A new shelter complex, also using tents, was operating Monday near Scholes International Airport and run by Baptist Child and Family Services.

The organization, under contract from the state, is helping care for more than 350 people who relocated Sunday from the previous Red Cross facility.

The first tent city complex, at an old elementary school, opened shortly after Ike slammed Galveston on Sept. 13.

Red Cross disaster administrator Carlos Garcia-Velez says the closure marked the group’s end of emergency operations and transition to recovery efforts.

From ReliefWeb (read more)

The United Nations Under-Secretary General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, John Holmes, today completed a two-day visit to Haiti. The main purpose of his visit was to review progress in addressing the overall humanitarian situation in the country, as well as in responding to the needs arising from the hurricanes and tropical storms that recently struck Haiti; and finally to appeal for more and faster assistance. Discussions on disaster preparedness are also top on the agenda of his visit.

On 23 October, Mr. Holmes met with the country’s leaders including the Prime Minister Michele Pierre-Louis, representatives of the United Nations Stabilisation Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH), of UN agencies and of non-governmental organisations working in Haiti. Today 24 October, Mr. Holmes visited the city of Gonaives, one of the areas worst affected by the storms. The visit concluded with a meeting with President Rene Preval. Continue reading »

From the Brenham Banner-Press

Washington County (TX) farms and ranches are eligible for emergency loans for losses caused by Hurricane Ike, the Farm Service Agency has announced.

Washington County was one of 15 Texas counties recently named by President Bush as eligible for loans to cover part of production and/or physical losses caused by Ike between Sept. 7 and Oct. 3.

Tim Respondek, farm loan manager with FSA’s Bellville office, said agriculture operators may be eligible for loans of up to 100 percent of their actual losses, or an operating loan needed to continue in the agricultural business, whichever is less.

For farmers who can’t get credit from private commercial lenders, the interest rate will be 3.75 percent. Continue reading »

Visit the FEMA National Emergency Family Registry and Locator System (NEFRLS)

Have you been displaced by a disaster?
Do you need to locate friends or family displaced by a disaster?
If you can answer yes to one of these questions, choose one of the options below.

Go to the NEFRLS site

From the Monroe News-Star

Because of extensive damages caused by Hurricanes Gustav and Ike, and with the recent addition of 10 parishes to the disaster deceleration, FEMA has informed Louisiana Recovery Authority officials that a 30-day extension of time for the registration period has been granted.

This will allow Louisiana residents to register for federal assistance to individuals and households affected by Hurricane Gustav.

James W. Star, director of the Louisiana Transitional Recovery Office of FEMA, informed said all applicants will be able to register until Dec. 3.

From the Houston Chronicle

GALVESTON — The release of $70 million for Texas hurricane repairs announced Thursday by U.S. Transportation Secretary Mary Peters was tempered by the knowledge that the money can be used only for completed projects.

Peters said the cash would be available immediately for repairs in areas hit by Hurricane Ike, but the Texas Department of Transportation said the money was restricted to repayment.

“These funds will be available immediately so that the city can get roads repaired, the traffic signals working again, and the ferry reopened,” Peters said.

Galveston City Manager Steve LeBlanc said the city hoped to use its share to help repair traffic signals, roads, improve the bus system and rebuild the trolley system.

But the trolley system and many of Galveston’s signal lights will not qualify because the money can be used only on roads designated as federal aid highways, TxDOT spokesman Chris Lippincott said.

A U.S. Transportation Department spokesman acknowledged that the money would be used for reimbursement.

From thetowntalk.com

BATON ROUGE – Ten additional parishes have been made eligible for federal disaster assistance as a result of Hurricane Gustav.

People whose jobs have been lost or interrupted because of the disaster in Concordia, East Carroll, Madison, Morehouse, Ouachita, Richland, Tensas, Union, West Carroll and Winn parishes are eligible to apply for Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA), the Louisiana Workforce Commission has announced.

