that's all we were looking for, was to keep us viable as a community. government federal must have that type of plan in place to address those major issues initially. mark: anything else you would like to say? doris: just don't forget as. we are old news. there are other things happening in the world that have taken front row in terms of people'sd attention, but this rebuilding process is going to go on 5-10 years from now. asking ourare federal government and people to look at this as an investment in our community. as i have said before, we are not an entitlement community. is help ussking for make an investment in us now as

we get back on our feet. we will pay you back 100 fold. mark: my last question. the federal government, where do you see them in your community now? doris: icn this point, they are at this point see they're beginning to pull out. the process,ith they have a long-term recovery team in place, but most of that support system is being withdrawn. long-term presence, but a long-term smaller presence. [captioning performed by the national captioning institute, which is responsible for its caption content and accuracy. visit ncicap.org] [captions copyright national cable satellite corp. 2015] announcer: thursday, hurricane katrina attend anniversary coverage continues.

joinema administrator environmentalist, journalists and others as they evaluate recovery. norlinpresident obama in -- new orleans to meet with residents. our live coverage begins at 5:00 p.m. here on c-span. coming up next on c-span, november 2005 townhall meeting in norlin's, moderated -- new orleans, moderated i the mayor. -- by the mayor. later, hillary clinton in iowa and william kristol. on the next washington journal, a look at my desk volatility and world stock and commodity markets. then mickey mcintyre and kelly

buckland on physician-assisted suicide laws. we talk about a network's history, funding and mission. c-span.on journal on you can join the conversation with her calls and comments on facebook and twitter. announcer: florence harding once said she had one hobby, war and harding -- warren harding. she was adept at handling the media, despite her husband's infidelities, his death in office, as well as her own poor health, she would help to define the role of first lady. c-spane harding, on first ladies, influence and image.

we examine the lives of first ladies from 1 -- from martha washington to michelle obama. sundays on american history tv on c-span3. c-span's special coverage of hurricane katrina continuesnniversary with the november 2005 townhall meeting in new orleans. victims anurricane opportunity to voice concerns about the lack of services, inadequate emergency housing and other issues. former mayor c. ray nagin moderate. -- moderated. >> as you come forward, take your time and lineup. you know the routine. you don't have to hurt yourself, because we will be here for at least two hours. we will take all of your information.

spunkly appreciate the iness coming out of a citizens. let's keep going. >> before we start, just a reminder that each question, comment about war concern is at a two minute time limit. i will alert you before cutting your mike. we do have a copy of the report which the mayor just went over. we do have contact phones and e-mails for all of louisiana house and senate representatives, and all of your u.s. congressman. tableare all on the back as you go out. with that, you can begin your first question. do not forget to fill out your questionnaires. me -- before i do that, i see a couple of elected

officials. we have the councilmember, rene gill pratt. councilmember lewis is in the back. we have district attorney, eddie jordan. the office is being represented. we do have some other elected officials here. >> moving forward is the hardest direction. if the world would just know what you and the rest of us have gone through, it seems like the images i am getting from my friends in los angeles, everything is fine, we are all ok. we need to let them know we are not all ok. two that i would like to discuss, i represent the musicians of new orleans probably. i have about 800 that have united.

we have been committee -- communicating for the first time in history. the songs being written now will be some forever. we need to unite, get behind you, you are our leader. between now and election, you have a lot of work to do. we cannot just wait for elections and get behind anyone, we need to get behind you now. these next 12 weeks will be history for music as we know it in america. thank you. >> thank you. it is good to hear that the musicians are organized. that is one of the areas i have been worried about. musicians, andur senior citizens. it is good to hear that musicians are coming back, thank you. >> good afternoon. , want to speak to the mayor you talked about bring back new orleans. you had this committee i saw on tv.

i kept saying to myself, where people?the new orleans these people are making decisions about our property? that is one concern. the next concern as, you say you would like for us to flood the congress. to do the ought old-fashioned thing that martin luther king used to do, let's go on the bus. let's go on the bus and not leave until we get an answer. : all right. >> i am not talking about going there -- i am talking about getting an answer. country,an destroy a and build it up again, why can't they fix the state. : amen.nagin

[applause] ma'am, just to let you know the commission members are made up of new orleans people. we have subcommittees available for any member of the public to participate in. we can get you information on when they need, you can join any committee you want to. thank you. yes ma'am. i am from theoon, leroux bed and breakfast. --as blessed ended up get and did not get water. unfortunately i cannot operate properly because of a lack of gas. i know that the gas people may be doing work, but they are not in my estimation, as a business person, a retired business teacher, they are not doing the best they can do. i am educated, i have done

everything i could. i e-mailed don hutchinson. i have gone to your office, i have gone to energy. i am one who clearly understands how gas operates. i did not have water. they said they are pumping water out. it has been eight weeks. i am in the cold. i cannot do business. i cannot take advantage of all of the business people coming here, i am concerned. i think we need a commission, a group or something of people to let you know what energy is doing. i do not think there properly handling the areas the way they should. there are a lot of people who do not understand exactly what to do. six on my side when i saw this happen. i absolutely need your help. i do not think energy is understanding that i did not have water.

i really want my gas so i can take advantage of all the people living in the city, perhaps survived this dramatic situation. i would like to help anyone else who needs help, jumping over hurdles. a lot of people do not know how to answer or stand up for what they need to have done. i need gas. c. ray nagin: what area? ? avenue -- is flynn a i am at esplanade avenue. c. ray nagin: maybe he can address your concerns. >> the area you're talking about, we did have a lot of water. the low-pressure gas lines were affected. although you may not have had water in your neighborhood or in your house, because of the design of the gas system, it is

a network system, built like a spider web. the water can enter the system from an area a mile away. ant to get there, it is process we use where we have to tap into the main, and stuck the suck the water out. in this case, we have a lot of water. >> under our houses next to mine that have gas. the lady to the right has gas. >> the good news is, if the house is near you are getting gas, you are not far behind. , they call it chased water trouble -- chase water trouble. apparently the area you are being served by is a low point preventing gas to get to your area. exactly, if you can

see me and give me your specific address, i will go ahead and get the information specifically for your area to let you know what the eta is. c. ray nagin: we will try to accommodate your. -- accommodate you. >> i am a senior, you said you were worried about them. online --ousecleaning a house leaning on mine. i have no hope until it is off. c. ray nagin: it is still leaning? >> yes. : let me get your address again. give that to me before we leave. i will personally follow that. afternoon.

asked -- ask, who am i? i am a new orleans at citizen who has a vested interest in the recovery. it is hard to believe the united states is spending nearly $1 billion per week in iraq and here, in new orleans, the united states, we are being neglected. --eg --e have to tag b electedplead with our officials that we need help. [applause] this is the united states of america. the young lady mentioned earlier, we did revealed japan after destroying it. , a specificorleans

cultural design. i love new orleans. , we as new orleans citizens, our first step is to show the country that we are rebuilding. high-rise and the you come down, there is no signs of rebuilding. we need to clean up those roads. the state will not do it, we need to do it. get some prisoners there. pick up the trash. we need to show them that we are actively participating in our recovery. [applause] >> 15 seconds. >> the person who handles the

wardens, get out there and pick up the litter. show them that we are trying to start somewhere. right where it stands now, new orleans, united states of america, we are citizens, we demand that our president steps up. step up and be there for us. we have paid our taxes. thank you. c. ray nagin: thank you. [applause] >> good evening. eloise, as a community activist, mr. mayor, i do not -- you do not see me too often, but i am there to say look at my community. right now what i see i do not like. katrina has passed and gone, but we are still living in debris. we organize to move all of this out of the way so work can be

done. it is months now. -- i came homee on the fifth of november. to this day i am trying to get caught -- get my utilities back. cable sent me a bill. saying? what i'm we need to stop playing games. stop playing thanking everyone is naive. i don't want to pay energy anything and say i will wait later for them to pay me back. they will not. i am not looking to pay no $200 upfront. at the party that told you not to have money.

