6 years later, Katrina victims fight FEMA debts

[Guest]

NEW ORLEANS When the Federal Emergency Management Agency mailed out 83,000 debt notices this year to victims of Hurricane Katrina and other 2005 storms, one of the letters showed up in David Bellinger's mailbox. Bellinger, who is blind, needed a friend to read it and break the news that FEMA wants him to pay back more than $3,200 in federal aid he received after Katrina.

"I nearly had a stroke," recalls the 63-year-old, who moved to Atlanta after the storm wrecked his New Orleans home. "I'm totally blind. I subsist entirely on a Social Security disability check. If I have to pay this money back, it would pretty much wipe out all the savings I have.

"Many other Gulf Coast hurricane victims are in the same position, angry and frustrated at the prospect of repaying money they spent years ago as they tried to rebuild their lives. FEMA is seeking to recover more than $385 million it says was improperly paid to victims of hurricanes Katrina, Rita and Wilma. The debts, which average about $4,622 per recipient, represent slightly less than 5 percent of the roughly $8 billion that FEMA distributed after the storms.

At least some of the overpayments were due to FEMA employees' own mistakes, ranging from clerical errors to failing to interview applicants, according to congressional testimony. But the agency says it is required by law to make an effort to recover improper payments, even if the recipient wasn't at fault. Last week, however, Congress approved legislation that would allow FEMA to waive many of the debts. President Barack Obama signed the measure - part of a $1 trillion spending package - into law last Friday.

FEMA spokeswoman Rachel Racusen said the agency is reviewing the law's provisions and developing a plan to implement them. It remains to be seen how many recipients of FEMA money could benefit from the change. Sen. Mary Landrieu, a Louisiana Democrat who sponsored the provision, said disaster victims shouldn't be punished because FEMA was "dysfunctional." "They have significantly improved the process," Landrieu said. "This is very unlikely to happen again." Racusen said the agency has implemented "strong protections" to avoid making improper payments, reducing its error rate from about 14 percent after Katrina to less than 1 percent for more recent disasters. "We have also worked to significantly improve the recoupment process so that it is more understandable and provides due process for both disaster survivors and taxpayers," she said in a statement.

FEMA's collection efforts aren't limited to the 2005 storms. The agency has mailed out more than 6,000 debt letters to survivors of other recent disasters, including floods. Approximately 2,500 recipients, including 930 victims of the 2005 hurricanes, have appealed their debt notices. FEMA says about 30 percent of those appeals successfully erased at least some of the debt. Recipients also can ask for a waiver due to economic hardship or seek to set up a payment plan. "It is important for any individual who has received a recoupment notice to know that these letters are the start of a conversation with FEMA, not the end," Racusen said. This isn't the first time Bellinger has tangled with FEMA over funds he received to pay for renting an apartment in Atlanta. He was a plaintiff in a class-action lawsuit over the agency's decision to end housing subsidies for storm victims and its efforts to recover alleged overpayments.

FEMA later paid more than $2.6 million to settle the claims. That case had also delayed the debt collection process that Bellinger and other storm victims are now facing. Before the settlement, a federal judge in New Orleans ordered FEMA to suspend the effort in 2007 while it drew up new guidelines for the recoupment process. FEMA reinstituted the process earlier this year. "What a way to celebrate Christmas, knowing I've got another FEMA battle on my hands," Bellinger said last week. After Bellinger moved to Atlanta, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development covered some but not all of his rent. He says he relied on FEMA's aid to make up the difference.

FEMA claims he received a duplication of benefits, but Bellinger said the agency is mistaken. "The fault is theirs, not mine, and they have to suffer the consequences," he said. "I submitted everything they required. As far as I know, I did nothing wrong." Lubertha Haskin, a Gulfport, Miss., resident who turned 80 on Dec. 27, received about $8,000 from FEMA to repair some of Katrina's damage to her home and replace belongings. In October, FEMA sent her a debt letter that said her insurer had covered the same costs, a claim Haskin denies. Haskin said she hadn't heard from the agency in five years and never suspected she could have to pay back the money.