People eligible in these 10 parishes must file DUA applications within 30 days of this announcement. The deadline to file is Nov. 17, 2008.

Applications submitted later may be denied.

DUA is available to individuals for weeks of unemployment beginning Sept. 7, 2008, through March 7, 2009, as long as the claimant’s unemployment continues to be a result of Hurricane Gustav. DUA benefits will not be paid for any period of unemployment before or after these dates.

The best way to file new claims or check the status of existing claims is through the Commission’s Web site at www.laworks.net. Continue reading »

From the Institute for Southern Studies

Since Hurricane Ike crashed into the Texas coast last month, residents of hard-hit areas have encountered problems finding a place to stay while the region recovers — and government at all levels has failed to provide adequate help for the displaced.

In Galveston, where three-quarters of all homes were damaged in the storm and many public housing units were rendered unlivable, local officials have requested 500 trailers from the federal government, but the city still hasn’t found a place to put them. Meanwhile, members of the local apartment association complain that the city has been slow in providing needed permits that would allow them to accept tenants. Things have not been moving much faster at the national level, with state and county officials describing the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s temporary housing efforts as a “bureaucratic logjam.”

“FEMA keeps telling us that they’ve got a process to deploy temporary housing,” Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs Director Michael Gerber told the Houston Chronicle. “But in four weeks, they’ve deployed fewer than a hundred that are occupied.” Continue reading »

From the Galveston County Daily News

LEAGUE CITY — As much as we try to shield and protect them, our children and students internalize our stress and strain and the fearful energy of Hurricane Ike’s experience.

Concerned about their trauma, I brainstormed how to help them make some sense of their experiences and unload their fears.

These ideas are based only on what I’ve learned from being an educator for 36 years, a parent, a childhood survivor of hurricane memories and an avid collector of ways to help children grow and learn.

Most children just crave normalcy, but be sensitive to unusual behaviors that are not characteristic of your child.

You might see nightmares or sleeping problems — too much or too little — anger, short tempers, unexplained crying, acting out, giddiness, clinginess or separation anxiety.

Be prepared for meltdowns over even little, unrelated things. Children need to unload their perceptions without adults hovering or making it obvious.

Use your best judgment as you read these ideas. They are not officially endorsed by any psychologist or therapist and some are not appropriate for all ages. Continue reading »

From the Houston Chronicle

Thursday is the last day to sign up for free roof covers from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Information and applications are available at 13 locations.

Your roof must have less than 50 percent structural damage, and the house must be habitable.

Applicants must have a photo ID, proof of residency and know what type of roof they have.

The locations are:

• 601 54th, Galveston
• 13805 Stewart, Galveston
• 2000 Texas, Texas City
• 14657 Sneider, Building 1383, Ellington Air Field
• 6101 San Jacinto Mall, Baytown
• 6810 Gulf Freeway, Houston
• 19580 Texas 249, Houston
• 11315 Spencer Highway, La Porte
• Pasadena Town Square Mall, Pasadena
• 311 Pennsylvania, Webster
• 4120 Dowlen, Beaumont
• 655 Lavaca, Beaumont
• 3401 Cultural Center, Port Arthur

For more information, call 888-766-3258 or see www.swf.usace.army.mil and click on “right of entry.”

October 18
From thetowntalk.com

Gov. Bobby Jindal has announced that FEMA has approved additional parishes - including two in Central Louisiana — that were impacted by Hurricane Gustav as eligible for individual assistance to families and households.

The two Cenla parishes added to the list for the Individual Assistance (IA) Program for residents impacted by Gustav are Concordia and Winn.

Individuals who have incurred damages as a result of the storm should register with FEMA by calling 1-800-621-FEMA (3362) or online at www.fema.gov.

“GALVESTON — For 27 years, Sarah Horn anchored her life at Oleander Homes, a hulking public housing project that dominates several city blocks on the island’s east end with its stark, low-slung buildings and fenced-off courtyards.

She knew its pulse and patterns, which neighbors to trust, which city buses to board. Even when she went blind in February, she lived on her own, her means modest but her determination to be independent strong.

