Disaster Recovery Featured Project

The Providence staff has experience in working directly with homeowners and business owners interested in elevating or floodproofing their structures. Since Hurricane Lili, Providence staff helped the Parish apply for and receive over $32 million in FEMA HMGP funding. With this funding over 250 homes and businesses were either acquired, elevated or floodproofed. Providence staff met with owners, guided them through the process, coordinated with contractors, maintained all necessary FEMA compliance documents and resolved issues as they arose. Work included public meetings, individual homeowner meetings, preparation of checklists and guidance documents, coordination with State and FEMA contacts, and the gathering and maintaining of closeout documentation. Homeowners interested in elevation were guided through the process of seeking qualified bids, selecting a contractor, relocating during elevation, approving contractor payment milestones and reoccupying their elevated home. Business owners desiring floodproofing were guided through the process of seeking a design, obtaining bids, selecting a contractor and approving payment milestones. As a result, when Hurricanes Katrina and Rita showed up in 2005, none of elevated, floodproofed or acquired structures incurred any flood damage, despite the Parish newly incurring an estimated 4000 substantially damaged homes. Since 2005, Providence staff have assisted in obtaining funding and mitigating many of these newly substantially damaged structures.