MSNBC: Profits going to VA company on NOLA rebuilding delays
Source: MSNBC
Hold on tight - this is going to blow your minds:
Two-and-a-half years after Hurricane Katrina, tens of thousands of miserable homeowners are still waiting for their government rebuilding checks, and many complain they can’t even get their calls returned. But the company that holds the big contract to distribute the aid is doing quite well for itself.
ICF International of Fairfax, Va., has posted strong profits, gone public, landed additional multimillion-dollar government contracts, and, it was learned this week, secured a potentially big raise recently from the state of Louisiana.
In the waning days of Gov. Kathleen Blanco’s administration, state officials increased the management contract ceiling from $756 million to $914 million — this, after the Legislature wanted to fire ICF over its handling of the homeowner recovery program, called Road Home.
But wait - there's more:
Road Home was created in June 2006 to compensate homeowners for the breach of New Orleans’ government-run levees. The program is funded by the federal government but run by the state of Louisiana. Homeowners can apply for grants to repair their homes, or obtain buyouts if they don’t want to fix things up.
Yet, 56,000 applicants — nearly 40 percent of the qualified total — had yet to receive a cent as of last month. Plagued by cost overruns and delays, Road Home is expected to cost the taxpayers $10 billion in federal money and has become another glaring symbol of frustration and red tape in post-Katrina New Orleans.
Say it with me people: FEDERAL INVESTIGATION! SPECIAL PROSECUTOR! I INDICTMENTS!!
Can I have an "Amen"? Thank you.