Hurricane Ike forced her out, along with hundreds of other people like her.

‘I can’t even see what I have lost,’ the 51-year-old said last week from her sister’s wind-damaged apartment, where she is staying for now. ‘I just want to go back to something that is familiar.’

About 2,200 Galveston families live in public housing or subsidized apartments, according to the Galveston Housing Authority. Hurricane Ike scattered them to hotels, cramped quarters with family members and the Red Cross tent city on the island.

But with the search for longer-term housing comes a larger question: What part, what place, will Galveston’s poor have in the city’s revival — if any?

The Galveston Housing Authority operates 975 units of public housing spread across four sprawling complexes and two high-rise buildings. There are an additional 1,200 subsidized Section 8 apartments on the island.

The Housing Authority reopened portions of the high-rises last month, but it condemned every unit in the four complexes.” …

Read the rest of the Houston Chronicle article by Roma Khanna

Friday, October 17, 2008

HOUSTON - Some of the nearly 300 Hurricane Ike victims still living in the city’s last Red Cross shelter are worried about where they will live after it closes this week.

Scheduled to cease operations Sunday, the shelter had housed more than 1,000 people at the height of the storm. Officials said it was one of 24 the Red Cross opened in the Greater Houston area.

Ike swept away Sheila Willis’ car and her Crystal Beach home, leaving her stranded. Before Ike blasted ashore near Galveston on Sept. 13, flattening buildings and killing at least 37 people in Texas, a friend gave Willis a ride to evacuate. She said she stayed at a shelter in the George R. Brown Convention Center, where someone stole her purse. Her ID, other important papers and most of her money were inside.

“I don’t know what’s wrong with this government,” said Willis, tears filling her eyes. “Everyone’s giving us the runaround.”

Willis said she has no idea what she will do when the shelter closes but wants to go stay with a friend in Oklahoma City, where she grew up.

Efforts are under way to provide transitional housing for Ike victims once the shelter closes. …

Read the rest of the AP article

Read the HUD press release here, or below.

Families should register by calling toll-free 1-800-621-FEMA (3362)

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced today that families who were affected by Hurricane Gustav will also be eligible to receive temporary rental payments and case management services. Families displaced by Gustav will be eligible for the Disaster Housing Assistance Program (DHAP), which will also be utilized by thousands of other families impacted by Hurricane Ike. Slated to begin November 1, 2008, DHAP-Ike will help these families find intermediate housing as they rebuild their lives.

“Once again, HUD moved quickly to ensure eligible families affected by Hurricane Gustav would have a roof over their heads as they regain a sense of normalcy in their lives. This program will provide a necessary means to deliver timely, effective assistance as the region rebuilds,” said HUD Secretary Steve Preston.

“This latest announcement is the next step in our commitment to provide assistance to Louisiana’s families,” said Jim Stark, Assistant Administrator for Gulf Coast Recovery. “FEMA is pleased to continue our successful partnership with HUD and offer the Disaster Housing Assistance Program to victims of Hurricane Gustav. This program, modeled after the first implemented for Katrina and Rita victims, is a direct result of our agencies working together to find the best solutions to aide Louisiana citizens recovering from Hurricanes Gustav and Ike.”

“Adding Gustav-affected families to this disaster housing program, which features robust case management, is a clear signal that we have not forgotten about the thousands impacted by this storm,” said Robin Keegan, Deputy Directorof the Louisiana Recovery Authority. “Working together with our federal partners at FEMA and HUD, we will continue to identify rental resources in hard-hit parishes and help our families return to safe places to live in their communities.” Continue reading »

WASHINGTON (Thomson Financial) - “The number of individuals filing new claims for unemployment insurance fell as expected as hurricane related claims receded in the latest week. Those individuals continuing to file claims for unemployment rose to a level not seen in over five years, the Labor Department said today.

