Class Action Filed Against FEMA re: Katrina

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — More than a dozen Hurricane Katrina victims from Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama filed a lawsuit Thursday accusing the federal government of wrongfully denying them temporary housing assistance. Attorneys said this is probably the first of a string of suits to be filed against the Federal Emergency Management Agency and other government agencies.

"FEMA has fallen so far from the mark of what they were supposed to do. There's no excuse," said Howard Godnick, an attorney for the plaintiffs.

The lawsuit, which asks for class-action status, seeks to make FEMA immediately provide trailers or other housing alternatives, especially to those still in shelters, and asks that victims with larger families receive more money.

FEMA representatives said they had not seen the lawsuit and could not immediately comment.

Those FEMA representatives can "see" the lawsuit right here. Details here from the AP via USA Today. (via JURIST)

Comments

[JUDY WORK]

I FEEL IT IS WRONG. THE STORM WAS AN ACT OF NATURE, FEMA DID NOT CAUSE THE STORM. IT WAS A BAD BAD THING THAT HAPPENED TO ALL OF THESE PEOPLE BUT BAD BAD THINGS HAPPEN EVERY DAY TO GOOD PEOPLE LIKE MY FAMILY MEMBER GETTING CANCER, INSURANCE WILL NOT PAY EVERYTHING, CANNOT WORK, BILL COLLECTORS CALLING, FILING SUIT AGAINST THEM, LOSING THERE HOUSE , LOSING THEIR CAR, THEM AND THEIR CHILDREN LIVING OUT A ONE ROOM FAMILY MEMBERS BEDROOM BECAUSE THEY HAVE NO WHERE TO GO, THE GOVERMENT WON'T HELP THEM, SHOULD THEY FILE SUIT, IS IT THE INSURANCE'S FALUT THEY WILL NOT PAY EVERYTHING. IS IT FEMA'S FAULT,.WHO THEN,. IT IS NO ONES FAULT , IT IS JUST A BAD BAD THING.. THESE PEOPLE AND ATTORNEYS DONOT NEED TO WASTE TAX PAYERS DOLLERS.

[bill mcneese]

give me a break

if it wasn't the fact that the late Mr. Brown was sitting down in a nice restaurant while people had been dying in the dome ( which by the way was like 1 hr away from new orleans) while he repeatedly was told of the on site situation via his phone of how dire the situation was an then turned it off because of the repeated msg's from his representive, or the fact that the primary job of fema is to make sure communications of both government an locals cowardinate (which didn't happen for 3 days even though he is part of the emergency prepared system),or the fact we who lived it have been directed into situations via red cross an fema leaders that is no help at all with the promise to be fast an helping (but only to leave us all in comprimising positions).or maybe we are all just crazy from the sitting on the phone for hours hoping that some person on the fema end will actually here our plea an help (or maybe just pick up the phone)

i say to anyone who has a family that has found there self in a position like this look your kid in the eye an tell him or her that's just the way it is the government makes promises to help an they lie but you can believe everything else. as they take 18% or more of your annual income for the rest of your life. BS that's what starts revolutions just ask the french ,...... an you eat the cake i want what i have been promised for the last 2 + months. I wonder if the person who wrote the last post even opened his door or heart to the 1 million plus people who are out on the streets in the miss, la, and al areas.

did we not learn from 911 an what's difference hereif a terrorist did it we have pity an if a act of nature does it, it just happens,...5000+ people involved with 911, 1 million + KatrinaI don't understand,... what's wrong with this picture.

200 billion dollars divided between 1 million comes up to about 200,000 per person i would be really happy with just a tenth of that,... but why give me or any other person a dime when the politicians can steal it all,... I mean isn't it our money the people's just for that time when we needed it most. I mean im a vet my father was vet,... an im sure many other family's have supported the constitution of this great country.

hey but what do i know im just living it

William

[C. Hall]

www.femacomplaints.com

Please review my website below which I created for those who have frustrations and complaints concerning FEMA.

My 80 yr. old mother has still not received anything from FEMA. I received $2,000 but last week received a letter saying I will have to return the sum, as I had already applied for my mother. Each of us live in a duplex owned by my mother. I pay her rent and have a different address.

