we saw that...

ridiculous hud - flood plain - ngo snafu hurts real people

this is about the most retarded thing we have ever heard of. after katrina the department of housing and urban development changed its criteria for some homeowner citizens to qualify for a community block grant to improve their homes.

it seems that the tards in congress or hud or both now automatically disqualify citizens who live in a "flood plain" from receiving the home improvement grant. although, according to ms. brenda ray with alexandria community development there seems to be a loophole. however, its not realistic either.

at the end of the news cast, kalb promotes rapides station community ministries, as a place to contact for "home repair," however, in order to receive any assistance from them you have to meet hud income requirements and...live outside a flood zone.

rapides station community ministries, inc. is a non-governmental organization (ngo). according to the louisiana state legislature website here it turned in a non-governmental entity funding request of $260,000 this year.

however, piyush's veto message no. 154 says that at page 277, lines 18 through 20:

This amendment provides $100,000 to the Rapides Station Community Ministries, Inc.. This is a Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) funding request which did not meet the criteria established in my letter of April 30, 2008. Therefore, I am vetoing this item. link

apparently, the funding request was reduced to $100k because a search of "rapides station community ministries, inc." in hb1 returns only two instances for rapides station community ministries, inc. the first instance is on the aforementioned lines 18-20 (although on the legislature's website .pdf its on page 285) the second is in piyush's veto message --.pdf page 338). but this isnt the issue.

the issue is, is that it doesnt it make more sense that if you were going to set up an ngo that you would do it in order to help out the people like ms. florine shorter who are disqualified from receiving the hud block grant in the first place?

it would have also been nice if mr. massey would have reported how often over the years, if ever, the flood plain that ms. shorter's home is located in has flooded.

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