The crush of Slidell residents that turned out for a presentation Monday night on the city’s latest flood mitigation grant program could be excused if they went home less than totally optimistic. After all, they were told, the amount of money the feds will shake loose for the program remains unknown – and if history is an indicator, it won’t nearly be enough to cover all those who qualify.
“We’ll be lucky, based on past grants, if we get enough for 100 houses,’’ Monica Martin, who oversees the city’s flood grant programs, told the overflow crowd at the Slidell Municipal Auditorium. Scanning the room, she guessed there were 500 people in attendance.
“So, one in five,’’ she said. “It’s very competitive.’’
Nonetheless, Martin, who works for Providence Technical Services, which contracts to run the program for the city, urged all those on hand to give it a try anyway, saying the city will push to get help for as many homeowners as possible.
“We don’t know how much this grant will be,’’ she said.
Joining Martin at the podium were two representatives from the Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness, the state agency through which the federal dollars will flow. The crowd thinned as the trio went through the application process and outlined who is eligible to apply for the city program.
For instance, the city program is only available for city residents, they said. Some people got up and filed out of the room.
And if you don’t have flood insurance on the home – and for at least 180 days prior to the application process – you won’t be eligible, they said. More people got up and left.
The grant programs – one for elevations, which most in the audience said they were interested in; the other for rebuilding – are aimed at structures that have suffered repetitive flood losses in recent years. Depending on the program and the category – “repetitive loss’’ or “severe repetitive loss’’ – the federal grant will pay up to 100 percent of the elevation or rebuilding costs, according to a handout distributed at the meeting.
Slidell Mayor Freddy Drennan said the city depends on the federal money to fund such programs. “The city doesn’t have money in its budget to elevate homes,’’ he said.
And he acknowledged the money coming in the latest round of grants won’t be enough to get to everyone who needs help.
“I hope and pray we can get the mitigation money,’’ he said. “You look around (the room) and see how many homes need to be raised.’’
Drennan also apologized to the audience for the application process, which he acknowledged can be “the most frustrating thing in the world, even in the best-case scenario.’’
Some of that frustration became evident as the night rolled on. The application process opened last Friday and the deadline is Aug. 22. Some of the information that must accompany residents’ applications to Providence includes three bids for the work and an elevation certificate.
Talking with his neighbor outside the auditorium, Raymond Cuccio, who lives in the city’s Olde Towne neighborhood, said he isn’t confident he’ll see much money.
“I’m not even confident I can all they need in one month,’’ Cuccio said. “And I got to work 60 hours a week on top of it.’’
Inside, as Martin answered questions, she agreed that the application process can be a headache.
“I’m sorry,’’ she said. “But I don’t make the rules.’’
The city sent letters to nearly 1,000 homeowners who have houses that might be eligible for this round of grant money. The information packets handed out at the meeting included applications.
Those interested in learning more about the program can call Providence Technical Services at 225-766-7400, or email monicamartin@privdenceeng.com; jenniferperkins@providenceeng.com; or hollyhuff@providenceeng.com.