My ex-wife just now received a FEMA trailer. Her house and my 36-yr. old handicap daughter's apt. were unlivable. The have been living with friends in a small 3- bedroom house.

I am a New Orleans musician. I was laid off as my office was flooded and has to gutted. Now, I have no medical, no gigs and no job. I do have my house and thankfully, by guitars.

I would look forward to an interview. People forget quickly. Katrina survivors must keep our story alive.

Thanks for you consideration.

Richard Rowley



www.femacomplaints.com











http://geocities.com/rrowley10/

[inuma]

Yes, I definitely agree the shiftless, indolent underclass vermin of New Orleans are unfit to breathe the air of this great nation. May they all OD and rot in hell.

inuma

[From New Orleans]

The Katrina hurricane was worst than if Bin Ladin put 100 planes in New York and DC. This a very poor act that FEMA and the rest of the goverement have been to react so slow. It was like a nuke hit the city of New Orleans, and do not forget about AL, and MS. They were hard hit as well. This is the last time I hope to see this from FEMA. This hurricane season's will only get worst and this was the main test they ever had, they failed. They will not get another chance to mess up. They will be replaced the next time, we will make sure of this if we have to remove every single personal from there as well as anyone in DC that will not join to change the system.

[Paige Borde]

I am a registered evacuee from Hurricane Katrina. I still have presently received absolutely NO assistance (financial or otherwise) from FEMA. Please contact me for the details on how they have abused my application and rights. Please contact me with any and all Class Action suits against FEMA. I also contracted Hepatitis C from going back to New Orleans to retrieve my belongings....This i will get to live with for the rest of my life. Thank you for your time, Curio13.EMAIL: JUNKULTURE13@YAHOO.COM.933 Jackson AveNew Orleans, La. 70130.

[david destin]

I am a katrina refugee lostin austin. On sept. 28 I had a great job, a place to live and a great life. on Oct. 5th I had a t-shirt, shorts, and a fractured ankle.All my possesions were destroyed, including priceless artwork + heirlooms. After the hellish evac, i found myself in austin with $2000 and provided with a roach infested apartment overlooking a busy highway surrounded by crackheads.FEMA has made every attempt to acquire assistance an incredible ordeal and has yet to even recognize the fact that i lived at my former address. I am beyond disgust with FEMA and it has become obvious that the only way this corrupt and inept agency is going to provide ANYTHING i need to make it is to force the issue.I am seriously considering defection to Canada, at least the care about their citizens.

[LATRICIA HALL]

I AM A NEW ORLEANIAN WHO WAS ALSO DISPLACED BY HURRICANE KATRINA. I FILED A CLAIM WITH FEMA FOR MY LOSSES AND ALSO HOUSING ASSISTANCE AND TO THIS DATE I HAVE RECEIVED NOTHING FROM THEM, NOT ONE RED CENT. I HAVE THREE SONS AND WE HAVE BEEN LIVING FROM PILLOW TO POST SINCE LEAVING THE KELLY USA SHELTER IN SAN ANTONIO TEXAS, ALL BECAUSE FEMA HAS PROVIDED US NO FINANCIAL HELP OR HOUSING ASSISTANCE. BEFORE THE HURRICANE STRUCK NEW ORLEANS, I WAS LIVING WITH A ROOMMATE, MY ROOMMATE HAS SINCE CONTACTED MY FAMILY TO FIND OUT MY WHEREABOUTS AND TO SEE IF I WAS OKAY. SHE HAS RECEIVED NUMEROUS AMOUNTS OF ASSISTANCE FROM FEMA, BUT BECAUSE WE SHARED THE SAME ADDRESS I HAVE BEEN TOLD BY SEVERAL FEMA OPERATORS THAT ME AND MY CHILDREN ARE NOT ELIGIBLE TO RECEIVE ANY HELP BECAUSE OF A DUPLICATE STATUS OF RESIDENCE WITH MY ROOMMATE. I FEEL THAT THIS DECISION IS UNFAIR BECAUSE WHEN I MOVED IN WITH THIS PERSON, I HAD MY OWN POSSESSIONS AND MY CHILDRENS, AND ALSO ACQUIRED MORE WHILE LIVING THERE, SO I FEEL I SHOULD BE COMPENSATED FOR MY LOSSES. NOT ONLY DID I LOSE MY HOME, I LOST MY JOB, MY CLOTHING, AND MANY OTHER THINGS THAT CANNOT BE REPLACED. I HAVE READ ABOUT THE CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT AGAINST FEMA AND I FEEL THAT I AM ENTITLED TO THE ASSISTANCE BEING PROVIDED LIKE EVERYONE ELSE. I FEEL IT IS A SHAME BEFORE GOD TO DO PEOPLE THIS WAY, I MEAN HAVEN'T WE GONE THROUGH ENOUGH?? I HAVE EVEN WENT AS FAR AS APPEALING THE DECISIONS MADE ON MY CLAIM JUST TO BE TOLD THAT FEMA HAS "CLOSED" MY CASE AFTER ALL THIS TIME I'VE WASTED. FEMA MUST TRAIN THEIR WORKERS TO LIE TO VICTIMS IN THEIR ORIENTATION, BECAUSE THAT IS ALL I HAVE RECEIVED FROM THEM SINCE DAY ONE ARE "LIES". I WOULD LIKE SOME INFORMATION ON JOINING THE CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT AGAINST FEMA, SO THAT I TOO MAY MOVE FORWARD REBUILDING MY LIFE.

