By Annette Walker
New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin has stated on numerous occasions that he wants the federal government to speed up restoration efforts to facilitate the return of the 300,000 persons forced to evacuate the city after Hurricane Katrina in 2005. During President George Bush’s first trip to the Gulf Coast after the hurricane two years ago, he promised programs to help people return and rebuild their homes.
Two years hence, approximately 175,000 people have not been able to return to New Orleans, and evacuees appear to be in a kind of limbo.
Approximately 5,000 families arrived in Colorado immediately after the Gulf Coast storms. They filed for and received disaster relief assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for a time, but the number of families still receiving assistance has decreased dramatically.
"Presently, 280 families in Colorado receive rental assistance," said Derek Jensen, the public information officer for FEMA's regional office. "Some people have returned to the Gulf Coast or have joined their families in other locations.”
Jensen said many who remained in Colorado no longer need FEMA assistance. There are no precise statistics because the agency only keeps data for those who are receiving help.
"When people no longer need our assistance, they do not contact us to say they are leaving the area or that they are employed and remaining here," he said.
Due to their magnitude, the 2005 Gulf Coast storms had unprecedented consequences, one of which is the length of time FEMA has kept programs active for the evacuees. According to Jensen, 18 months is the maximum for disaster assistance, but Gulf Coast assistance has been available for 24 months.
Last year, evacuees were transitioned from group to individual assistance, and were expected to develop a personal recovery plan. A timetable has been set to transition evacuees to self-sufficiency. By March 2009, all Gulf Coast rental assistance will be terminated.
"In November, HUD (Housing and Urban Development) will begin handling disaster housing assistance," said Jensen. "And beginning in March 2008, those receiving assistance will begin contributing to their rent payments.”
"The amount that each family contributes will be determined based upon the particular situation,” he added.
The number of Colorado evacuees who have found employment is not known. However, employment information and counselling has been available since their arrival in September 2005. Representatives of the Workforce Center and other employment information agencies were stationed in the Lowry area, which became the headquarters for evacuee services. Later, Lutheran Family Services, Volunteers of America, Catholic Charities, and other non-profit institutions provided similar employment services. However, federal funding for these organizations’ services will be terminated at the end of September.
"Evacuees will have to use the services of the traditional employment agencies like the Workforce Centers," said George Cummings, the administrative director for domestic relief at Lutheran Family Services. "In addition, when necessary, evacuees will make use of the regular social service agencies.”
Those who require crisis counselling are referred to agencies by the Red Cross Access To Care program.
"Evacuees still come in for counselling," said David Duquette, the former manager of the Katrina program at Aurora Mental Health.
The evacuees’ arrival prompted the emergence of a nongovernmental support network of one-on-one assistance. Beginning at Lowry in October 2005, volunteers were trained to work with the evacuees. Later, churches started organizing teams of “paracletes,” a concept based on a Biblical reference to a person who is “called to the side of" and hence an “advocate.” Last year, there were about 120 paracletes in action.
"We don't hear from some of (the evacuees) much anymore," said Lucille Glenn, a paraclete who works with the Cure d'Ars Parish team. "Others get in touch when they need help, and we are here to assist them.”
Glenn corroborated that some have returned to the Gulf Coast. Cure d'Ars Parish sometimes organizes activities for those who remain in contact.
"Last year at Thanksgiving, we gave turkeys to those who have stayed in touch," she said.
The desire to return to New Orleans and the Gulf Coast remains strong among evacuees.
"Their main goal is to return," said Cummings of Lutheran Family Services. "However, they do have to deal with a different set of emotions because they know that what they knew as home will not look the same.”
The challenge for many evacuees is to balance the passion to return with the need to attain self-sufficiency while they are still away from home.
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