WP: Housing Promises Made to Evacuees Have Fallen Short

[Pirate Smile]

Housing Promises Made to Evacuees Have Fallen Short
Red Cross to Halt Hotel Stipends in 2 Weeks, And Hundreds of Shelters Have Closed

By Spencer S. Hsu and Elizabeth Williamson
Washington Post Staff Writers
Sunday, October 2, 2005; Page A01

Two weeks before President Bush's mid-October goal for moving Hurricane Katrina victims out of shelters, more than 100,000 people still reside in such makeshift housing, and 400,000 more are in hotel rooms costing up to $100 a night.

Housing options promised by the federal government a month ago have largely failed to materialize. Cruise ships and trailer parks have so far proved in large part to be unworkable, while an American Red Cross program -- paid for by the federal government -- that allows storm victims to stay in motels or hotels is scheduled to expire Oct. 15. It is projected to cost the Federal Emergency Management Agency as much as $168 million.

Federal officials are struggling to launch an alternative interim housing program that would give families whose homes are destroyed or uninhabitable a lump sum of $2,358 in rental assistance, or $786 a month for three months, with the possibility of a 15-month extension. So far, 330,000 families have signed up for the housing assistance. But if evacuees have to use those stipends to pay for hotel rooms when FEMA stops covering such lodging, the funds will not last long.

Last week, the number of evacuees in hotels increased from 220,000 to more than 400,000 people, in 140,000 rooms. Many have no idea what they will do when the program ends in two weeks.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/10/01/AR2005100101437.html

Here is another article on housing Evacuees:

Families Strain to Give Shelter to the Displaced

By Darryl Fears
Washington Post Staff Writer
Sunday, October 2, 2005; Page A19

GONZALES, La. -- The telephone started ringing the Friday before Hurricane Katrina blew into the Gulf Coast and hasn't stopped since.

Kevin Taylor answered and found his mother, Elaine, on the other end of the line. Things looked bad for New Orleans, she said, and she asked if she could ride out the storm at his place. Then his aunt Cleo called, wanting to do the same with her children. After that, his cousin Adrielyn called, asking to bring her six kids. Within a week, 45 people were hunkered down in Kevin and Roxanne Taylor's small three-bedroom house.


In Gonzales, La., from left, Roxanne Taylor, Kimberli Smith, Gabrielle Augusta, Rachel Trahan and baby Jaiden Smith are feeling the squeeze after Katrina. (By Nikki Kahn -- The Washington Post)

"It was a lot," said Kevin Taylor, 39, who works as a crane operator.

The Taylors' relatives are among the 220,000 evacuees living in and around East Baton Rouge Parish. Many of them are living with their extended families. Air mattresses and sleeping bags are jammed into kitchens, living rooms, hallways and bedrooms. Air conditioners are straining to keep pace with the 95-degree bayou heat, and water is running constantly from showers, washing machines and flushed toilets.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/09/28/AR2005092802169.html

[rodeodance]

1. I feel for them.

[Cocoa]

2. the Boondocks has a great series on taking in relatives

[annabanana]

3. Sadly, I know we saw this coming...

In an attempt to "look better" in the press, lots of promises were made, and a lot of noise about how they "got in gear" and got ready to "get the job done" and dozens of other hollow sound bites.

I heard one report that 4 families returned to their homes to find the decomposing remains of their loved ones that hadn't been removed by the "sweeps" through the neighborhoods. I suspect that there were more such instances that have not been (and will not be) reported.

All future "negative" news will be in single paragraphs near the bottom of page 23, below the fold...

[mom cat]

4. I am afraid that their plight will be ongiong for years

:cry:

[0007]

5. Perhaps a new form of nomads are being created?

[krkaufman]

7. Yes, possibly. Akin to the dust bowl era.

And the Katrina nomads could be just the first phase; with the second coming in the form of "zero interest" loan defaults.

[Lindacooks]

6. Gee, what a surprise.

NOT.

[cassiepriam]

8. Bush lied?? I am shocked and appalled. nt