Missing Elevation adjustments could cause ZERO Grant Award Calculation for disaster flood survivors.
It was discovered after the 2016 floods in Louisiana that the method approved by the state of Louisiana and HUD to calculate grant awards did not include costs for mitigation such as elevation and often would lead to a zero grant award.
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By Murray Wennerlund published 11-2-2022 updated 1-4-2023
Print Elevation LA Office of Community Development Disaster Recovery Unit (OCD-DRU) 434 views

Award Calculation (Zero) v2.2 – 03/16/18

The state of Louisiana has manually reviewed all "Zero Grant Awards."
The state of Louisiana claims to have changed any Zero Grant Award that would result in a positive award after reviewing the following items.

  • Human Error in calculations
  • Home Square footage calculation errors
  • Federal Public laws 115-123 &;; 115-254
  • Program / script errors causing miscalculations and errors

What the state still does not include is "Elevation costs missing for MHU's and Reconstructions"
This simplified review does not include any additive change orders which would include, structural foundation damage, foundation elevation costs over 3' above average grade.
For those over 120% AMI you might be missing out on securing between $1,500 and $100,000 in elevation cost reimbursements.
If you were required to elevate and had to elevation over 3 feet for a new stick built home your actual grant award is missing the total allowance.
Use the Homeowners Manual to get your elevation allowance numbers.
Example of missing Additive Change Order:

  1. Home Square Feet: 1,500
  2. Elevation Allowance: $30.87
  3. Total Labor+Material: $46,305
  4. 20% Contractors Overhead: $9,261
  5. Total Additive Change Order: $55,566

 

Your grant award for reconstruction with elevation over 3 feet for a 1,500/sf home should be increased by $55,566.
Be sure you push for your elevation if you are over 120% AMI it may make the difference of seeing anything without a HUD waiver.

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