[Navarre]

Yes, I am a Hurricane survivor and yes, I know that there are a lot of people "only" in the united states who do not care one way or another about what happened to us. But it does not matter to me, because for the un-concerned black people you do know of "GOD" and you also know how he works, everyone will get their turn. To the "evil" white un-concerned, you do not matter because I found out a while back that you are not a creation you are a mutation, so I know that you hate "GOD" so please I beg you, never have any love for me. God is up high, "Looking and Booking

[Ahisha Jones]

I am also a Katrina evacuee from New Orleans, who was displaced from my grandmother, and sent to El Paso, Texas. My grandmother was never evacuated because she was in the hospital at the time of the storm. While in El Paso, Texas, I was given an apartment, and told that I would be able to live there for 12 to 18 months. On January 18, 2006, I received a letter from the city of El Paso stating that the interm program that I was living in, would end on February 28, 2006, and that each individual living in interm housing would be transitioned from interm to individual assistance. That's when I faxed in all of my information to Fema stating that this program would soon end, and that I needed rental assistance, only to find out today, that I was denied. Why? I don't know, because after speaking with a representative, she couldn't even tell me while I was denied. To anyone reading this, if you have any information on the class action lawsuit and how to file one it would be good if you give people like me and millions of others some information. And to the millions of people who lost everything, but got nothing remember that God is always there, he sees everything, and in the end he will take care of us all.

[J. Kelly]

I am also a hurricane evacuee from New Orleans. I lost everything I own, my home, my job, school, friends who have died as a result. LET'S FACE IT--If this had happened in a lily-white East Coast community, we would not be hearing any of these horror stories. There would have been a massive rescue effort waiting in the wings. as we see in place before every approaching hurricane to Florida (oh yeah, I forgot, it's a Bush owned state--they're more important)Since living in limbo away from my home, I have been subjected to every kind of humiliation possible. I've been bombarded by "Christians" who refer to our city as "Sin City", and have been told that it serves us right...???!! I clearly see now what kind of bigots, racists, and hypocrites dwell in our country, hiding behind their "religion" to express hatred towards people who look different than they do. (And I don't want to hear any nasty comments from ignorant racist white people--because I AM WHITE--Although it may make your brain explode--lots of white and black people actually managed to get along, live in a community together, and even be friends!!--but maybe that's why you think we all deserved to drown, huh?)Between the government betrayal, and the disgusting racists--I want to leave the United States. I don't know if I'll ever recover from the bitterness this has produced in my heart.The "Let Them Eat Cake" attitude will not stand!! Have these idiots in the government forgotton that we are AMERICAN CITIZENS?? That we pay TAXES (not counting the outrageous Orleans Parish 9%+ tax)??? Oh, well maybe they think portaying us as a bunch of welfare cases, prostitutes, and lowlifes will convince the rest of the country to turn the other cheek to this gross injustice---But, I say--Don't let them forget!! Make noise--make a scene--put signs in your yard--Whatever you can! Those accountable MUST BE HELD RESPONSIBLE!That is all. Thank you.