Evacuees Sue To Extend Hotel Plan
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Saturday, December 10, 2005
HOUMA, La., Dec. 9 -- Lawyers for Hurricane Katrina evacuees still staying in hotels urged a judge Friday to keep the program going beyond next month's deadline, saying federal officials may fail to find replacement housing for people still in desperate need.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency wants to end the program Jan. 7 in the 10 states with the most evacuees and by Dec. 15 elsewhere.
Evacuees' attorneys want a temporary order extending the hotel program, which has cost $350 million so far and housed 85,000 families at its peak. They say that FEMA has failed to provide aid to many who qualify and that information on aid has been slow to reach those who need it most.
FEMA says people who are properly registered and are eligible for aid will have the assistance they need to move to other temporary housing. As of midweek, 41,000 hotel rooms were occupied under the hotel program, FEMA spokeswoman Nicol Andrews said Thursday.
Government lawyers say the lawsuit should be dismissed under laws that protect government agencies from liability in the performance of their duties.
The judge is expected to rule early next week.