i was not there. i am not going to be responsible for anything that is not my doing. you,ayor, i want to say to thank you. bus, no fair. -- fare. i could not believe it. i said, thank you mr. mayor for that. there is a whole lot of things that are keeping us from functionally -- functioning properly. , my home was not damaged, but a little bit. because of the debris and all of this, i cannot get anything done. c. ray nagin: you said you live in algiers? >> in the cut.

that ladyin: see behind you, give her your address. we will get the debris taken care of. >> all right, thank you. mr. mayor, i am reverend howard. >> can you get closer to the microphone. >> don't cut me off. >> two minutes. [laughter] i amam here because appalled. first of all at fema. mr. mayor, you gave them your parks.r the trailer one.e seen is, what isas --

fema need to have to put those trailers where the requests were made? where are they? what is wrong with you? does that mean that you are that incompetent? all of our citizens want to come back home. speak for yourself. i cannot find a place. i even requested a trailer be placed on my home. that was in october. i have not heard from them. energy to come up with some foolishness that you -- what?ut in to get power? why have you not call for help to put the power back on the

lines, like parrish avenue. what is wrong with you? the citizens want to come back, but what are you doing? sitting on your behind. tired. i am hurt. representativeis who submitted legislation to the state letting the state take over the school system where our citizens are suffering in new orleans. where was your common sense? we are suffering. don't take that lightly. want the assistance i am supposed to get. i have not gotten it yet. i have to get out of the hotel room by the third.

i have been waiting on the trailer since october. the measurements have not been taken. it is unfair. mr. mayor, demand a public service call for help. i went to a river in oklahoma. those people in those communities did not mind helping one another, just like here. you need help. you cannot do it by yourself. : reverend, if you could, let's get fema to help you. if you could come on the side. you are a little fired up right now. i trust, he is a reverend. it will be all right.

>> next question please. >> --, i am not a reverend, but i am fired up because you said all of the debris hauling is going out to people from new york, chicago, california. anytime a man bring a truck from that far, you know there is money involved. we as local people did not get any of that. that a mangone shame lives in the city of new orleans , house is paid for, we don't get nothing. that is a shame. c. ray nagin: i agree. i will get you with don hutchinson and see if we can help. ,> another thing i want to say

all of the contracts in november, they went out to the , cousins,s friends state representatives, city council people. that is not right. [applause] at a labor rally in baton rouge, she asked me to have a truck that loads from the rear, if i had the contract, i could've had that truck, it did not matter. we need the contracts. it is not right. you are talking about new orleans coming back, my house is paid for. if we live like this, it is not right. c. ray nagin: let's see if we can do to help. i will get you with don hutchinson. he has been able to help some businesses.

>> ma'am. >> good afternoon, i have a home in algiers. the high water cuts are electricity off every afternoon. i have lost food. fema put us in apartments with no refrigerators. another thing, bring people back to new orleans. where will the kids go to school? 90% of new orleans has kids. on algiers point there is a school open in good condition, they fired 30 teachers at one of the top-rated schools here. -- me tod mimi reregister a 10-year-old adopted child. she is going to stay in jefferson parish. rta drivers are driving at will. hourspicked up after two on a bus.

she was driving slowly and not picking up passengers. lastly, the people coming in from baton rouge on the bus is terrible. they need to leave them in baton rouge. this morning i got off of the bus, i had to step over bags of clothing that they just throw from canal street all the way to tulane. it is a disgrace. our future is our children, if they do not open the new orleans school system it will be a disaster. no one will get social security past 2006. c. ray nagin: thank you. it is my understanding the school system is starting to open up some schools. >> can i say something? five days from 10:00 until 2:00. c. ray nagin: all right. thank you.

>> i was here before and at the last meeting. i was instructed to talk to the derailment, i have never heard back. in the meantime, i was waiting on him to get a job, i bought a truck. explain to me about those zones. the reason i am saying this is i pick up the debris in front of my house. dishwashers,waves, i'm in my house, picking up my washer and dryer. a gentleman pulled up and said you are in the wrong district. he said, this is my zone. i said yes, this is my house. the fact is, that was my washer. make the money off

of it, not him. explain to me how my city, if i go across the street from where i live, it is a zone. somebody from mississippi. somebody from maryland, somebody from washington dc, because i am in their zone that is federal property, they go to jail. enough is enough. who sold new orleans? when did this happen? where did the zones come from? in,can big companies come big trucks come in and i have microwaves and dishwashers piled up to the ceiling. i lost everything. up asaying, i can't pick washing machine, if i pick it up, i go to jail.

i have to pay a license to the city to pick up trash? who gave them permission to zone off new orleans? no one can me.o me -- explain it to >> thank you for your question. c. ray nagin: are you ready? pickup is basically being managed through federal contracts they come through the core of energy -- engineers. this is my understanding. i believe, don't quote me on this, there were four or five major contracts left. as they were left, they divided the city of into zones. i think there are four zones. each contractor was given the responsibility for the pickup of the debris in that particular

zone. i think that is what you are running into. there is no scenario that i can think of where if you are picking up debris, you would go to jail for violating a zone. >> i laughed at him. i called the police for him. saying is, how in the world can you tell me you have a zone. c. ray nagin: let me make sure you understand the situation that we're in. the city is -- has no revenue. begging fored to loans from the federal bank, all, and chase of the money that is being used to clean up the city is being controlled at a home of the level. -- hold other level.

all we can do is say we want this lady to participate. we are having some success, we don't have other success. that is what is happening. that is how the zone thing happened. >> -- revenue coming in? : i wish i could tell you -- pay you to do the work. you are not hearing me. getting half of what i make. i get half of that. c. ray nagin: it is a little deeper. what can we do help? i should be illegal anywhere -- be able to go anywhere. : dawn, can you help

her get through the bureaucracy of the debris cleanup. she knows what she is talking about. fallon, i would like to thank you and the numbers of the council that are here today for all of your efforts. at times it seems like a think -- thankless job. these are difficult times and i am proud of everyone that is works for the city and us. i am hoping you can help me with my problems, they are minor compared to others. my house did not flood. our neighborhood where i have been living for a number of years, the crime there is bad. i am not getting a lot of help from the police. there are people that have moved into dilapidated houses in my neighborhood. these are people who are not working. they are drunk in the morning, at night. they're selling drugs in front of my house.