The number of first-time claims filed in the week ending October 4 fell 20,000 to 478,000, in line with expectations of economists polled by Thomson Reuters IFR Markets.

The Labor Department said that approximately 17,000 claims related to Hurricanes Ike and Gustav were added to this week’s total initial claims figure. That is down from the 45,000 hurricane-related claims seen in the previous week, and the 50,000 claims reported in the week before that.”

Read the Forbes article

Agriculture and Forestry Commissioner Mike Strain, D.V.M., urged builders and homeowners to take steps to prevent the spread of Formosan subterranean termites as they rebuild and remodel after hurricanes Gustav and Ike.

“Many homes and businesses were badly damaged by the storms,” Strain said, in a news release.

“We’re advising that you consider options to prevent future infestation from the Formosan subterranean termite,” Strain states.

For tips and more information, read the full article.

Release Date: October 9, 2008
Release Number: 1791-103

Read the FEMA press release

AUSTIN, Texas — Texas residents who were impacted by Hurricane Ike can make use of free legal assistance and counseling.

The Disaster Legal Services hotline is 1-800-504-7030. Through the number, volunteer lawyers can help low-income hurricane victims with legal issues related to the hurricane. Volunteer lawyers can discuss insurance claims, landlord-tenant issues, consumer protection issues and the replacement of wills and other important documents that were lost or destroyed.

Callers should be prepared to discuss particular legal problems caused by the disaster and to provide a current contact phone number. To be eligible for this free legal assistance, they must reside in one of the 29 counties designated for Individual Assistance under the federal disaster declaration for Hurricane Ike. Continue reading »

Release Date: October 13, 2008
Release Number: 1786-068

Go to fema.gov

New Orleans, Louisiana — The Federal Emergency Management Agency’s transitional sheltering initiative for applicants displaced by Hurricane Ike, originally scheduled to end Oct. 14, has been extended.

Applicants who have been determined eligible for FEMA housing assistance under the Individuals and Households Program or have not yet received a FEMA inspection of their damaged home have been extended until Tuesday, Oct. 28. FEMA may authorize extended stays beyond Oct. 28 as needed and will notify those applicants individually.

Applicants who are deemed ineligible for transitional sheltering assistance are being notified that FEMA will no longer pay for their hotel beyond Oct. 28, 2008. These applicants will not be granted a further extension and applicants who choose to remain in hotels the night of Oct. 28 and beyond will do so at their own expense. Applicants who believe they have received their notification in error or who may have other disaster-related questions may call the FEMA Helpline at 1-800-621-FEMA (3362) or TTY 1-800-462-7585 or visit www.fema.gov by clicking on “Apply for Assistance” for more information.

The intent of transitional sheltering assistance is to provide shelter alternatives to evacuees who need a place to stay because they are unable to live in their homes due to damage or power outages caused by Hurricane Ike. Transitional sheltering assistance allows eligible individuals or families to stay in a hotel or motel for a limited time and have the cost of the room and taxes paid directly to the hotel by FEMA. Meals, telephone calls and other incidental charges are not covered.

FEMA coordinates the federal government’s role in preparing for, preventing, mitigating the effects of, responding to, and recovering from all domestic disasters, whether natural or man-made, including acts of terror.

More than 2 million Gulf Coast residents were evacuated from their homes as Hurricane Gustav barreled toward Louisiana and Texas. According to the US Human Rights Network, a coalition of more than 250 human rights groups, in the days following the hurricane, tens of thousands of those residents were subjected to violations of their basic human rights, including disparate and discriminatory treatment; inadequate provision of food, water and shelter; and failure to provide for a safe and timely return.

The Capital Area United Way has awarded $61,710 in new disaster relief to local nonprofit agencies to assist with Hurricane Gustav-related community needs,  a news release says.

That amount plus previous disaster relief money raised by the United Way brings the total to about $500,000 specifically raised to help local communities in the wake of the storm, Capital Area United Way spokeswoman Robin Keller said Wednesday in the news release.

