Katrina update
- The National Multi Housing Council is continuing to update its Katrina news, most recently with a FEMA request to lease blocks of 10 or more apartment units on renewable-six-month contracts.
- NMHC also reports on apartment industry lobbying for disaster-related regulatory waivers.... A Democratic Congressional proposal for Katrina relief has been circulating online... The Congressional Budget Office has an assessment out on Katrina's effects on both the national economy and the federal budget (PDF file here)... CNN is reporting a bipartisan agreement in Congress to hold hearings on Katrina. Also a likely Bush Admin. request for a further $51.8 billion in disaster funds.
- Today's Federal Register carries a FEMA section with official disaster declaration statements for Louisiana, Florida and Mississippi.
- The HUD Katrina page is unchanged as of this writing but is probably worth continuing to watch.
- The Washington University college paper reports Secretary Jackson said on Saturday: "...we have an agreement with the U.S. Conference of American [sic], the National County Association that on Wednesday I will announce with the Secretary of Homeland Security at the request of President Bush that we have 20,000 units within the 500 mile radius that are willing to take families that want to relocate." So perhaps we'll be hearing more from him later today. (The student interviewer had caustic comments about Saturday's event.)
- FEMA has reportedly ordered 70,000 recreational vehicles of which 2,600 have already arrived in Alabama, there are 8,000 places on cruise ships, and apartments are being lined up variously.
- As to other public emergency contracting, FedBizOpps is displaying this page of Katrina contracting information and is stating, "Due to the immediacy of emergency opportunities, it is unlikely that opportunities dealing with the hurricanes will be advertised through the FedBizOpps system." This article on the issue began attracting much comment on weblogs last night.
- Some news reports like this one are being circulated with a central number for refugees to call ending in "...75," but we were assured yesterday that the correct central phone number for displaced persons with housing inquiries is 1-888-297-8685, which goes to HUD's Oklahoma City National Servicing Center.
[UPDATE: Here's Postal Service information on rerouted mail and address changes.]
[UPDATE: Louisiana officials are reportedly pushing for a special federal housing grant.]
- NMHC also reports on apartment industry lobbying for disaster-related regulatory waivers.... A Democratic Congressional proposal for Katrina relief has been circulating online... The Congressional Budget Office has an assessment out on Katrina's effects on both the national economy and the federal budget (PDF file here)... CNN is reporting a bipartisan agreement in Congress to hold hearings on Katrina. Also a likely Bush Admin. request for a further $51.8 billion in disaster funds.
- Today's Federal Register carries a FEMA section with official disaster declaration statements for Louisiana, Florida and Mississippi.
- The HUD Katrina page is unchanged as of this writing but is probably worth continuing to watch.
- The Washington University college paper reports Secretary Jackson said on Saturday: "...we have an agreement with the U.S. Conference of American [sic], the National County Association that on Wednesday I will announce with the Secretary of Homeland Security at the request of President Bush that we have 20,000 units within the 500 mile radius that are willing to take families that want to relocate." So perhaps we'll be hearing more from him later today. (The student interviewer had caustic comments about Saturday's event.)
- FEMA has reportedly ordered 70,000 recreational vehicles of which 2,600 have already arrived in Alabama, there are 8,000 places on cruise ships, and apartments are being lined up variously.
- As to other public emergency contracting, FedBizOpps is displaying this page of Katrina contracting information and is stating, "Due to the immediacy of emergency opportunities, it is unlikely that opportunities dealing with the hurricanes will be advertised through the FedBizOpps system." This article on the issue began attracting much comment on weblogs last night.
- Some news reports like this one are being circulated with a central number for refugees to call ending in "...75," but we were assured yesterday that the correct central phone number for displaced persons with housing inquiries is 1-888-297-8685, which goes to HUD's Oklahoma City National Servicing Center.
[UPDATE: Here's Postal Service information on rerouted mail and address changes.]
[UPDATE: Louisiana officials are reportedly pushing for a special federal housing grant.]
posted by Martha Bridegam at 11:10 AM
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