i have called the police. i have been referred to different sergeants in the department to call. i have called them, i have left my name, number. i have gotten no response. one night last week a group of these guys living in this one house or having a major party with a bonfire. they were shooting off firecrackers, bottle rockets, this was before the rain. saidled the police, they they will let someone know to drive-by. i waited, nothing happened. the other issue is trash, there is a ton in our neighborhood not getting picked up. it is really, really bad. triangle -- the triangle. i have called police, left

messages, and not getting a response. i got was, oh,se how do you know they are selling drugs? when you look at your front door and see someone selling crack, it is obvious. c. ray nagin: get this young lady your address so they can get that to the police chief. we will get action going. thank you. >> go ahead. house isfternoon, my on mandeville street. we have a unique problem because as you said earlier, if your home is in the flood zone and you have 50% or more damage you have to raise your home. as you may know, most of the homes are on slabs.

the $30,000 that fema is allotting is not enough. it is simply a drop in the bucket. our only hope seems to be having our damages estimated at below 50%, which is becoming a logistical nightmare. even with proof, i myself have been to the permit office four times. i have gone with everything they have asked for, pictures, estimates, everything to prove my damage is not above 50%. at one time i checked and they said they put it below, when i checked again they put it back above. the area are on average between 51% and 55% estimated damage. that means we will have to elevate our structures. we are also being told if we do not do this, we cannot get insurance. i have not found any law on the books, the only thing i have

found says that if you have four or more claims, that xd -- exceed $5,000, then, and only then can you be denied coverage. if we could get some clarity on that, maybe some help about these, a lot of it is petty. people can very easily get below that. we have elderly people, raising their houses is not an option. [applause] >> thank you for your question. : your question deals with the process of appealing the 51% damage? >> of that, and where we can find a law that states if we do not, if we have had the situations i spoke about earlier, that we will be denied coverage. every house there was built in the early 1900s to the mid-1950's. c. ray nagin: i will let greg answer that.

greg: on the fema thing, that is not a city thing. floods the federal insurance act of 1975, anything built after 1975 to get flood insurance, the federal government mandated that all cities had to buy into the program and say you had to build the flood elevation. the law is that 1975 act. that said, when it comes to 50%, it is more of as the mayor stated, it is more of an option to help you do what you need to do. , if you are over 50% and thereby are below flood appellation -- elevation, it is a good time with fema here they

can match that up to $30,000 to raise that -- or 28,000. house, $30,000 is a drop in the bucket. that $30,000, i have a slab house, i would spend more than my house is worth to raise it. that is not feasible. i am not wealthy, most people are working class. maybe we need to look at some other standards. perhaps we could look at whether or not your structure is sound. whether or not your foundation is good. we have people in those situations. the fact that they have to gut their houses, we are not talking about people who voluntarily wanted to remodel, this is not what this is. maybe we should look at it from another angle to help people get below that. even with the raising, people have 10 feet of water. that would not have helped.

greg: i think we can help . we are not the ones arbitrarily deciding that percentage. that comes down to the foundation and the formulas that fema gives us. ,f you are in that gray zone and in your case, if the city can -- supports the citizen, we well -- we will. what we will do this week, if , if youn that cusp think there is a mistake, we will allow you to send that in a feedback page. we will have something in the same section where you can internally appeal that. we can take a second look. it is about the reality of what happened. it is not an arbitrary decision.

>> can i say one more thing? we have a lot of elderly people that are not well versed in the internet. some don't even have it. they cannot get this information. greg: you can also call or fax. >> they don't have phone service. is there something in the neighborhood they could read? something practical. greg: i get it. : he tried to put it in city hall, we will come out to the community and see we can get it to more people. thank you. >> next question. >> how are you doing? first thing, a couple of comments, for you, you're doing a good job. the word on the street, that main -- that man stayed with us, when he did not have to.

about people,ing we're talking about souls. come on now, get with it, what's wrong uncle sam, are you drunk? come on, you need to go to rehab, brother. you need a spanking. your people need you. come on with the nation. now that i have that out of the way. [laughter] i'm a poet. ,y question is for my brother asides the storm, i lost two brothers a year ago. my mom was born here. i am trying to get my family together. painter, i can't

get them here if we don't have anything to go on. he didn't speak spanish so he was unable to work. have -- i need work for my brother and family, but i could bring my family back together. my grandfather laid his grounds here. c. ray nagin: are you are -- looking for work? >> i'm looking for my brother. : we are helping people find work. i am a local attorney, and a young businessman here. i appreciate you going to different cities and making the rest of the country aware of the situation. you need to do that all of the time.

the rest of the country has forgotten us. you need to keep letting people know our situation. isther thing i want to say the people that are back here like me and other young businessman and attorneys, how long can we stay? no people, knows -- no business. we need people that. we have mortgages coming up, everyone will be -- be dealing with mortgage companies, we need help. had we bring people back? when he trailers, a electricity. we need to tell the people from out of state, you can come back. do we have to wait for fema to bring trailers? can we get the state to provide money to private trailer companies to put trailers up right now, and have fema reimburse the state. we need to do that now. we cannot wait. as far as energy, you guys are in trouble, he declared bankruptcy, we need power. no good are trailers without power.

if i cannot do my job, i get replaced. if energy cannot do the job, we need other power countries from the country to come down here and get the job done. [applause] gras, whileve mardi the people of new orleans they can't come back are stuck in houston, dallas, and new york city, how can we have mardi gras? the people of new orleans can even come home -- cannot even come home. [applause] great,ays of tourism is we don't have housing for the people of new orleans but we have housing for tourists? come on. let's speak up for the people of new orleans. when they come back they bring revenue every day for the rest of their lives. not eight days for mardi gras. we will get back to that again, but right -- not right now.

[applause] c. ray nagin: thank you. we will see a mistake and help with trailers. --di gras is a whole mother other discussion. brown.ame is loretto >> pull that microphone down. houseo longer have a because it was under 10 feet of water. the house is totally gone. i am here today because they called my husband back to work. he works for the government he is a deputy sheriff. when we got here they told him he would have housing. nowheregot here, had for his family. we took it upon ourselves to find a hotel. we found a hotel, paid for it

out of her pocket. what i had to do initially was called fema and asked -- ask member more money. -- them for more money. they said i had to write a letter, i did that. i applied for a loan. i thought it was a blessing that i got a loan. it looks like it is a nightmare. they said that hurricane katrina was one of the worst things that could happen to us. i think it is hurricane fema that has made. -- has me. when i called, they said i could no longer get assistance because i was approved for a loan. i'm like, i was approved for a loan, that's a good thing, i get money at a low rate. now that i am approved for that loan, fema will no longer assist me with anything. now we have bills coming up.

the mortgage once the money. -- wants their money. why onceon is to fema, you are approved for a loan, fema can no longer help. they went -- you are in more debt than you are already in. and we don't have anything else to do for you. c. ray nagin: that is the first time i've heard that. got alone and that triggered that? >> exactly. they approved as for $98,000. i told them the flood insurance was supposed to cover $70,000. the more money i get, the less the loan is, and it is not benefiting me. the loan is supposed to be for rebuilding. how do i survive?

