Call for public comment: Mississippi PHASE II GRANTS for Katrina survivors (by 12/8)

[intheflow]

CALL FOR PUBLIC COMMENT
Mississippi’s Phase II Grant Program Guidelines

Who qualifies for the grant?
A homeowner who
• suffered hurricane flood surge damage
• to their primary home (not second homes or rentals)
• located inside or outside the federal 100 year flood zone
• with or without insurance on the home
• a 2006 household income at or below 120% of Area Median Income (about $63,300 for a family of 4).

What conditions must the homeowner accept in exchange for the grant?
• a covenant on their property that establishes building code,
• homeowner insurance,
• elevation requirements for them or any future owner of the land, and
• remain at that site for 3 years or relocate in the lower 6 counties
• use grant to repay SBA loan intended for use.

How much is the grant?
• up to $50,000 to pay 70% of the cost to repair or rebuild the structure
• plus up to $30,000 to help rebuild to elevation requirements
• plus up to $25,000 for a “special needs” homeowner who
• is 65 years old or more
• has a physical or mental disability
• has 2006 household income below 60% of Area Median Income (about $28,000 for a family of 4).
• The MDA is also developing a loan program to help people finance the gap between the grant and the cost to rebuild.

What are the problems?

The plan has some really good parts, like that it targets our most vulnerable neighbors – the poorest families, our elderly and our disabled - but there are also some serious problems, including:

• No grants for homeowners with wind damage.
  
• The $50,000 cap is low – only a third of what was available for people in Phase 1. On top of that, there is a 30% penalty subtracted from the needed amount to rebuild. People may not be able to afford to rebuild if the leftover costs mean they have to take out a big mortgage and then pay for high insurance costs.

Submit Your Phase II Comments to:

MDA, Post Office Box 849, Jackson, MS 39205 or send via facsimile to [phone], or online to [e-mail].

Comments must be received no later than December 8, 2006.

Please include your name and full address.

Please note if you want Phase II to include wind damaged homeowners and/or an increased cap to $100,000, and any of your own comments or recommendations.

[Tellurian]

1. Hi ITF..

As much as it pains me to say it:

This proposal seems to be another esoteric exercise of false hope.
When today, the latest news reports provide that FEMA is scheduled to appeal
the latest court ruling.

For those who qualify they may feel covered and more relaxed about the guidelines,
but false hope is false hope, and is geared to soothing the masses ultimately thwarting public outcry.

This is nothing more than a divide and conquer strategy. Divide the victims affected to the have and the have nots.
When in effect there shouldn't be any discriminatory guidelines in the first place.

Sorry, ITF- I'm not buying in to their neverending stalling tactics..

Maybe a March on Washington and a sitin would be more effective.
Dang winter!

[intheflow]

2. This is not FEMA related.

This is specific to Mississippi, and came to me from the group that's been in negotiations with the Governor's office. This proposal from the Governor's office is waaaaaaay better than wht they had been offering initially for Phase II, and it's better because this fair housing task force has been meeting with them.

If nothing else, getting a slwe of public comments on this puts those comments on the public record, much like testimony before congress on election fraud puts the public's comments in the public record.

[Tellurian]

3. Here is the latest on FEMA Katrina aid..disgusting!

Audit says FEMA squandering Katrina aid:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20061206/ap_on_go_ot/katrina_fraud

Regarding your last post..

Please write something up. I wouldn't know where to start. And I will submit under my name..

thanks, ITF