Questions for Congressman Graves Live Facebook event 12-5-2019

Transparency / 12-5-2019 / File # 179

Question 1:

Where is the OCD-DRU getting all the money to promote it's CDBG-MIT programs that will be funded next year Feb. 2020?
In the new Contracts I see not only has the OCD-DRU taking $10 million from 2016 flood victims we are also paying $1.3 million to the coastal restoration groups, IEM Inc. increased by $45 million and the Public Outreach people went from $760,000 to $1 million.
Why do the 2016 flood victims have to pay for the Mitigation meetings the state is producing for next years Louisiana Watershed Initiative?
Unless you can tell me the $1.3 million for "Watershed Council support services. Expand contract from Phase I to Phase II floodplain planning services" is going to keep my Denham Springs home from flooding again.
Question 2:
Is the Restore Louisiana Homeowners Program managing the ReBuild NC HUD CDBG-DR grant program?

I want to know why IEM and Emergent Method is using our state resources to conducted contract business for the State of North Carolina ReBuild NC ?

They email using our resources and have meetings scheduled from our networks. If we pay $353 million to IEM and $1 million to Nick Spryrer I would like someone from this state to tell them to setup offices in North Carolina and conduct their business from North Carolina and not our networks here in Louisiana.
Question 3:

Why are we paying out of the 2016 flood allocations a company called Fugro to assist our ?Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority $2,312,117 ($2.3 million) for the ?La Watershed Initiative Services that is 100% FUNDED by Public Law 115-123?

First it was $10 million then $8 million more, $2.5 million more, $1 million more.

At this rate everyone with an SBA loan that earns more than 120% AMI will get ZERO. We are -$172 million if we want to help the SBA loan issue DRRA Stafford Act Amendment that you work so hard for in Public Law 115-254 Section 1210. Why are we paying millions to Forbes from the 2016 CDBG-DR allocations when the CDBG-MIT allocations are $1.2 BILLION and ready next month?

Do you realize the state is going to spend this money faster than our 2016 storms money and even less will be used to actually help with drainage.
Question 4
Who in the State of Louisiana is responsible for oversight of government waste and misconduct in Federally funded programs such as CDBG-DR and CDBG-MIT?
Obligated Grants
Applicants: 15,252 for a total $585,283,602.35
LMI applicants: 7,666 for $321,706,599.31 (55.0%)
Urgent Need applicants: 7,586 for $263,577,003.04 (45.0%)

How can the state publish numbers showing "Obligated Grants" match perfectly to HUD requirements of 55% / 45% when Obligated grants change based on applicant stages on any given day of the week?
I have seen two pipeline reports that were padded by 6% to match HUD requirements of 55% before monies were spent on other programs.
1. July 13, 2018 ($10 million and $110 million)
2. Feb. 9, 2019 ($172 million)

In both cases pipeline reports which are the numbers used to send to HUD showed a change from monthly average of 0.5% to 6% to meet the 55% LMI requirement before the state moved money to other programs.


Question 5
Why are notices for termination and the rescinding of grants 30 days while the state takes 12 to 18 months to determine you are eligible for a grant?
Dear Homeowner,
You are receiving this notification because you have not closed on your grant award offered by Restore Louisiana.

Please note that you MUST execute your grant agreement by Friday, January 15, 2020 or the grant offered will be rescinded and you will no longer be able to participate in the Restore Louisiana Homeowner Assistance Program.

Please reach out to your assigned Case Manager as soon as possible to schedule your closing by calling 866-735-2001 between 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Sincerely,

The Restore Louisiana Homeowner Assistance Restore La Program Info Exchange

How does Restore Louisiana Homeowners Assistance say Merry Christmas?
Question 6,7,8,9
Background: HUD Guidance June 20, 2019 states that SBA checks are to be dual payee checks which are sent first to the homeowner for their signature then to the SBA for their endorsement. Any overages are to be sent back to the homeowner.

During a meeting in October 2019 between HUD, SBA and the OCD-DRU directors and managers it was discussed it would be better to issue a single payee check directly to the SBA. Management is then asking the SBA to send to the disaster victim any overages from the check.


How will the homeowner be notified when the check is sent?

How will the homeowner be shown the breakdown of the money paid to the SBA? Will it say, SBA Loan, Reimbursements, Repairs?

What office and what department will take our calls and emails asking about the status of our checks and our possible reimbursements?

Has your office been informed of this discussion and were you invited to the conference call with the SBA, HUD and OCD-DRU?
Question 9
Is there or is there any anticipation for a solution for those who are >120 AMI and due to DOB are granted zero reward?
more to come...

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