c. ray nagin: let's see we can get an answer from fema. greg: we will have candy talk to you one-on-one. there must be a misunderstanding. just because you have your loan approved, does not mean that fema cut you off from temporary housing. i called, my husband called, they told us both the same thing. we will have candy talk to you -- greg: we will have candy talk to you. we want to make a statement, we realize your loan has been approved, you still have to do the work to repair the house and you need a place to stay. if you have been receiving rental assistance. assistance, rental i called back and they said they could no longer help. took thatong as you money and used it to rental place, we know that you can -- continue to need to rent a place for repairs, yes, you can still

receive housing assistance from fema until you get alone in your hand and make repairs. say, i was one of the unfortunate people that got stuck in the convention center. i have already been through enough, i do not need fema to put me through more. i need your help. >> if you step over there, she can speak with you. , i was in dana houston texas during the time when it hit, i met two twin ladies from the charles. do you know this ladies? i know you do. c. ray nagin: i think i do. >> they praise you, i didn't. i don't want to blame you, you're responsible for us. and we don't have nowhere to live here.

i had a place in our jews -- in algiers. i have been formally evicted. i paid my rent, did what i was supposed to do and rent was refused for november. i am relying on you. i know all of this is state level, federal level, and all other levels. i don't have them. meoted for you to represent on a local level. i don't know where else to go. i don't know what else to do. -- 24 hours after today my family will be at a hotel to be displaced after you said, i am holding you responsible to come back to what was not right at all. my question is

to you, that is one of my situations. secondly, i am iphone owner -- i am a homeowner. home is in an area that seems to be have -- to be forgotten. i understand there is a process. is, when will this catastrophe be classified because it was not a flood due to water from nature. the breach of the levees which would be covered by my homeowners, how do we get this reclassified? i know that there is something

in place. that was probably due to you the councilmember, you need a crew. everything is referred to you. >> in your question to a close. >> inc. you. -- thank you. my question is, i know you put something in place for the people that are not here, there is nothing in place for the people here being price gouged. that is for people they cannot contact. i do not know what to do. i am on the street in 24 hours. i don't know if the judge owned property, but she was trying to find ways to make the landlord correct. i don't know what to do. c. ray nagin: let me see if i can try and answer some of the things you brought up.

, we ares rent gouging getting more complaints of that. the powers of the mayor is basically to enforce the current laws are on the books. we are trying to use everything in our power legally to see what we can and cannot do. we may need some new laws. >> exactly. berkeley california has the landlord tenant association. please, refer to somebody to protect us that we can come home. there is a nowhere to go. c. ray nagin: i agree. we don't want to be homeless. >> i am. effectively today. and displace my child that has a learning disability. moved her to another school or

she has been failing since katrina. now i have to displace my three kids one more time. i have been here doing my best to be here so this city could have revenue, so we could be where we once were, everyone is segregated. up any more to take of your time, i want an answer. c. ray nagin: let's see if we can get you, if you are really getting kicked out tomorrow, let's you we can get fema to help you to find a comparable place to live. hopefully we can do it in the same area. let's see what we can work out. we will see what we can do to help. yes ma'am. >> good evening. >> get closer to the microphone. >> good evening, i am a

homeowner of a double house on the corner. my concern is that you do not forget about the lower ninth ward. i'm across from a baseball field. a lot of things have been taken away from the ninth ward that they have forgotten. that is my biggest concern. we are not forgotten. the media has always stated that we were poor. yes, i work two jobs. i have bought my house, it was not given to me by inherent in -- inheritance. saying yes, i am working hard to keep my property. i just paid five notes of my house because of everything that has been going on. when are we going to get down there to do it we have to do, how long will it take to do it? yes, i am fully insured.

yes, i have insurance, it is not enough, it is not your fault. it is my fault, but what will happen to us? could you answer that? c. ray nagin: yes ma'am. as you know december 1, which is thursday, we have fully opened up the ninth ward to full access. you live in the holy cross area? >> yes. : that area will be on a faster track because the water got out there the quickest. you should be able to get utility services, quicker than anyone else and start the rehab process in the ninth ward. that, but before the storm, my job had a mandatory stayover. i have been here to the whole ordeal. -- through the whole ordeal.

my job for me up in a place to live. i went to my neighbors and spoke to them, i was finding out who is staying. i have talked to my neighbors and finding out who is rebuilding. in three areas only have four rental properties, one of them is mine, the other three -- they are all returning, people are willing to return. people are willing to do what we have to do. please do not forget about us. do we have to raise our houses? you -- if youare are at or above the floodplain, you do not have to. >> thank you very much. please don't forget. c. ray nagin: thank you.

evening, mr. mayor. my name is barbara johnson, i am representing my 87-year-old mother-in-law who is a resident of a lower ninth ward. .he is on the florida side we have had someone go into look at her property, we have a house , which used to be across the street, which made itself into a raft and is now on her car and carport. as i said, i am representing her because she cannot come here. she has been displaced to alexandria, louisiana. i heard you in your opening remarks make the statement that we should make intelligent decisions. we are just about their. -- there. we are of the decision where we meher say by me out -- buy

out. she is too old for a loan. we are at the point -- i heard you make a statement about, if you have 50% or more damage, according to the website, she does have 86.63% damage. it is gone. willestion to you today is the corps of engineers may contact with residents, or should the residents make contact with them? if so, with whom? what number? what is the process? what is the procedure? what is the timeframe? c. ray nagin: individuals can contact the corps of engineers. it depends on your decision. if your decision is to rebuild. >> not going to rebuild. c. ray nagin: then you are leaning towards, ua home

demolished -- you want your home demolished. or you want a buyout. the demolishing part, we can help with. we can put in a request to the corps of engineers to go in and demolish it. , thisome i talked to them was the last information, they would do that at no charge to the citizen. if the request came from the city. wait a minute. let me deal with this question. if you are making a request saying you want your home demolished, we will take it from there. you can write us a letter, you can go on the website of you have access. you can fax. we will get it to the corps of engineers. thet relates to getting fair market value for your home, that is different. congressmanill that

baker is almost at the point of passing in congress that will allow for that particular process. i would pay attention to that bill. as soon as it is passed, there will be an >> can you tell me when? mayor nagin: it is working through congress now. there all hern life. there is a: congressional website to keep you up today date as that bill is moving forward. the baker bill?

ther nagin: it is called louisiana redevelopment authority act. yes, ma'am. my name is celeste robinson did i live on industry street in the eighth ward. i was raised in the seventh. mayor nagin: take your time. if you could speak into the microphone. i know it is difficult. just take your time. almost 89.r is we have been waiting for a trailer. i have gotten calls from trailer people. , gone up toto fema st. charles avenue.

we need fema in our area of town. we need people directly to deal with. three firemen looking for my mother, do you have a power source? we have a generator. no trailer. otherwise, homeless. house.-10 feet in my i would love to go back home. just give us light. let there be light. mayor nagin: which area of the city? the best way i speak is through my poetry. i wrote this when i was in oakland, california. the big easy always sleazy

forever looted politicians looming see who remains so unprotected always neglected as city defaced a different place. a city vanished a city divided -- by colorhted slighted in danger of toppling by a hit so hard >> 30 seconds please stormare of the outside nations outside the storm thank you. >> thank you. [applause] name is david novak.