“We are grateful to our contributors who have stepped up to provide relief funds and are proud to support our local non-profit community who continue to provide much needed services, even now in these weeks after the storm,” Capital Area United Way President Karen Profita said in the news release.

The new relief money was awarded to the following groups:

• $15,000 to the Salvation Army of Greater Baton Rouge.
• $10,000 to the Greater Baton Rouge Food Bank.
• $10,000 to Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Baton Rouge.
• $10,000 to Mental Health Association of Greater Baton Rouge.
• $10,000 to United Methodist HOPE Ministries.
• $6,500 to the Community Association Welfare of School Children.
• $210 to Cancer Services of Greater Baton Rouge.

Read the Baton Rouge Advocate article

From WDSU

NEW ORLEANS — The African American Leadership project hosted a forum Wednesday night for people who have negative stories about their evacuations during Hurricane Gustav.

The goal was to put a report together to present to city leaders with positive solutions to make evacuating easier. The group filled out surveys and talked the issues out.

Most concerns were about how much it costs to leave and return.

The African American Leadership project hopes to have a final report finished within 90 days.

Read the AP article in the Houston Chronicle

BATON ROUGE, La. — The federal government has agreed to cover all the recovery costs in 14 parishes affected by Hurricane Ike through most of October, a move that saves the state and parishes millions.

“This is good news and a positive step forward in the recovery efforts for these parishes,” Gov. Bobby Jindal said in a statement Wednesday.

Traditionally, the Federal Emergency Management Agency pays 75 percent of disaster response costs and states pay the rest. Jindal had asked either Congress or the White House to waive the state’s cost-share, similar to what was done after Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

Though it came ashore in Texas on Sept. 13, Ike’s powerful storm surge inundated coastal communities from one end of the state to the other. State government’s response to Ike has been estimated to cost at least $127.9 million and rising. It’s unclear how much the parishes have paid in response efforts. Continue reading »

Read the article

FORT SMITH, Ark. — When Hurricane Gustav hit Texas, over 2,000 evacuees fled to the Fort Smith area, most of whom stayed on the Fort Chaffee base. Many city and county agencies in the River Ralley provided financial support to the evacuees. The dollar amount spent is now being calculated by FEMA. A FEMA owill be in town for one month working with each agency individually.

Emergency Management officials estimated the total cost of the evacuee effort to be in the millions and said 100 percent of the money spent will be reimbursed.

“We want this reimbursement process to be as expedient as possible to make sure every agency gets back every dime back they can. This is Sebastian County money. This is Fort Smith money and our local agencies’ money,” said Tonya Roberts of Sebastian County Emergency Management.

TOWN HALL MEETING ON THE GUSTAV EVACUATION
Mtangulizi Sanyika

JOIN US IN A TOWN HALL MEETING ON THE GUSTAV EVACUATION

African American Leadership Project

* WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2008
* 7:00PM TO 9:30PM
* NEW ORLEANS CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS

TELL YOUR STORIES, SHARE YOUR PROBLEMS AND PROPOSE SOLUTIONS

SOME OF THE COMMENTS PEOPLE HAVE MADE INCLUDE:

1. EVACUATION COSTS TOO MUCH
2. THE SHELTERS WERE A BAD EXPERIENCE
3. IT WAS HARD GETTING OUT
4. IT WAS HARD GETTING BACK IN
5. POWER WAS OUT, WATER WAS UNAVAILABLE
6. TRYING TO GET FOOD STAMPS WAS A MESS
7. FEMA WAS OF NO HELP

The AALP sponsored town hall meeting on the Gustav evacuation will be this Wednesday, October 8th, 2008 from 7:00 PM to 9:30 PM in the City Council chambers. This is the first of several efforts of the AALP and other groups to gather information on the evacuation experiences of our citizens during the Gustav storm. The town hall meeting will be followed up by Focus Groups, surveys and interviews as part of a Community-based Evacuation Research Project. Any persons or organizations who have collected information on the evacuation experience of city residents is invited to share their findings with us during the town hall meeting. The ultimate intent is to find solutions to the problems associated with the evacuation and work with the officials and planners to implement them. Continue reading »

From The Times Picayune Answer Spot on October 5, 2008

Will there be any special federal tax relief for Gustav?

