Even Less Reason For Katrina "Victims" To Find A Job

MARTINEZ ANNOUNCES HUD & FEMA HOUSING ASSISTANCE EXTENDED 18 MONTHS FOR VICTIMS OF HURRICANES KATRINA AND RITA

April 27, 2007 -

Washington - U.S. Senator Mel Martinez (R-FL) today announced that the victims of hurricanes Katrina and Rita will continue to receive housing assistance for an additional 18 months. Senator Martinez was notified of the joint decision by the Federal Coordinator for Gulf Coast Rebuilding (GCR), the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

"It’s critical that the shelter, health, and safety needs of those who lost their homes continue to be addressed,” said Martinez. “This coordination of assistance will allow a longer transition period for those individuals who need it the most."

Temporary housing assistance programs for Gulf Coast hurricane victims, which were set to expire on August 31, 2007, have been extended by 18 months until March 2009. Federal agencies are working on a new plan and will consult with Congress on the most appropriate structure for transferring management responsibilities from FEMA to HUD.

Beginning March 2008, individuals in temporary housing programs will pay a portion of the cost which will incrementally increase each month thereafter until the program concludes. FEMA will also allow qualified residents to purchase their dwellings at a fair and equitable price. Families and individuals in both the temporary shelter programs will be given complete information, supportive services, resources and ample time to prepare themselves for the end of temporary, subsidized housing."

Not that I want to seem heartless even though I certainly am, just how long DOES it take for someone to recover from a hurricane. And anyone who thinks that the Katrini-ites won't be getting yet another extension after this one is in need of a serious reality check. The worst thing that could have happened to the surrounding areas was for the villains thieves and scoundrels of Louisiana to have been scattered to the 4 winds to inflict mayhem on the health and safety of their neighbors. The second worst thing to happen was putting these creatures on a dole from which they'll never leave.