by David Hammer, WWL-TV. This piece of writing was commissioned by ProPublica’s Local Reporting Network in association with WWL-TV and The Times-Picayune | The Advocate. Subscribe to Dispatches to stay up to date on stories like this one. This is the third part of an examination of how Road Home mishandled the process of restoring Louisiana after the devastation of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita – payouts were lower to those in disadvantaged areas compared to those from affluent neighborhoods. Investigate how the federal government’s recovery plan after Hurricane Katrina disproportionately impacted people in poverty. The evidence shows that reconstructing a property in a financially disadvantaged area may cost way more than its estimated value. Following Hurricane Katrina, the U.S. government deciding to factor home values into restoration grants left many Louisiana property holders disappointed. The reason that the federal government mandated that remains an unsolved puzzle. It had virtually never taken into account home values when determining the amount of assistance to provide after a catastrophe. It is no longer permissible, but there was an exception for Katrina.
Author: Amaury Abreu