Congress might propose some relief in the casualty loss area. We will keep you advised of this. Nothing is final until it has passed both the House and Senate and has been signed by the president.

Can you clarify what the extended tax deadlines are for Gustav victims?

If you filed for an extension on your 2007 federal income tax return, then your return normally would be due by Oct. 15. However, the Internal Revenue Service has pushed the deadline back until Jan. 5 for Gustav victims.

The only catch is, you still must file your return by Oct. 15 if you think you are eligible for an economic stimulus payment. Those payments aren’t made until you have filed your return, and you must do it by Oct. 15.

If you have a stimulus payment on the line, it might be a good idea to file your return by Oct. 15, even though you have until January.

SBA communications specialist Matthew D. Young urged residents to fill out loan applications, even if they think they might not qualify or don’t want the loans to help replace property. Homeowners and renters may qualify for FEMA grants if they don’t get loans, but they must apply to keep the process going.

“If people don’t complete that application,” Young said, “they stop the disaster application process. If they get a loan, they don’t have to take it. We just want to make sure people are taking advantage of these federal tax dollars made available to assist them with their recovery from Gustav.” …

Read the rest of the Mississipp Sun-Herald article

10/5/2008

BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — Key Louisiana lawmakers plan to challenge property insurers by trying to limit the special deductibles they can impose when homes are damaged by tropical storms and hurricanes.

The so-called “named-storm” deductibles, of up to 5 percent, are the norm in hurricane-prone states from Texas to New England. For Louisiana, the named-storm deductible kicks in when a hurricane or tropical storm enters the Gulf of Mexico.

Some policyholders were unaware they had a storm deductible and could not rely on their insurer to pay, for instance, up to $10,000 for repairs on a $200,000 home with a 5 percent storm deductible. Some homeowners’ unpleasant surprise was doubled this year, for those who had wind damage from both Hurricane Gustav and Hurricane Ike.

Read the Times Picayune article

“Houstonians are still confronting the lingering effects of Hurricane Ike: damaged homes, piles of debris, lost work and ends that won’t meet. But for recovering alcoholics and addicts, coping with post-Ike realities may also mean reaching out to sobriety buddies instead of the bottle or drugs.

Stress is the greatest threat to people fighting addictions, Houston experts say, and Ike’s toll could trigger relapses.

‘What underlies addiction and substance abuse is fear, anxiety and stress. People drink and use because it medicates their anxiety,’ said Dr. Scott Basinger, a neuroscientist and associate dean at Baylor College of Medicine. ‘Don’t get too hungry, too angry, too lonely or too tired, because being hungry, angry, lonely or tired are well-known risk factors for relapse.’

The risk is heightened during a disaster, when loss of power, phone service and transportation cuts contact with counselors. Afterward, assessments of the damage, joblessness and other factors could create a perfect storm for recovering addicts to slip.” …

• Read the Houston Chronicle article

• Access addiction resources:

Call the Council on Alcohol and Drugs Houston, 713-942-4100 or visit www.council-houston.org .

Residents of southern Harris, Brazoria, Galveston and Matagorda counties can call the Bay Area Council on Drugs and Alcohol at 281-212-2900, 800-510-3111 or visit www.bacoda.com .

From WJHG.com

Hurricane Ike destroyed oil platforms, tossed storage tanks, and even punctured pipelines. The environmental damage is only now becoming apparent.

According to a recent study, at least a half million gallons of crude oil spilled into the Gulf of Mexico, as well as into the marshes, bayous and bays of Texas and Louisiana. Officials have responded to more than 3,000 pollution reports.

Most callers complain about abandoned propane tanks turning up in backyards. No major oil spills have been found; however, almost 2,000 sites still need to be cleaned up.

