Bayou La Batre gets $15.6 million for federal housing program
WASHINGTON, D.C. Friday, July 27, 2007-- U.S. Sen. Richard Shelby (R-Ala.) today announced that the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) will release $15,667,293 to the City of Bayou La Batre to support the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Alternative Housing Pilot Program (AHPP), which will identify and evaluate alternative forms of FEMA Disaster Housing to assist victims of the 2005 hurricanes along the Gulf Coast.
The program will also identify how FEMA can better serve the housing needs of victims in the wake of future catastrophic events. FEMA will evaluate its response during the 2005 hurricane season and apply lessons learned as it prepares for future storms.
“The 2005 hurricane season left entire communities devastated,” said Shelby. “People’s lives were shattered, families were broken apart and homes were destroyed. It is critical that we, as a nation, look back and learn so that we are better prepared for future disasters and continue to provide assistance to victims who are still in need.”
The Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act for Defense, the Global War on Terror, and Hurricane Recovery, 2006 (P.L. 109-234) included $400 million to support an AHHP for Gulf Coast states affected by the 2005 hurricane season.
The states eligible for the pilot program include Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas.
