According to new data released by the Louisiana Road Home Program, a state-run program set up to assist victims of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, about 25% of applicants initially interviewed are ineligible for grants.
ICF International, a subcontractor handling closures for the Road Home Program, is obligated to close 90,000 cases by the end of the year or face a $150,000 penalty in its $750,000 contract.
Activists skeptical of the Road Home Program question the awards granted and feel that there were monetary shortcomings at the expense of applicants in an effort to meet deadlines. Some applicants have charged that Road Home representatives instructed and/or encouraged them to take whatever money was initially offered and appeal for the rest later. “A half a loaf of bread is better than none” was the mantra often given by applicants who felt that they were under funded but were not willing to take the risk of “bucking” the system and not receiving anything at all.
Officials of the Road Home Program decline to report how many recipients of the 84 thousand who have received grants are appealing for more money.
One problem rarely reported is that many homes in historical neighborhoods such as the 9th Ward have been passed down from generation to generation. Unfortunately, in many cases proper paperwork was never filed and there are disputed title claims to many damaged homes which has caused further strife to affected families.
It has also been reported that insurance companies have used these unfortunate ownership disputes to their advantage to deny claims. The insurance battle of New Orleans continues to rage and is another article for another writer with more patience than this one.
New Orleans Road Home Program Woes Continue
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