By Monique Roth
L’Observateur

LAPLACE — The State of Louisiana is accepting public comments through Tuesday on a plan to allocate $19.3 million to St. John the Baptist Parish for the creation of five housing programs in response to Hurricane Isaac.

“Implementation of these housing programs is critical to fulfill the recovery in St. John the Baptist Parish,” Parish President Natalie Robottom said. “We are excited that funding will be available to our residents to assist in restoring their homes and their lives.”

Citizens, community leaders and elected officials can access the plan, named Isaac Partial Action Plan 4, and submit comments online by visiting doa.louisiana.gov/cdbg/DR/IC_ActionPlans.htm and opening, “Isaac Partial Action Plan 4.” A copy of the plan can be requested by calling 225-219-9600.

Comments can also be emailed to ocd@la.gov or faxed to the attention of Janice Lovett at 225-219-9605.

The formal public comment period for the plan runs until 5 p.m. Tuesday. After accepting public comments, the state will submit the plan to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development for final federal approval.

The extensive damage St. John Parish experienced to its housing stock in 2012 as a result of Isaac affected homeowners and renters, with nearly 6,000 homes impacted and $61.9 million worth of damage levied.

Through a grant from the Community Development Block Grant Program, five programs are proposed to address a myriad of housing needs within St. John Parish.

The first, a homeowner rehabilitation program, will provide $11,549,820 to parish homeowners to help rehabilitate, reconstruct and elevate their homes, while a small rental rehabilitation program will provide $3,594,140 to owners of one- to four-unit rental properties to rehabilitate, reconstruct and elevate those properties.

A housing elevation program earmarks $2,500,000 towards a voluntary elevation program for homes located in flood-prone areas, while $350,000 will be used for the demolition and clearance of properties identified by the parish Planning and Zoning Department as uninhabitable, hazardous or otherwise unsafe storm-damaged homes.

The last program, a homebuyer assistance program, will provide $1,306,960 to assist low- to moderate-income residents in becoming new homeowners.

Parish officials will administer the programs, with the state Office of Community Development’s Disaster Recovery Unit and the Louisiana Housing Corporation providing oversight, guidance and technical assistance.