i have about four feet of water. it has been rough. i have a lot of questions. number one, the presence of national guard. what is the plan for the scale down? can we extend the curfew past 2:00 a.m.? i note revenue is a problem. -- i know the revenue is a problem. what is the election schedule going to be? know mr. nagin, i met you at the afl-cio labor meeting. i am wondering where is the service employees union. the dnc is going to have their

spring 2006 meeting, but they had to make some -- i'm trying to think of the word -- some concessions because the sheraton is the only hotel that can host that, but do not union. were talking about jobs that are paying $10 to $15 an hour. we need to have the unions in here. we need to make sure they get the pay they deserve. being a minimum wages city is not going to work anymore for me and the other people around here. [applause] also, reading about the investigations, levee breaches, 17 foot pilings and only 10 foot pilings. i don't have hot water. i don't have heat.

i have only two pairs of clothing to wear out. i'd like to go out to the end goal is state prison and a couple of years from now and see the people that are responsible for this levee breach failure. >> 30 seconds. that's all i have for you. mayor nagin: you got five questions in two minutes. the first question about the national guard in their presence. supplemented 1500 officers, about 2025 national guard members. they are patrolling in the areas that have the least amount of population. they are committed to staying here for the duration until we can give -- get the city repopulated. you'll see them start to

downsize come up size, stabilize the new orleans police department. the 2:00 a.m. curfew is in effect right now. it has been in effect for the past month or so. we started out with an 8:00 p.m., midnight, 2:00. the reason is twofold, way too many areas in the city that are dark at night. they don't have light. the second issue is i am still not totally convinced that our police force is at the level of hoursization to handle 24 . as soon as we get them stabilize as to where they are going to ,ive when the cruise ships pass then we will move into the normal mode of operations for the city, and we may relax that over certain special holidays i was good -- as we go forward.

the election cycle. your guess is as good as mine. the secretary of state is expected to make an announcement this friday. if he and the governor are in sync, they can delay it, put it forward. the two days i have heard that they are considering delaying it is sometime in april, and maybe as late as september to coincide with the congressional elections. so that is what i know on the election cycle. as far as the unions are concerned, the unions are around. they have been doing some meetings. the going to get with council and hopefully we will sit down and call for a meeting of all the union leaders and get a sense for where they are and how we can work together to make sure that when all the jobs are created, long-term jobs, they have the good pay rates,

sustainable, and also have benefits that are normally associated with union jobs. as far as the levees are concerned, the levees are going to be at the top of everybody's mind going forward. the fbi is also looking at that. the district attorney has request aletter to formal investigation on the .evee and what happened hopefully, we will come up with a better system for building levees. that is something the state are struggling with. those are your five topics. thes far as the unions, state does not have favorable laws at all for workers. if the city council has to take the lead on the, by all means go through with it. look at chicago. get construction guys on the roads, they are all unions. serving tables, unions. bagging groceries, unions.

me the legislature said that unions were needed. now you see all these fema contractors, and nonunion. the sheraton running dnc convention, nonunion. mayor nagin: we got your point, man. this is a right to work state. if you're going to attack it, attack it at the state level. >> the district attorney's office is conducting its own investigation and determining whether a grand jury is in order based upon an examination of the initial reports done by various engineers. we are determining whether a grand jury investigation is in law has inher state fact been violated. that would be independent and separate from anything done by the u.s. attorney's office. mayor nagin: all right.

next. >> my name is mickey daniels. i am from new orleans. my grandfather started a business here in 1927, my father in 1954. my brother and i started taking steps to become state licensed contractors. every step has cost money. halloween day, we went to baton rouge and filled out the paperwork with the louisiana state board of revenue, contracting board. we don't plan on having employees. we are small. they will not give us a license without workmen's comp. insurance. you cannot be covered by your own workmen's comp. insurance. the labor board does not require us. the statement of contractors will not license us without it. required tois not have workmen's comp. insurance, but the license is reciprocal. there are people working in my city from mississippi, arkansas,

texas, that aren't required to follow the same guidelines. the state owned workmen's comp. insurance company wanted to thousand dollars for a new business. after katrina, they want $10,000 up front, no payments, no financing, to even talk to us about giving us workmen's comp.. i need some help. mayor nagin: this is that the state level? wow. i'll tell you what, man, i'm not sure how we can help you. come on the side and let's talk about this. if you are experiencing this, i'm sure there are other new orleans businesses going to this. i'm not sure why the state is doing this, but we will see if we can find out and get some relief. next up. >> good evening, everyone. i'm a resident of the lower ninth ward.

employee. is a city we were one of the evacuees who left. van,re outside living in a me, my husband, my three kids. we had to come back. where were we going to go? there was no housing anywhere. we come back here. you slam the door in our faces great we go to the hotels, they are acting nasty with you. they don't want you there. they are only taking you because they get fema funds. my husband has been employed with the city for six years. he made a five-year anniversary -- and my child was sick and he had to miss work. he brought in paperwork.

that was not good enough. i imagine somebody doing that to your manhood. you still dedicate yourself with your children in a hotel, and then recommended to a hotel -- that has no clean water. you understand? you going to give me a voucher chargeslandlord who $4000. an hour, you want to talk about disaster pay? you know you're going to cut it all. when you put trade the people of poor,rleans from being it's your fault. you don't want to raise the

minimum wages. out, so whates about us in new orleans? standing backband there. he is a man, not a boy. you have to go to the bathroom? call your supervisor. it's not right. as far as my representatives in youninth ward, i applaud miss willis, and mr., -- wherever she is.

for, underpaid people, you won't have -- you understand? rain,en standing in the shivering, marching in your parade. [indiscernible] you are trying to close that down. what else you going to do? how far down you want us to go? up and go want to get y'all on aile y boat. imagine what me and my husband feel like. when you driving tractors,

you take over for the supervisor when you need time off. i'm very ashamed of my people. thank you. >> thank you. mayor nagin: before you go and leave, why don't you at least allow us an opportunity to see if we can make the situation better, ok? if you could, let us talk to you. i understand your frustration. you have been through helen back. give us an opportunity to make it better, ok? hold on one second. christie can take your information as well as his lady right here in the second row. >> mr. mayor, before you move on, that me say that there are some of us sitting up.

supportingrecord increasing minimum wage. there are some of us who went forward and had a referendum supporting. i am on record. i am on record for supporting a minimum wage. i also have a father who retired from the city at less than seven dollars an hour, whose mother's insurance to take care of my handicap sister. this eight about politics to me. this is about life for me. about politics to me. this is as real for some of us as everybody else. i don't like being triple jumped in the house either. i did not like seeing my brother, my sisters, my family members. i've tried to put on a happy face of thanksgiving. some people can fake like it was a good one.

it wasn't a good one for me. i understand. let me say this. i ain't never going to back off. if you ain't been watching, been me --ing, but you lumping ain't lumping me in no but with everybody else. >> you can turn the other microphone down. that one. >> good afternoon. i am in new orleans resident. >> we can barely hear you. >> my damage assessment states 54.6 percentrties damage. the area respected was exterior only.

