[StBernard] houses deteriorate anyways

Westley Annis westley at da-parish.com
Sat May 20 23:03:34 EDT 2006



Gaby, pardon me for being blunt, but I'm sort of a "test-tube" experiment
that's gone awry.

Here's the concept. The LRA hasn't sent out the money. Thus, any thought of
a home demolition to some is seen as a LAST CASE scenario/last chance/bottom
line IF the LRA route doesn't turn out with additional government funding,
etc. to give people a fresh start and they HAVE to return to these decrepid
neighborhoods by no choice of their own.

We can't take responsibility for how the federal/state governments are
slowly moving their mechanical wheels. Asking folks to put their last few
thousands or FEMA money, savings, whatever into a "house of last
resort/ill-repute" is certainly putting good money after bad. It's much too
risky for po' folk who are struggling to make ends meet at the present. I'll
be willing to bet that none of the law-makers (local, state or federal) are
hurting as badly as we common/working class folk. The well-2-do has moved on
and for that God bless them that they were indeed able/capable of doing so.

Remember 80% of the people are out of town, so it's quite a stuggle and with
limited means, their stuggle is ours as well. Yes, there are critters in the
area. Those who can, certainly should do so. It's unfortunate that we were
dealt such a miserable hand on both sides of the "disaster table of gamble",
but we were. The proverbial "bleeding blood out of the turnip" does apply
when one's life has been turned upside down waiting for assistance. Many
don't even have a computer like I do now, but I brought mine with me, so I'm
fortunate and if I can help speak in their behalf, I thank them for the
opportunity to do so.

Gutting may never get done due to some "id***'s" hair-brained idea to use
the "scorch earth" principle with their own "mowing" of sorts--mowing down
citizen's last chances to get help late summer.

Many still have hard swamp mud covering the grass, with trees on top of it
and debris overwhelmed though government's late-to-the-gate to come to our
aid. Now, the want to catch up and hurry us up after 8 months of
non-movement of the trash. Or, they wish to fine us for "sitting on it" when
almost 9 months were sat on ironically.

Consider: Murphy added to the problem in Chalmette. (and infamously
alledged: Torres chewed at the bit in response).

In summary, the parish should WAIT until we have confirmation that we will
be ok - instead of forcing us to abandon OUR decision making process because
in reality, we ALSO have decisions to make and ours, believe me are much
tougher than a parish's decision. Without the people, their decisions are a
moot point!

It should be, that people should be given the right to respond. If they are
awaiting (and countless are) for the Road Home project, then this is
confirmation as to what will be done when the time arrives--whether we will
buyout/mitigate, rebuild or restore the home (*If the latter, we'll have to
deal with the critters at that time).

Extensions should be made to account for the Road Home program. It will make
our decision more palatable because we'll be given counseling as to help us
decide. The local government can't/won't offer this.

And, to close (sorry about the dissertation), remember this: The state will
be giving "RENTERS" from New Orleans, etc. (and minorities) opportunities to
buy St. Bernard's homes boughtout through the program through HUD. It will
be their opportunity to get into the parish away from their New Orleans
destroyed areas and a fresh new life in St. Bernard though homeowners'
low-interest loans. You can bet on it, it will happen. HUD will fix the
homes up to accommodate this project.

Thanks for listening. If all this is bad news/negative, I didn't' invent the
word. I just report what could be considered "da future". God bless.

--jer--


-----------------------------------------------------
Why all the hubbub? If a house is still full of gunk, mold, mud, it will NOT
just stay that way but get worse. We see more and more of those abandoned
houses caving in, overgrown. The longer one waits, the less one has to
salvage. So the deadline is quite reasonalbe, I tthink. If you want ANY
chance of salvaging a house, it ought to have something done by now, at
least a show that it is tried, name on a list, what in the world are people
waiting for? There IS not magic payment and group of government sponsored
people suddenly fixing the house in a day or two, neither before nor after
August 29. We are feverishly working on ours, and it is nothing quick. In
the meantime, snakes keep crawling out of the neighbors yard high grass (yes
it has a for sale sign, no, no one even looks at it, it stinks with rotten
food and the pool swarms with mosquitoes.) Not afraid to sign my name
either. It is someone's property, and owners should be held responsible at
least to get it and keep it clean. (I can understand not wanting to buy
windows etc, but clean it up, please).

Gaby





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