From the Associated Press

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For eligibility and application information, read the whole FEMA press release

AUSTIN, Texas — Three weeks after Hurricane Ike made landfall, Texans whose lives were interrupted – and in many cases uprooted – are using a variety of state and federal resources to help them regain control of their lives and carry on with their recovery.

Grants and loans totaling about $110 million have been approved for Hurricane Ike recovery, according to officials from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Texas Governor’s Division of Emergency Management (GDEM).

“Housing is our first priority,” said State Coordinating Officer Joan Haun. “The most important thing is helping Texans devastated by Ike have a safe place to live while they plan their recovery and get their lives back on track. Safe housing during this rebuilding period is essential.”

The US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) is projecting that there is sufficient DVP funding remaining to continue DVP assistance for current participants through at least February 28, 2009.  This extension applies only to those families already receiving DVP assistance, and does not permit any additional families to be admitted to the program.  The length of the extension is dependent on the availability of funding and the number of families that continue to receive DVP assistance.

Download the press release here.

To see assistance available for residents affected by Hurricane Ike through DHAP (Disaster Housing Assistance Program) go to HUD’s PIH (Public and Indian Housing) Hurricane Recovery Resources page

(CNN) — “Alligators loom over submerged cars. Mountains of debris are embedded in the ground. The bodies of cows, trucks and the remnants of homes lie in and out of the water. And unverified sightings of missing loved ones make the rounds.

More than 300 people are missing since Hurricane Ike hit the Texas coast last month, and the obstacles to finding them are frustrating family and friends who desperately want to know if their loved ones are dead or alive.

These family and friends want answers: Why are so many still missing? Why has the first organized search for bodies, to be held Thursday on the battered Bolivar Peninsula, taken so long?

Local and state authorities are conducting Thursday’s search and have been working with the Laura Recovery Center, a missing persons organization. The center helped compile a list of missing people and police are using the information to go door-to-door looking for answers.” …

Read the whole article on CNN

“TYLER, Texas (AP) - As Hurricane Ike blew through Texas last month — a different kind of storm was brewing inside a former Wal-Mart in Tyler.

The site was hastily converted into a shelter for evacuees.

The Associated Press reports the building, which had been vacant for two years, quickly became a cauldron of tension.

About 1,600 people were crammed into a structure with a leaky roof, few indoor bathrooms and almost no privacy.

Fights soon broke out, and one ended after Tyler police allegedly used pepper spray on dozens of evacuees and a Taser on a 15-year-old boy.

Accounts of what happened in the building were drawn from interviews and public records obtained by AP.” …

Read the whole Associated Press Article

By Brian Burnsed

“Barry Tipping spent three days searching for gas in Atlanta. The quest seemed to be in vain, as the 44-year-old tried nearly 20 gas stations, many with their pumps draped in bags, or waits that stretched to more than an hour. Twice when Tipping did find stations with gas, he sat in a long line only to see the station run out of premium unleaded before he reached the pump. So here was Tipping on Sept. 30 happily paying $4.33 a gallon to fill his silver Mercedes at an Exxon (XOM) station in the northern part of the city, a sense of relief on his face. ‘I’d pay $5 a gallon if I had to,’ he said.

Tipping’s not alone. The Southeast is experiencing a hurricane-triggered gas shortage that has thrown the region’s gas stations into chaos. All but two of the Gulf Coast refineries that were shut down by Hurricanes Ike and Gustav for 10 days are now back up, but the delay in fully refilling the pipelines to the region is forcing many to spend time circling the city in search of stations that have received a fresh shipment of gasoline. And in some instances, tempers have flared: Motorists tell their stories over Atlanta’s airwaves, claiming they’ve seen fistfights and fender benders among drivers jockeying for position before the gas runs out.” …

Read the whole Business Week article

From WAFB Channel 9

BATON ROUGE, LA (WAFB) - Members of the legislature are looking into possible insurance policy changes after hurricanes Gustav and Ike.

