Nov. 30, 2006 - 21:57 MST

FORBID EVERY MAN'S APPEAL

The aftermath of the chaos of Katrina seems to be continuing. An article in this morning's The Rocky Mountain News by Matt Apuzzo of The Associated Press Tells of the continuing hoo-haw, quoted here in full:

FEMA TOLD TO RESUME KATRINA AID

Judge criticizes agency for cutting housing funds

WASHINGTON -- "The Bush administration must resume housing payments for thousands of people displaced by Hurricane Katrina, a federal judge said Wednesday, heaping more criticism on the government's handling of the 2005 disaster."

"U.S. District Judge Richard J. Leon's ruling criticized the Federal Emergency Management Agency for illegally cutting housing funding and subjecting storm victims to a convoluted application process he called "Kafkaesque."

"It is the second court victory for Katrina victims this week. A federal judge in Louisiana said Monday that many homeowners might be entitled to more insurance money for flood damage -- at a likely cost of more than $1 billion to the industry."

"In the Washington case, Leon said FEMA mishandled the transition from a short-term housing program to a longer-term program this spring and summer."

"FEMA, which was criticized in the wake of the storm for responding too slowly, defended itself in a statement released Wednesday night. FEMA said it sent letters outlining the program changes, explaining why some people were inelegible and describing the appeal process."

"Until FEMA explains itself and allows victims to appeal, Leon said the government must keep making housing payments."

"It is unfortunate, if not incredible, that FEMA and its counsel could not devise a sufficient notice system to spare these beleaguered evacuees the added burden of federal litigation to vindicate their constitutional rights," Leon wrote."

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2005, and now it is at the end of 2007 and still the victims of Katrina are between a rock and a hard place. An these are the people who had sufficient proof of property ownership. Many of whom probably had a hard time finding work in the aftermath. And still Katrina is a drag on their lives and their ability to feel anywhere near secure for the future.

It came early to light that insurance companies were trying to use technicalities and double-speak to avoid paying insurance claims, which added to the problems of personal survivability of the flood victims. And the children and disabled relatives who relied on those folks for food,clothing and shelter.

I wonder just how many folks were displaced from the Gulf Coast after Katrina and how many of them managed to get back and resume some sort of a normal life ? I doubt if many were.

Of course it is easy to run a government agency, just FORBID EVERY MAN'S APPEAL . . . . . . . .

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