Louisiana Flood DR 4277 and 4263 the APA 8 Action Plan Amendment 8 with Public Comments are here

You have to ask the right people to get a copy of the public documents that our Office of Community Development Disaster Recovery Unit is required to publish to the public on the state OCD-DRU web page. Lucky for thousands we have concerned citizens

By Writers Pool published 6-8-2018 updated 6-27-2018

APA 8, Action Plan Amendment 8 with Public Comments are here!

We even have a few of our members (which I dare not disclose) that have their comments in and soon to cross the HUD desk.

You might expect the APA 8 to be posted in the DOA Action Plan page but it seems the web people have lost the address.
As long as you all know this is the most current Action plan that's what really counts.

Please read the states OCD-DRU comments after each public comment.
This document should be on the desk of HUD by now. The comments from the OCD-DRU actually sound like they are setting up the processes to distribute the $8 million before HUD rules on the active and has it published in the Federal Register.

If you haven't noticed in the news (print and online versions) many city and parish governments have been applying for state grants to pay off FEMA co-pay grants. This is 100% legal and very much OK if it matches the goals of the new $8 million First Responders and City Services Grant Program.
My concern is some may attempt to pay debt unrelated to the spirit of the program.

This is where your $8 million first responders and city services program grants are going.
Let's be sure it is used wisely by tracking the money at the city and parish levels.
I would hate to see Denham Springs pay for a sewer debt using a grant that is designed to replace, repair, rebuild things like the Alert Siren that could have saved millions if people were alerted loudly that their properties were about to be flooded.
Livingston has on the books that it lost 10 fire trucks, that's something to replace or rebuild.

Paying city services that have lost revenue due to the tax base loss need to be monitored closely.

State Of Louisiana Action Plans Page

(Personal Note to Mayor of Denham Springs, you can now ask for a grant to fix our Emergency Alert Siren which should have warned us about the flooding hazard that morning around 5:00AM.)

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Restore Louisiana Hurricane Ida processing grinds to a stop over Environmental Reviews not being processed.

Your Environmental Impact and Review Report has to be completed before your state can calculate your HUD CDBG-DR grant. Who is responsible for Environmental Review and Impact Reports for Hurricane Ida households and why are they delayed by months?

By Murray Wennerlund published 3-29-2023 updated 3-29-2023
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Restore LA OCD-DRU Official Elevation Allowance Calculator for approved elevation reimbursement

Disaster victims that were forced to demolish their homes and elevate above Base Flood Elevation plus 2 feet were sent a Restore LA OCD-DRU Solution 2 Reconstruction and Elevation Allowance calculator.

By Murray Wennerlund published 11-1-2022 updated 11-1-2022
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Restore Louisiana Interior and exterior 504/ADA accommodations, you must plan ahead to receive them.

After the 2016 floods many households that required ADA accommodations found themselves being denied by case managers of the Restore Louisiana Homeowners Program because of documentation. The state after 6 years seems to have fixed the bureaucracy a bit.

By Murray Wennerlund published 10-21-2022 updated 10-21-2022
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Rental assistance is available to those facing financial hardship due to a declared disaster

During disasters you may find yourself in financial hardship due to the loss of income during the disaster period or you are paying for secondary housing while your primary location is being repaired.

By Murray Wennerlund published 10-5-2022 updated 10-5-2022
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Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA) for Independent Contractors, Self-Employed and others

If you are unable to work after your area was impacted by a federally declared major or severe disaster you are most likely eligible for unemployment compensation even if you havent paid for unemployment compensation while self employed.

By Murray Wennerlund published 10-4-2022 updated 10-4-2022
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Restore Louisiana Homeowner Program OCD-DRU Grant Recapture Procedures

The State of Louisiana has been perfecting recapture processes since Hurricane Katrina. Recaptured funds from homeowners means more to the state coffers and more disaster debt to homeowners. Learn the signs you are at risk of recapture before it happens.

By Murray Wennerlund published 9-25-2022 updated 9-29-2022
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Ineligible Due to Non-Responsiveness and Ineligible Due to Failure to Provide Required Documentation

HUD CDBG-DR Grants for Disaster Recovery You have the right to appeal. Your state will list how many days you have to respond to any communications.

By Murray Wennerlund published 8-14-2022 updated 8-14-2022
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Does the Restore Louisiana OCD-DRU HUD Grant program offer a Scheduled Draw payment?

HUD CDBG-DR Grants designed to be distributed as a drawdown to funds allocated for rebuilding are now only used to reimburse expenses of finished repairs. This is to reduce 0.4 fraudulent use of grant funds by creating income segregation.

By Murray Wennerlund published 8-14-2022 updated 9-25-2022
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