[FoCHAT] CHATNews: CHAT Survey Responses; Reminders Elevn. Grts. & Copies of Your Files

Sun Aug 16 22:27:08 CDT 2009

 Aug. 17, 2009
Dear Friend of CHAT.

v    To read for the complete responses to CHAT’s third survey of Road Home (RH) applicants, click here 

or go to the top of our website http://chatushome.com 

v  The survey has been made anonymous for the public but all these respondents supplied contact information

v  CHAT has more than 1550 responses to our online surveys 

This release of CHAT responses to our survey (made anonymous) is our first public release of responses.

Some survey comments from this week follow. These are not included at our website posting which has only the responses for only our third survey through mid May.
Some of the responses to our survey from this week:
Applicant #1: After applying for the elevation grant, road home changed my values to reduce my grant amounts. No one can explain why this happened or authorized these changes. Two years after closing, my award was reduced. They told me nothing, no one answers or returns phone calls. All I know is that my file is under review because they changed my figures and reduced the amounts by 60k I applied in April 2008 and have not gotten a clear anser since.
CHAT comment:  We have heard that service with HGI has many of the same inexcusable problems as from ICF International. Applicants educated themselves as much as possible or get help of a friend using the CHAT web site (chatushome.com) and the Road Home website (road2la.org) and insist on their rights, although their rights might still not be honored. You can ask for a copy of your file. You can ask for re-review if your rights have been violated but they may not grant this. See our website (chatushome.com about  contacting LRA through or  Email info at louisianarecoveryauthority.org with "Road Home Appeal" in the subject line or mail a letter to the Louisiana Recovery Authority, ATTN: Ty Larkins, 150 Third Street,Suite 200, Baton Rouge, LA, 70801  (CHAT recommends certified mail}

Applicant #2: When I was told I was eligible, I got a estimated cost of the evaluation. The price was high and I knew that I was not going to be able to afford it at the time of construction. So, I turn down the grant because the grant was 30,000 and the cost was 69,000. The Road Home Official told me that they didn't know when the money would come in.
CHAT comment: This is someone who has not been advised about the HMGP elevation grant money. That money has been extremely slow to be delivered and insufficiently publicized and explained. 
If you have not applied for it and want to know if you still can or want information about it, you can try to contact 
   1-877-744-7235 or 1-225-339-3746 or hazardmitigation at la.gov
Ø  Save all building plans, permits, dated photos, invoices, receipts, and other proof of payment of costs to be reimbursed by an HMGP elevation grant, if you are eligible

Applicant #3. My Road Home worker first told me I would probably get a little more than $42K but today she called me and told me RH cannot accept our appraisal because it is more than 20% more than their appraisal. So now we have to request a new road home appraisal. She said that is our only option if we want a chance at any money at all. It will be strictly up to the new appraiser as to whether we get any money at all. That seems unfair. I have no chance to dispute this new appraisal? Are they immune from suit?
CHAT Comment: One court ruling is that Road Home is not immune and another is that Road Home is. This is going to appeals court. CHAT has obtained information from LRA by public records requests showing that it was NOT due to HUD that this arbitrary 20% rule was made. More on this in future newsletters and the CHAT blog http://www.chatushome.com/blog/?p=55#comments
In addition, see our website, http://chatushome.com HUD’s Rule of Maximum Feasible Deference: LRA and OCD explanations are contradicted.
Applicant #4. Section 15.1 of The Road Home Policy states that If no PSA is available a 2055 appraisal will be ordered and is no 2055 appraisal is available a brokers price opinion will be ordered and if no BPO is available an NADA valuation will be ordered. The NADA was used to value my manufactured home on leased land. I strongly feel that the language requires Road Home to go through the heirarchy (2055, BPO, Then NADA), Road Home and LRA both feel that they were not required to go through the heirarchy and just chose to use the NADA. I cant find any language in the policy that would allow them to do so. The NADA puts a valuation of about half of the real value, typically the NADA is used to value a manufactured home that is being repossessed and is no longer permanently placed on property. It is not fair for my property to be treated like a used car.
Road Home is not following their own policies and is operating on some unknown rules as they make them up
CHAT Comment: Yes. We have proof that this is true in other aspects of policy too.
Applicant #5. I had recently become separated but had an active application Called multiple times only to be told I could not schedule an appointment even though I called prior to the December 15, 2007 deadline. I asked if I could schedule an appointment without my husband? Finding out now, my rights were violated and that as owner-occupant I should have been allowed to make that appointment.
CHAT Comment: We have unfortunately heard this kind of comment from other applicants too who were separated from their spouses.

New Posting at Road Home Website:
To get a copy of your file, which Road Home finally agrees is your legal right:
http://road2la.org/Docs/policies/req_copy_file_06092009.pdf
All applicants with unresolved problems might be helped with a COMPLETE copy of your file. Ask that they include the JIRA file with phone calls and other possibly important information.

The Latest Filming of a CHAT Meeting Aired For Two Months on Public Access TV 
  Wed., June 10, Noon-1:30 PM; Fri., June 12, Noon-1;30 PM; Sun., June 14, 10:00-11:30; Mon., June 15, 8:00-10:00; Thurs., June 18, 8:00-10:30; Sat., June 20, 11:00-1:00;  Mon., June 22, 12 - 2 PM; Fri., June 26, 8-10 AM; Wed., July 1, 3 PM; Thurs. July2, 2:30 PM; Fri., July 3, 3 PM; Sun., July 5, 9 AM; Mon., July 6, noon; Tues., July 7, 1:30 PM; Wed., July 8, noon; Mon., July 13, 4 PM; Wed., July 15, 3 PM; Thurs., July 16, 3:30 PM; Mon., July 20, 3 PM; Mon., July 27, 3:30 PM;  Wed., Aug. 5, 3 PM; Fri., Aug.7, 8 AM and 2:30 PM; Mon., Aug. 10, 3 PM; Wed., Aug. 12, 3 PM; Fri., Aug. 14, 12:30 PM;  Tues., Aug. 19, 4:30 PM; Fri., Aug. 22, 2 PM; Sat., Aug. 23, 10:30 AM

Best wishes,
Melanie Ehrlich
Founder, Citizens’ Road Home Action Team (CHAT)
Member, LRA Housing Task Force

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