"I was knocked for a loop," she said. "I don't have that kind of money. I have a lot of doctor's bills and other bills to pay." Law firms and legal aid groups have volunteered to help Haskin, Bellinger and many others challenge FEMA's recoupment efforts. "It's really unfair that the government waited this long to come after this lady," said Haskin's lawyer, Beau Cole. "They didn't deliberately do it, but the effect is the same." The New Orleans office of Southeast Louisiana Legal Services, which offers free legal aid, has fielded more than 100 calls since September from people who want to challenge their FEMA recoupment letter. Rowena Jones, a lawyer for the group, said she hasn't seen the appeals process yield any "actual results." "Our clients just don't seem to be getting a fair opportunity to contest the notices and get a hearing on it," she said.

The provision signed into law last week allows FEMA to completely waive the debt for somebody who earns less than $90,000 a year if the money was mistakenly awarded due to an error by FEMA. A debt involving fraud cannot be waived. Racusen said FEMA is "committed to applying the law to the fullest extent possible." U.S. Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., said the recoupment process is flawed. Many debt letters have been returned as "undeliverable," meaning some people moved and don't even know they owe money, he said. "Most of these individuals went through a lot of trauma," Thompson said. "For our government to all of a sudden say, 'We made a mistake, you owe us money,' that's not how it should be done."

In a Tuesday, Dec. 20, 2011 photo, Hurricane Katrina victim David Bellinger sits in his apartment, in Atlanta. When the Federal Emergency Management Agency mailed out roughly 83,000 debt notices this year to victims of the destructive 2005 hurricane season, one of the letters showed up in Bellingerís mailbox. Bellinger is blind, so a friend read it and broke the news that FEMA wants him to pay back more than $3,200 in federal aid he received after Hurricane Katrina. In a Tuesday, Dec. 20, 2011 photo, Hurricane Katrina victim David Bellinger is photographed in his apartment, in Atlanta. When the Federal Emergency Management Agency mailed out roughly 83,000 debt notices this year to victims of the destructive 2005 hurricane season, one of the letters showed up in Bellingerís mailbox. Bellinger is blind, so a friend read it and broke the news that FEMA wants him to pay back more than $3,200 in federal aid he received after Hurricane Katrina. In a Tuesday, Dec. 20, 2011 photo, Hurricane Katrina victim David Bellinger stands in his apartment, in Atlanta. When the Federal Emergency Management Agency mailed out roughly 83,000 debt notices this year to victims of the destructive 2005 hurricane season, one of the letters showed up in Bellinger’s mailbox. Bellinger is blind, so a friend read it and broke the news that FEMA wants him to pay back more than $3,200 in federal aid he received after Hurricane Katrina.

http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2011/12/28/2881696/6-years-later-katrina-victims.html

[olger]

CLUMSY..............

[bonnie]

RICHARD

WELL that was interesting for sure

but this is government at its best work

dgrimm60

The communities/states should be the ones to handle a local crisis.The federal government should only be involved in what is impossible for them to handle

[aka]

Goodness Gracious! The old established North American traditional, Christian influenced mind-set was to give without expecting in return to those in need. What an awful letter to receive when one is still dependent on Government assistance for living purposes. Sure, there is a monthly payment plan available but the principle of the matter just shows how financially down and out the Nation really is. The great California earthquake coming will double the amount that FEMA needs to give out for those homeless victims coming because of that near future catastrophe.

And who is going to pay for the clean up of the west coast beaches?

The Japan debris has already arrived.

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...why isn't this YouTube video not taking?

Japan Debris on USA westcoast Click Here

[bonnie]

Goodness Gracious! The old established North American traditional, Christian influenced mind-set was to give without expecting in return to those in need. What an awful letter to receive when one is still dependent on Government assistance for living purposes. Sure, there is a monthly payment plan available but the principle of the matter just shows how financially down and out the Nation really is. The great California earthquake coming will double the amount that FEMA needs to give out for those homeless victims coming because of that near future catastrophe.

And who is going to pay for the clean up of the west coast beaches?

The Japan debris has already arrived.

Anytime the reliance is on federal government this usually happens.Whatever the intent,it is regulation heavy and cumbersome.In addition those doing the distribution are receiving their livelihood from that process,removing the incentive to do so in the most economical, efficient manner.

We were in the path of the tornado of 1965 in MN.It is always referred to as the "longest night" in MN.It seemed that tornados would never quit dropping out of the sky. The instant response and organization of the communities was incredible.The federal government was not involved.It hit Thurs evening,by early Fri morning everything to take charge was in place by ordinary citizens.It hit without warning for most,there wasn't any disaster preparedness.