my house is not wood. its brick. i have a 500 square foot garage, and my son, who was 13 years old , not a piece missing. my roof is not damaged at all. my structure is fine. 55.60 4% come about damage assessment, yes, my house is one of the houses that was built like the rest of them there and 1962, still standing, never been flooded. everybody that lives in my neighborhood been living there since hurricane betsy come to hear, and still standing, nobody's house got flooded. 1965, when betsy came through here, the people living back said they40 years were out of power seven days. now we still don't have lights,

and i know that because of went down there saturday. when is theyw, going to put some lights back there. fori got to raise my house feet off the ground when the feet ofptown got 6-7 water in my house. new orleans east got some of the best drainage. we don't flood. there.t flood down fema, mr. army corps, yes, i am a federal employee that works up the street at the va hospital that come january may not have a job because of the incompetence and irresponsibility of the army raisedf engineer's who

my house. , brokey broke my window the sliding glass door, pulled it off the hinges, and went in tv outerty and stole my of my house. you understand what i'm saying? come back to new orleans. come back to lawrence -- new orleans. yahoo! much i pay for rent, $875. my house note eight that much. ain't that much. ain't nobody doing nothing. raise the house. raise the house.

i'm not raising my house 10 feet up in the air. i'm going to live on the beach. i'm going to live in florida. -- i don't live on the beach. in florida. you can say what ever you want, but i know one thing. can get somebody else's house, but you won't get mine. >> thank you. thank you. mayor nagin: next up. >> my name is maxine allen webster. i'm here to ask a question because i had a business that was drawing in very good revenues and working for the city. on parklients that were island.

i had people all over the city when katrinas did moved everybody out, that was my business gone. i consulted with a person out of state, got another business and it's all in the process of rebuilding new orleans, because i am a very concerned citizen here, but i what are the know opportunities for the entrepreneurs that are here? i built the business up, and now first of all, the sba turned me down for the loan. they're not seeing too many outside loans now. matureto the a thorn in -- mr. hutchinson side. i have been trying to get in touch with him for two months now. i was one of the people that did not want to leave. i stayed out in kanner from the very beginning, when they first

of the letting people back in here, and i am not going anywhere, but i do want to know what kind of opportunities we mye, i have a business plan, plan includes training people, number one, and employing people to work for the company, and in the rebuilding process of the new orleans, but i need to get someone who can really direct me to what is going on. foothold on who to talk to about rebuilding. . have my plan i have everything. i have all my equipment in place. i had subcontractors that are ready to go. when i went to the ecc, they referred me to mr. hutchinson. i can't get him. mayor nagin: you have him today. come on the side and we will

hook the two of you together. >> thank you for your question. mayor nagin: yes, sir. come on up. have talked to you before. today is not you dder man, but the construction worker. sunday night i was out talking to my neighbors. fema inspectors at my place was not livable. i got half of that $2300 relocation fee. i'm out there talking to a wifer down there and his down below me, and they said, somebody just ran into your apartment. i turned around and i saw this guy going my apartment. 335 dolphin street. and theythe steps

yelled up at me that he ran down the hallway. i run down the hallway yelling, who is in my apartment? that was a nice way to put it. landlord -- now i'm getting evicted because i'm the only tenant there that was there before the storm. he has all new tenants there. he wants to jack the rent up. i know that's the reason. i got until sunday to get out, now what do i do? what i do? got outof the best you here. some of you all have seen me. i've been homeless in the city before. it ain't fun. i don't have $2000 to go rent another apartment. what i do? coupleagin: you know, a

of people have brought up this whole issue of the rents going up. the only thing i can tell you is that we are trying to enforce the laws that are on the books. we need to strengthen laws so we can have more teeth and enforcement powers to help this type of situation. we don't have them today. we don't have them today. so the only thing i can tell you that is try and make sure as they are going to the eviction process that they are following all the rules. there is a certain procedure they need to go through. they need to go through to make sure that if they miss anything, then you have rights to stand up property. not, we can get your information and we can try to

talk to the state or see if there's anything we can do to help you, but right now the current laws allow the landlord's to do what they're doing. it's not right, but it is the current laws. i appealed my fema registration yesterday. here i canfema man speak with. >> he is on the side. if you can talk to fema, maybe fema, maybe fema can help you with temporary housing, but other than that there is not a lot we can do with the landlord. gentleman in the blue alongside the wall. if the fema representative could raise his hand. >> thank you. mayor nagin: yes, ma'am. >> you can put that microphone down. the other one. thank you. >> good afternoon. >> closer to the microphone for

me. >> my name is verna williams joseph. they told him he wouldn't get paid for it. two 78elf, i invested in yard trailers. i still can go out because when the give me a zone in the zone doesn't have any trash on it. come big tall guys then over and tell me to get off. i don't believe, i say i am standing right here. we want to know today what can you do for us, when we have the

trailer loaded up, but we cannot dump it. you have already been assigned a zone -- >> yes, i've been picking up trash. trailer is like 78 yards. if we go into another zone, they kicked me out. i came to find out what can we do. why do we have to be three people under? go there tove to the people that make all the money out of town then leave. we still aren't making nothing at all either. mayor nagin: so your question is -- we want to get certified for the trucks, and the trailers. mayor nagin: you are looking to

move to a different zone. >> work zone, whatever they call this. we are doing anything. mayor nagin: you have been authorized to do work in a certain zone. so you are looking to change that.>> yes. and we are looking to get paid for the goods that are already loaded onto the truck. mayor nagin: once you go to the dump site they are saying you are not authorized to pick up those goods in that zone? >> good evening, mr. mayor. been back in the city since october the 24th. i have been living here for over 40 years. i came back and invested in a

truck and a trailer. i have been getting the runaround ever since. the first time they told me my trailer did not fit the qualification. the next time they told me i had to have a certain truck, the only thing they said they would allow. i finally got certified, then my truck got certified by the ecc. working, and i worked about four days. then they went into meetings, ecc, and somehow they got separated. i also was a subcontractor with them. the refrigerators and things that i started from for all the way back from the river. and, in the evenings, they told

me not to come back the next morning. they had some kind of discussion between them. load on their that a guy had wrote me up for for that thursday. it off thee, to get trailer, and they told me that you can get it off, but what you have to do is take it back and you have to take it off yourself, then take the trailer back home to the ecc and get it certified again. why, you behis is on a different contract now. so it has to be recertified again. sitting right on earnhardt street right now.

that ita refrigerator has a -- it has a refrigerator that me and my son picked up but they claimed that it was too big. mayor nagin: your pot water heaters on there too. >> no damage or anything. now, my trailer is sitting there and they say it has to be certified. i did not mind them telling me i had to be certified, but the problem was they wanted me to just throw the stuff off. part of the runaround a lot of local companies have been getting. we will put you guys aside and see if we can get you -- the more i hear these complaints, the more it is starting to become clear to me that we have to create some files and document the types of problems that we have so that we can start to take this to the next

level. side anduld pull on a we will take you in for information. we will try to see if we can push this forward. we will have to start documenting this and coming in with some evidence so that we can push this a little harder. one of the things, i actually saw the debris. it was all packed up, stacked up, piled up, and picked up in just sitting there ready to be dumped. he did but he was supposed to do , and was penalized for doing a good job. the things that maybe we could do with some of the other communities, they actually have professionals or engineers that monitor the contractors. with the contractors have to submit reports to them to submit to the parish governments. that is what they are doing in other areas. that local community has someone

assigned to their contractors that a business person can go to. maybe that is an opportunity that you could have somebody act -- well, i don't want to use the word overseer, but monitor to make sure. it seems like the more we push for local participation, the more local people are starting to be pushed. >> yes. >> thank you, sir. >> good evening. mayor nagin: good evening. sanchez ands gloria i am from times village in new orleans. feet of water, and i am trying to find out if my house -- it is a brick home -- i am trying to find out how many level,r should it be a what the process of keeping it

is? started gutting out. .verything is still soaking wet the floor is still soaking wet. my son wants to know. to try ton: you need find out where you are as it relates to the flood plan? have you gone over to the city hall yet? >> no. i just got back post up mayor nagin: does your son that incident access? >> my son is in the netherlands. he is a major in the air force. mayor nagin: he could be anywhere in the wealth and access -- she can go on our site -- he can go on our website. it has instructions, that will tell you exactly where you are in the flood plan. you can take it from there. >> thank you.