Many homeowners are facing new and more expensive deductibles or they’re finding out the deductible is a percentage of the value of their whole house, not just a percentage of the damage.

“When you feel like you’ve been had by your insurance carrier, now that gets dander up, I promise you,” says Rep. Tom McVea of Jackson. Legislators are meeting with insurance leaders to try and solve what many of their policyholders say is a serious problem, high storm deductibles for every named storm that hits Louisiana.

“In this particular case, I paid premium and did what supposed to do and I’m getting nothing,” says Steve Jaros. He has a 5% deductible for named storms with Allstate insurance. For him, that’s about $8,900. An adjuster estimated his roof damage from Hurricane Gustav at about $8,800. So, like many in his situation, Jaros’s net claim is zero. “That just seems wrong to me,” he says. Continue reading »

There is Hurricane Ike disaster relief included in Title 7 of the Dodd substitute (the new Senate version of the bailout bill that will be voted on tonight). There are provisions creating qualified Hurricane Ike disaster area bonds, in which tax exempt bonding authority would be made available for housing, utility, and business construction. The maximum face amount of the bonds will not exceed the product of $2,000 multiplied by the portion of the State population in the following five counties in Texas (Brazoria, Chambers, Galveston, Jefferson, and Orange) and Calcasieu and Cameron parishes in Louisiana.

The Low Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) program would be expanded in the same areas as listed above from 2008 through 2010. The housing credit ceiling of each state would be increased to $16.00 multiplied by the portion of the population in the previously mentioned Texas counties and Louisiana parishes. Continue reading »

Article from MarketWatch

Last update: 9:01 a.m. EDT Sept. 30, 2008

DALLAS, TX, Sep 30, 2008 (MARKET WIRE via COMTEX) — Stream Energy has moved to further assist customers in the devastated upper Gulf Coast region of Texas by waiving late fees for customers in those areas.

“The Gulf Coast is still struggling to return to normal,” said Rob Snyder, Stream Energy Chairman. “We want to let customers know their concerns about the electric bills will not be an added worry,” he added. More than 100,000 Stream Energy customers will gain relief through the program. All zip codes which have been included in the moratorium on late fees can be located on the website at http://www.streamenergy.net/about_news_item.asp?article=309. Continue reading »

Read the Sun-Herald Article

Associated Press

JACKSON — Federal aid is finally on the way for Mississippi homeowners hit hard by the flooding rains of Hurricane Gustav, and so far more than 970 residents from three counties have applied for individual assistance, officials confirmed Tuesday.

Homeowners in Harrison and Hancock counties on the Mississippi Coast, and Washington County in the Delta, are eligible for up to $28,000 each to rebuild or repair their flood-damaged homes. Residents have 60 days to apply for the grants. Continue reading »

ATLANTA, Sep 30, 2008 (BUSINESS WIRE) — The U.S. Small Business Administration announces that certain Private Non-Profit Organizations (PNPs) that do not provide critical services of a governmental nature may be eligible to apply for low interest rate disaster loans. These loans are available as a result of a Presidential disaster declaration for Public Assistance resulting from damages caused by Hurricane Gustav that occurred between August 28 and September 8, 2008.

PNPs located in Adams, Amite, Claiborne, Copiah, Forrest, Franklin, George, Hancock, Harrison, Jackson, Jefferson, Jefferson Davis, Lawrence, Lincoln, Marion, Pearl River, Pike, Stone, Walthall and Wilkinson counties in the State of Mississippi are eligible to apply for both Physical and Economic Injury Disaster Loans from the SBA.
PNPs located in the neighboring counties of Covington, Greene, Hinds, Jones, Lamar, Perry, Rankin, Simpson, and Warren counties in the State of Mississippi; Mobile and Washington counties in the State of Alabama; and Concordia, East Feliciana, St. Helena, St. Tammany, Tangipahoa, Tensas, Washington and West Feliciana parishes in Louisiana are eligible to apply only for SBA Economic Injury Disaster Loans. Continue reading »