Looters arrived within a half hour,some actually fighting other looters for items.By Fri morning the National Guard was called out,very politically incorrect today,with orders to shoot looters on sight. No one was shot as that curbed their enthusiasm.

The Red Cross as an organization did provide instant aid for those that had lost everything. Fri morning they were on site.That was limited,unlike Katrina. Very efficient,no cash,a voucher to Target for two changes of clothing for each family member,up to a specified limit.Target in turn took the steps to offer each with a voucher and additional change of clothing.

The local churches/firehall and some private homes opened up their kitchens with three meals a day for over a week for all.There was never a shortage.Distribution centers were opened to handle donations.There weren't any truckloads of clothing molding in trucks as in Katrina, due to inefficient planning.Businesses really came thru.We did not have the warning of Katrina residents.Nor were we given checks from the federal government.

With our neighbors we collected all clothing/bedding we could pick up and each was responsible for the cleaning and then meet to go thru and claim what was ours.

I ended up with 22 loads to take to the laundromat. When I went to the store next door to get the correct change and came back I found a very elderly woman had just started all the machines.She explained she was to old to help in any other way but this she could do as she helped me fold and sort

Some of us had purchased appliances or furniture we were making payments on.The local businesses canceled the balance owing.Giving each of us the ability to replace when our homes were rebuilt,picking up the contract where it was stopped.

When we had rebuilt our home we had everything we needed to furnish it.Some was far more expensive than I would have ever purchased.

Had FEMA been responsible and relied on I don't think the communities would have responded in such a fantastic,organized and efficient manner.

[Guest]

That's amazing Bonnie. Things were so different in 1965. Since then the gov't has become so large and bloated, wasteful, cumbersome, envasive, offensive, and marxist, that it doesn't even look like the same country today.

[bonnie]

That's amazing Bonnie. Things were so different in 1965. Since then the gov't has become so large and bloated, wasteful, cumbersome, envasive, offensive, and marxist, that it doesn't even look like the same country today.

It might sound kind of funny but I don't think anyone knew any better.Never occurred to anyone to sit back and wait for checks from FEMA.

Keep in mind there had never been any disaster preparedness.Within 12 hours everything we needed kicked into high gear and it was done by volunteers.Think of feeding that number of people for that long,three meals a day,without warning.The tornado hit thurs night and breakfast was served by 8:30 Fri morning for all that needed at the firehall and churches

[monty]

Not only is Bonnies experiance amazing but I think it is amazing how a spirit of entitlement has litterly overtaken this country and it's encroachment has hardly been percieved. I think in many ways this is also true for the SDA church structure, I mean from those who make their living from it!

[Guest]

I would agree.

[bonnie]

Not only is Bonnies experiance amazing but I think it is amazing how a spirit of entitlement has litterly overtaken this country and it's encroachment has hardly been percieved. I think in many ways this is also true for the SDA church structure, I mean from those who make their living from it!

I do think it was the lack of the entitlement mentality at that time is what allowed for some pretty amazing acts by very ordinary people.

The scope of what was put into place overnight to deal with a crisis of that magnitude would be hard to achieve today.If the federal government will do it why should you?

[monty]

You are so right. Our founding fathers constructed the Constitution, Bill of Rights ect. to protect the citizens from "big federal government" aka. medieval and feudal models. Where are we headed if we do not care to learn about this and protect this Rebublic through the democratic process? As I examine this it becomes much easier to believe what Bible prophecy says is going to happen.

[bonnie]

You are so right. Our founding fathers constructed the Constitution, Bill of Rights ect. to protect the citizens from "big federal government" aka. medieval and feudal models. Where are we headed if we do not care to learn about this and protect this Rebublic through the democratic process? As I examine this it becomes much easier to believe what Bible prophecy says is going to happen.

There was a tornado in the residential part of Mpls a couple of years ago.It did considerable damage.Massive amounts of trees were uprooted and travel thru there was impossible. Those that had businesses trimming trees and cutting fallen trees came from surrounding towns the next morning to help clear,of course free of charge.

They were turned away because they did not have a business permit for Mpls.Those trying to donate clothing and furniture were denied as there weren't the proper permits for distribution centers. Volunteers that opened the churches to provide meals were stopped because they did not have a permit for a "soup kitchen"

The victims were blocked by regulations from doing what needed to be done and yet ironically FEMA turned down a request for federal aid.