if you would like to visit the seventh floor and city hall you can also view that information. mayor nagin: thank you so much. next up. >> i have a problem coming back to the city because every time you do there was a problem finding a place to stay. my husband is here working, and he was fortunate to provide a trailer. every time we need to do something we have to do everything else to even get a .old of that stop weekendown here every in order to try to get business done to get my house up and running.

very appreciative of that right now. i don't have any help from fema. you are you feel like the underdog because you do have insurance. you can't get anything else from them because of that. it is very aggravating. you can't get anything done. it is impossible. it is like i said, we were fortunate that we were in the hotel in the city and finally got a room on canal street. every time you look around, you have to renew. i've only been there two weeks. they say you have to do this, or do that, or renew this. i really want to come home. my job is here. i have no place to stay. i can't find a house, it is outrageous.

living at $500 a month in rent it now with the 700 $80 or something -- 700 and $50 or something -- $750 dollars or something. you go to city hall they give you information to figure out what it is that you need to do. electrician,censed why does it have to be from new orleans? what does -- what difference is a make what he comes from? he can go anywhere. what is the problem with that? then, they want to charge you out of your eyeballs to come and give you an inspection at your home. something is wrong. >> thank you. mayor nagin: let me see if i can answer a couple of your questions.

you talked about a lot of different things. >> i know. i could talk about 50 more and i still would not be at the end of the list. mayor nagin: you talked about the price gouging with rent. a new orleans electrician, i think there is a law and the books that pretty much requires new orleans electricians to do the work which we're running into a problem with that because there is not enough electricians to do all the work. maybe in exemption of that particular law, which we will work on. what was her last point? >> being able to have a place to stay. i have the property to put it on. i don't have any electricity, so my question was can be use a generator? where is the trailer? it is not getting to me anytime

soon. they called me back, we will contact you. they have never contacted me. home, i want to go back to work. i can't. mayor nagin: we would let you talk to the fema gentlemen. >> mr. mayor, one of the things we are hearing over and over again is people talk about the extended stay in hotels. we have a couple people here now that are at a hotel, but are being told they have to leave. has fema extended the time for the reimbursement? if they have, why are people being put out? we have a family here today being put out, what time do they

have, and what rights does that if they are set up for a temporary extended stay? >> i can answer the president's question about the time extensions. fema has granted a time extension until december 15 with a look continue to pay for the hotel bills. time, fema is not evicting anyone. you can continue to stay in the hotel, you just have to pay the bill yourself. that is how it works. say isam hearing people that the folks who are in hotels right now, when it accepted the family to stay, it was for a limited. period of time.

it let you in for seven nights and you need to check out because someone else has a reservation. that is the situation between the family, the individual, and hotel. sure they would love to keep people in longer but they have other folks coming in. >> good evening, mr. mayor. most residents are coming back. i want to compliment you on the job you are doing. you did not know we would have this hurricane. i want to compliment you there. a lot of folks don't thank you, but i for one do. one of the things you mentioned was that 10,000 that's.

-- deaths. also i would like to thank -- think out of the box. we have to sign a letter. we need for you to sign a letter now that the council took up. andtually got a trailer, then going to the process. somebody comes up up the trailer, somebody comes to the in,tment, somebody comes somebody comes in and drops it in the hole. then we don't have anyone to do the safety -- without having electrician. it has been sitting there for a whole month. people are tired of running back and forth. everyone wants to come back

home. we need for you to sign the letter to say if the have an electrician who is connecting the electricity, let that inspector be with the same department. onncil had a meeting going with a talk to a man who said this would not -- we don't need it. what is the hold up with improvements getting out to people back home? we need you to sign the letter now, mr. mayor. sign the letter. mayor nagin: that should be done. we will follow up to make sure that is in place. we already but the process, they basically said once you have your electricity to sign off on your trailer, it is over. maybe we need to --

>> what electricity are you talking about? mayor nagin: it doesn't matter, as long as it is a licensed electrician we don't care where they come from. they just send in the report, and it is done. >> my trailer has been sitting there for one solid month. go ahead, councilwoman. please.econd, >> the problem is, the electricians know that, the permits know that, but the contract is bringing up the trailers apparently they don't know it. they tell the citizens that you have to still go to safety and permits so that they can come up and inspect. the process gets longer, and longer. they also have contractors tell people you have to get your own electricians. that is not true either.

the one installing the trailer is supposed to take care of the entire process. the citizen is not supposed to do anything, nor pay one penny. but that is not happening because these contractors are telling them something different. we need to figure something out, that is why we need the monitoring and the oversight so that whoever is doing it, everybody is following the same procedure. >> thank you, councilwoman. in closing, i know you are doing regional cooperation. i know that will take place. on these trailers particularly, put that in place so that folks can move into their trailers. there been sitting up there for one solid month, as the young man who brought my trailer saying they don't know what the hangup is in new orleans.

why are they putting us through all these changes? we have been through enough changes. mayor nagin: thank you. [applause] mayor nagin: the fema represented at once to make a comment. >> it wasn't too long ago the city did waive the requirement to have the electrical inspections done after the trailer was connected. we will make sure each and every one of the contractors employed to knows that. it sounds like the maybe some cases where that word has not got out yet. we will make sure that is not an obstacle. when i said that after december , that the hotel bill won't be paid directly by fema, that the family pays for it, i need to add that if the family is eligible for the rental assistance we have given them,

that is what they can use to pay for the hotel bill. that,ontinue after recognizing paying for a hotel room is a more expensive option. they can use the housing assistance money. mayor nagin: all right. yes, ma'am. will try to talk really fast because my two hours on the meter is over. worker, inical social live in new orleans, my practice is in the one lens. orleans.ew i live near the dental school. have a strong determination to stay in the city and help all of us heal from all the trauma and grief we are going through, and have been

going through, i want to say that are so many obstacles. i appreciate you having these meetings. i was sitting him making a list of all the things i have gone through. fema thatrmation from i wasn't going to be eligible for housing assistance because i had flooding insurance. then another person said that wasn't accurate. i got misinformation all over the place. i spoke about transferring my business phone because i wanted to move into a different floor. they said they could hook up my phone service, but it would be in april. it will take until april for them to do that. i amed to get information, on a waiting list for a trailer. i applied in early october and first got a call that you are not eligible because you have

flood insurance. il of this misinformation, was told you need to get an and electrician. you have to secure an appointmentfor an electrician to do work. it is such a difficult time, with so many obstacles. i looks to see if i had to raise my house, both are in flood zone a. the estimated damage was 30% to 60%. what does that mean? what should i do? if i had a question it would be -- is there any place that i could go to get guidance about how to solve all these problems? i have no idea. by contractor said i think you should just bulldoze it. they bring some people out that they don't bulldoze this house, it is a great house.

