Cutting Red Tape and Helping Communities Rebuild

Posted by White House

Five years ago, Hurricanes Katrina and Rita devastated communities across the Gulf Coast. Five years later, the communities are still working to recover and rebuild from the destruction and damage wrought by those storms. We know these efforts have been incredibly challenging and frustrating at times, but they have also been a powerful testament to the courage, hope and determination of the people of the Gulf Coast – and those across our country who helped.

The Obama Administration remains committed to supporting the people of the Gulf Coast in their ongoing efforts to rebuild stronger, vibrant communities. FEMA will continue to be a partner to the Gulf Coast region and support the ongoing work of our state and local partners, the private sector, and the numerous faith groups and non-profits throughout the region. We’re also continuing to work with our federal partners to build on the improvements that have been made in recent years, accelerate the recovery by cutting through red tape, and get money moving to important projects on the ground, from schools to police stations to hospitals to libraries and transportation systems. We know a lot of work still lies ahead.

We’ve also taken a number of steps under the leadership of President Obama and Secretary Napolitano to aggressively prepare for hurricanes and other natural disasters. By coordinating across all levels of government before a storm strikes, we can not only ensure a more robust federal response, but also give state and local officials access to the resources they need to help keep their community safe. We can’t control when a hurricane or other emergency strikes, but by working together, we can ensure we’re prepared.

We created a web site, Fema.gov/rebuildinglives, to provide updates on these recovery efforts and honor the work of the states, local governments, residents, volunteers and many others over the last five years. Recovering from a disaster the magnitude of Hurricane Katrina requires a team approach, and FEMA is only one part of the team, so this site provides only a snapshot of the overall work being done in the region. Katrina survivors and volunteers from around the country have been and continue to be the biggest contributors to the Gulf Coast’s recovery. Their impact simply cannot be measured, neither can the inspiration they have provided to all of us.

Please also take the time to visit Ready.gov to learn the few simple steps your family can take now so you are prepared before the next disaster strikes.

Five Years After Hurricanes Rita and Katrina, USDA Continues to Assist Gulf Residents

Posted by White House

Devastation caused five years ago to the Gulf region by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita remains historic in proportion. It resulted in loss of life, families being displaced, homes and businesses destroyed, and communities left in ruins. In the midst of this great tragedy, USDA Rural Development lent their knowledge and time to assist in the immediate hours following the passing of the storms. It was a new, but critical role of supporting other Federal agencies in swiftly establishing 80 disaster recovery centers; assisting local residents and leaders as they faced unparalleled adversity.

In the early days of the recovery efforts, USDA Rural Development placed 10,343 evacuees in 3,552 available housing units in 45 states, provided over 22,000 families with temporary loan forbearance agreements on their mortgage payments, and received almost 11,000 calls for assistance from affected residents. Over the last five years, USDA Rural Development continued to stand beside Gulf Coast families and communities as they undertook the challenge of rebuilding their lives and local economies.

Today, we have great pride in how families and communities have regained their sense of dignity and hope, in many cases, because USDA Rural Development was there along the path to recovery. One example is Ms. Samantha Hills, a single mother of two daughters who spent the last five years living with relatives. Employed as a bus driver with St. Charles Parish Schools, and working part-time as manager with Burger King, Ms. Hill has utilized funding provided through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) to buy her own home. She is one of hundreds of Louisiana families that have utilized USDA Rural Development’s single-family housing programs to rebuild their lives. In fact, over the last two years, over 1,100 Louisiana families have been assisted through $165 million in ARRA funds for financing their home.

When we look at the devastation caused by Katrina and Rita, or later with the Mid-West floods, or more recently the Gulf oil spill, we are reminded that both man-made and natural disasters frequently leave families and communities with a great sense of loss and the emotional and financial challenge of rebuilding their homes, businesses and communities. I am proud of the women and men of USDA Rural Development, who rolled up their sleeves to help in this rebuilding effort.

