Barbara Lee Supports Katrina Housing Recovery Bill
(Washington, DC) – Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-Oakland) submitted the following statement in support of the Gulf Coast Hurricane Housing Recovery Act, a bill designed to help meet the housing needs of families displaced by hurricanes Katrina, Rita and Wilma:
“Mr. Chairman, I rise in strong support of the Gulf Coast Hurricane Housing Recovery Act (H.R. 1227.) This bill is critical in providing affordable housing to low-income families affected by Hurricanes Katrina, Rita and Wilma.
“It is the responsibility of all national governments to prepare, plan and defend its citizens against all known and potential natural and man-made disasters. Such was the case that confronted the Bush administration in August 2005. But because of the Bush administration’s lack of preparation, misplaced priorities and ineptitude, the combination of Hurricanes Katrina, Rita and Wilma severely devastated the Gulf Coast to such a degree that many lives and property were lost and the effects of disrupted lives and businesses are still being felt nearly two years later. Frankly, the response of the administration has been unacceptably slow in the aftermath of the hurricanes and the needs of displaced residents of the Gulf Coast have been left unmet.
“The Gulf Coast Hurricane Housing Recovery Act offers significant relief to the displaced families of the Gulf Coast. Specifically, the bill directs FEMA to be flexible in the application of its funds for the Louisiana Road Home program that provides financial incentives for people to come back and live in the state.
“The bill further directs HUD and the New Orleans Public Housing Authority to engage its human and material resources to preserve the supply of affordable rental housing.
“The bill incorporates an important fair housing enforcement component that makes funds available as may be necessary to qualified private fair housing enforcement organizations to carry out the mandate of section 561 of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1987. That provision authorizes the Secretary of HUD to make grants to these organizations to formulate or carry-out programs to prevent or eliminate discriminatory housing practices, enforce the rights granted under the Civil Rights Act of 1968 or State and local laws that provide rights and remedies for alleged discriminatory housing practices. Education and outreach programs designed to inform the public concerning rights and obligations under the laws referred to by the Civil Rights Act are also allowable expenditures. We are all too familiar, sadly, with the historical exploitation of low-income populations many of whom are members of minority groups in this country. That is why this provision is so important.
“This bill also recognizes the many individuals, groups and communities that offered a helping hand by assisting evacuees in the immediate aftermath of the hurricanes. It is gratifying to know that through this bill we would be fulfilling the nations promise to crucial partners that stepped-up in times of need. This bill replenishes the CDBG funds of localities that were used to provide rental housing assistance to evacuees. It authorizes reimbursements to landlords who participated in the FEMA Section 403 program to provide emergency shelter in response to Hurricane Katrina, Rita or Wilma in-spite of FEMA’s subsequent reneging on its promise to provide reimbursements under this program.
“This is an important piece of legislation that will help put the Gulf Coast back on a path to full recovery. I urge my colleagues to support this bill.”
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