RebKell's Junkie Boards

[sambista]

By ERIC LIPTON
Published: November 16, 2005
JACKSON, Miss., Nov. 15 - The Federal Emergency Management Agency moved Tuesday to nudge victims of Hurricane Katrina toward self-sufficiency, announcing that it would cut off financing for most of the 60,000 families in government-paid hotel and motel rooms by the end of this month.

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But Representative Barney Frank of Massachusetts, the ranking Democrat on a House panel that oversees housing issues related to the hurricane, said FEMA was not giving the families enough warning.

"Two weeks' notice is outrageous," Mr. Frank said. "These are not people who can easily find alternative accommodations."

The agency has also notified state and local governments that it plans to end financing on March 1 for a program, set up in about two dozen cities, through which apartments have been rented on behalf of storm victims. Houston alone has issued 39,500 vouchers for evacuee families, costing the federal government more than $100 million.

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/11/16/national/nationalspecial/16contracts.html

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[4ever_bball_fan]

To add a bit of information about "where" some of the evacuees have been staying, it's not as if they have been holed up in a Motel 6 or Red Roof Inn (like I tend to do when I travel)...some of them have been in the luxury downtown Houston hotels, averaging near $200 a night, and more. While my group was in trial last month, we had issues trying to get experts and client witnesses a place to stay in the downtown area...and that was one or two people at a time. I would hate to have had a convention full of folks to try and get in and out.

I also thought the rent voucher program was being extended for a 12 month duration...like the terms of a one year lease...but, that might have just been something discussed.

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The competitor with the will to win also has the will to work. John Wooden.

[sambista]

well, let's not give the impression that all the evacuees are staying in luxury hotels. anyone who has been watching tv news has seen those rooms, and they're not luxury. that's not to say some didn't "luck out," if you want to call it that. there was even a story not too long ago about some hotel chains encouraging evacuees to leave, and it mentioned hampton inn, comfort inn, clarion, quality and sleep inns.

here's a snippet of another story:
"Of Accor North America's 99 Motel 6 and Studio 6 properties in Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana and parts of Alabama, about 10,000 evacuees have become tenants, representing about 30 percent of guests.

It's a difficult situation for evacuees and operators.

Most hotels weren't built for long stays. Many, like Motel 6, don't offer any kind of food service or even refrigerators in the room. "

_________________
no justice, no peace.