On the Road from Recovery to Revitalization

Posted by White House

Five years ago, one of the most destructive natural disasters in our nation’s history hit the Gulf Coast. When they hit the coasts of Louisiana and Mississippi, Hurricanes Katrina and Rita took thousands of lives, displaced millions of residents, wiped out hundreds of square miles of coastal land, and inflicted major damage to nearly 300,000 homes.

A half-decade later, Gulf Coast residents are still trying to pick up the pieces. Since taking office in January 2009, the Obama Administration has been working hard to ensure residents are given the tools they need to recover from the hurricanes and rebuild their lives and communities. As a result, $2.43 billion in public assistance funds for recovery that had been stalled for years has been obligated since the beginning of the Administration, with President Obama’s Recovery Act providing billions more.

But the Obama Administration is committed to doing things differently in the Gulf – in two fundamental ways. First, we believe that government should stand with the residents of the Gulf Coast, not in their way. That means cutting through the red tape.

Secondly, we are not only helping the Gulf Coast recover from disaster – but working to revitalize the region and build it back better and stronger.

Since becoming HUD Secretary, I have had the privilege and experience of visiting the Gulf Coast region five times to see the challenges and progress for myself. From my first visit with Secretary Napolitano where we announced millions of dollars in funding to stimulate long term recovery, to volunteering with the St. Bernard Project to help rebuild the homes of two elderly families, it has been extremely important to see the progress we are making and the work that still lies ahead firsthand.

As I prepare to make my sixth trip this week on the 5th Anniversary of the storm, I wanted to share with you some of HUD’s accomplishments so far:

• HUD’s work in the Obama Administration began with the Disaster Housing Assistance Program (DHAP). Shortly after President Obama’s inauguration, I discovered that thousands of families who received assistance through DHAP would see that assistance come to an end without having found permanent housing. Together with our partners in the Administration, we extended this assistance for an additional six months -- allowing displaced families more time to transition to self-sufficiency. By partnering with nearly 350 public housing agencies across the country, we were able to provide temporary housing to over 30,000 families displaced from their homes by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Today every DHAP family is accounted for – having already made the transition to permanent housing or well on their way to doing so.
• HUD has also been able to assist displaced Gulf Coast residents through the Homelessness Prevention and Rapid Re-Housing Program (HPRP) under President Obama’s Recovery Act. Under this program, states and communities received grants to help prevent homelessness and provide rapid re-housing assistance to those who are already homeless. Louisiana has received $13.5 billion in funding under HPRP, and Mississippi has received $13.3 billion.
• We have also helped stabilize Gulf Coast communities suffering from foreclosures and abandonment. As part of the 2008 Housing and Economic Recovery Act, Mississippi received nearly $46.3 million under the Neighborhood Stabilization Program (NSP), while Louisiana received $39 million, with an additional $29.7 million competitively awarded to the New Orleans Redevelopment Authority consortium. Indeed, with HUD strongly encouraging local non-profit organizations to help the city target their funds more effectively through technical assistance, Mayor Landrieu has made tremendous progress helping New Orleans cut through the red tape and ensure these funds are helping the neighborhoods that need it most.
• We are also working to rebuild a stronger and more ethical housing authority in New Orleans. I recently appointed a new leadership team to the Housing Authority of New Orleans (HANO), led by David Gilmore. Bringing 40 years of public housing experience, Mr. Gilmore and his team are working to develop new affordable housing in New Orleans, fostering closer relationships with social service providers and expediting assistance to lower income families. At the same time, he is working to ensure that public housing is not only a place for families to find safe, affordable housing but also provides opportunities for those who live there – helping more than 800 New Orleans residents find work.

These accomplishments are just the beginning for a Gulf Coast region still struggling to regain its footing. But as long as we continue to cut through the red tape, listen to the voices of people on the ground and get help to families and neighborhoods that need it most, I have no doubt we will continue to produce results and help the families of the Gulf Coast move from recovery to revitalization.