Check Out Time

I’m torn.  On one hand, I know it must be a horrible experience to be displaced because of Katrina.  On the other hand, I know that living in a hotel on the tax payer dime has got to end at some point.

How much is FEMA’s fault and how much is the recipients fault is probably anyone’s guess and both sides probably are culpable.

But at some point, you have to move on.  I can only imagine the horror of losing everything I own.  However, I can imagine that I would be doing all in my power to right my ship and get sailing again.  If FEMA was jacking me around, I’d be doing what I could to straighten out the problem, but I would not want to stay at government expense one more day than is absolutely necessary.

NEW ORLEANS -- Thousands of Hurricane Katrina evacuees staying in hotels at government expense may be able to extend their stays beyond a Feb. 7 deadline, federal officials said.

As tragic and as devastating as Katrina and Rita were on the people of that region, there comes a time when you have to take a certain amount of responsibility for your own life and family and do what it takes to return to some degree of normalcy.  You may not be able to return to you old life and pick up where you left off, but you can start again. 

Along with FEMA, there are dozens of local, state and non-governmental agencies involved in getting these people back up and productive.

There are exceptions, I’m sure, but I’m thinking many of these folks still hanging on to the government teat are in no hurry to leave and they or some attorney will keep finding a sympathetic judge that will continue to order stays.

VW

Comments

[Terry Turner]

What's tough is that so many of these folks -- while housed on taxpayer money -- have had to pay their mortgages on house they can't live in.

And with the amount of work to be done -- it's hard to line up contractors to make their houses livable again.

Saw a story back before Katrina on temporary housing FEMA set up in Florida after last year's hurricanes.

They had a Wal-Mart manager still living in a temporary trailer with his family.

They'd been completely priced out of the housing market. Developers decided to replace the houses and apartments destroyed with far more expensive ones.

So this guy and his wife -- both worked -- couldn't qualify for the amount of the loan for a new house -- and couldn't find an apartment at all due to the shortage.

He was hoping Wal-Mart would transfer him soon -- or he was going to have to quit his job and start a whole new career -- just to put a roof over his head.