i go to workshop where the guy says we will let issues for years with the mold. this stop.l of this is an individual citizen trying to be educated. is there somebody that can guide me? [applause] know,nagin: uh, you unfortunately there is not. what you are dealing with is agencies through different levels of government. the federal government, state government, and the local government, and we are trying to put out as much information as we get. when weput it out, but havenformation out, we these other experts that come to the table and present counter views. it is causing an incredible amount of confusion. i don't know how to combat that other than take some peoples modlels up.

we can't really dfo that, you have to figure out who you trust, and if you see that the city is putting out consistent information and that looks good to you, the net is the way you should go. if the state is putting up consistent information -- what i am learning in this particular situation is that everyone has an opinion, and that are more experts that we really need at this moment. it is creating a lot of confusion. we will try to get you as much accurate information as possible. you can try to double check it as much as you can. at the end of the day, you have to make some calls because there is no clear roadmap. >> like i said, when i look at the website, it's a 30%. mayor nagin: if you are a one and you are saying that, you are in good shape. >> i would interpret that to mean --

mayor nagin: you don't have to raise your house. once you are coded as being of above the floodplain all you are doing is being given an estimate of how much it will cost to fix your home. >> can you get closer to the mike please? i am here to find out about this city. , and theyto fema agreed to help me. twon they sent an inspector months later. the time when they allowed us to come, we were concerned about

our wood floors. we threw out everything. bleach, and a wet mattress. inspectorsent their and caleld -- called me, i came back to the house, the first thing he brought up was that it was an abandoned house. because he did not see any furniture. i said everything was here. i have to go to city hall because i lost a lot of things in the flood. i made and -- then

knowl, but i still don't what is going to happen, they say they will lend me some money. it is three months and i will not get any help here or there. that is the problem. mayor nagin: from what i understand, you have applied to fema to inspect the damages and help you to restore your home. you also applied -- >> they told me i can apply to either of them. the sca told me i need to send a bunch of papers. -- they camey say

two months later and i took the contents out of the house to try and save my wood floors. that was the wrong thing to do. mayor nagin: the fema guys are saying they can help you. if you can move aside, we would get somebody to work with you. thank you. >> hi, how are you doing, mr. mayor? mayor nagin: who's mike is that? nbc? >> i have a small business here in new orleans. area and the jefferson

just about two years ago moved to new orleans. i want to commend you on everything you have done here. summon night i can't even sleep because i want to be a part of helping you -- some nights i can't even sleep because i want to be a part of helping you. stuff to you,sic whatever you have in the area. i am free. i have information that i can leave. i just want to thank you. mayor nagin: why don't you give your information to this lady right here. we will see if we can take advantage of your services. >> hello. --ived on two main street dumain street. the water was right near my house. mayor nagin: this other mic it

in the way. tjeu -- they need to lower it so it is not the first mic somebody is talking in. we need to not allow them to be attached. it has to be lower. everybody is doing documentaries. everybody wants to do a documentary. >> thank you. mayor nagin: get as close as you can. had five feet of water in it. i received money from the city in 2002. my flood insurance is not enough

to rebuild my house. my question is -- what do i do? you have to live in the house between 5-10 years. i don't have that money to pay back to the city. i need to know what i need to do. i am still waiting on a fema trailer. there are eight of us on top of each other. we have the property to put it on, but they told me it was coming, but it is still not here. mayor nagin: we will get you to talk to the fema people to see if we can find out where you are on the list as it relates to the-- he said you did not have enough flood insurance. >> right. it is not enough to rebuild. the actual value, and the rebuilding cost, it is just not enough. mayor nagin: well we need to get your information.

maybe you can write us a letter. we will work with you as it relates to this. >> thank you. >> if you can fill out on your questionnaire that information and give it to that young lady right there before you head over to the fema guy. mayor nagin: don't forget to talk to fema about your situation. any otherf there is support they can give you rebuilding your house. >> how're you doing? i had three houses in the same floodedl of them were out. whate here to find out your specific plans for the area as far as the rebuilding process? i was anticipating in the section eight program. i have houses i cannot live in, i want to rebuild. right now, i don't know what to do.

i don't know the plans for my specific area. i have over 50% damage in the house is already. to her situation, i had enough coverage to cover the bute and things like that, the price that i paid, the amount that it will cost me to rebuild, i can't do it. does the city have any plan as far as helping homeowners rebuild? not only is the cost gone up, but interest rates are going up. i'm halfway finished paying for my house. i have to start over from the beginning. time i amish by the in my 50's, and that was part of my retirement money. now i have to start all over. by the time i finished, i will be probably dead. plans, wen: as far as

plan to rebuild. >> you hear so many rumors, that is why i came here today. i live right by the canal. say they may tjhey buy us out. i don't know what to do. mayor nagin: as i started to say, it will be rebuilt. do you have electricity? >> i have nothing. so, electrical services should be coming to that area pretty soon. >> but i can't live there. mayor nagin: but that will help you as it comes to if you decide to rebuild will stop. >> who can i talk to about raising the house, and things of that nature? how can i rebuild so i can move on? mayor nagin: if you have already

raised the home, all you need to do is go on to our website and determined to make sure you are in the 100 year flood plain. the issue with the levees and whether they will be expanded, or if the corps of engineers will be purchasing some properties -- that is a possibility. you will have to talk to them about that. >> why would i got to my house out if there was a possibility. i don't have that kind of money to just wait. mayor nagin: you have to find out from them if they plan to expand the levees footprint. that will help you to make the decision. if they are expanding, they will write you a check. if not, then you need to go through the process of figuring out how to rehab your house.

and if you want to use some of the loan money out there, >> but that is not helping me. mayor nagin: i can only give you the facts as i know them today. today, the issue is begotten of exactly what the corps of engineers is going to do other than build up the levees. i don't know if they will buy your home or anyone else's home. i know that is not answering your question. >> i don't even have a house, or a computer. mayor nagin: then you can go to the city hall, on the seventh floor, and they have all the information for you to access that information. you can also go to any library and use their computer. >> thank you. mayor nagin: if you need somebody else to help you, we can have somebody meet you on the side. >> that is fine. mayor nagin: the young lady behind you may be able to.

here willtleman over speak with you if you can step to the side. mayor?re you doing, mr. mayor nagin: i am hanging in there. >> how was your vacation? mayor nagin: fine. >> mine wasn't. i had to spend time trying to rebuild. houses, not most, 99.9% of those houses are at least damaged 50% or better. most people in pine village are just working people. who will pay for it? i went through the mayberry flood, and the corps of engineers and all of that. that is only one question.

my other question is -- after the hurricane, what kind of contract was awarded by the city? now, there was a gentleman that's talking about prisoners. my understanding is that they are the trustees being paid $20 an hour. my other question is, what is the population that you represent at this present time. if you ask me a question one time in the past, if i was in your shoes, i would raise my salary at least 25%. i would make an executive order are my people that nonclassified to receive the to at least be able to help other people. i would not be able to help montenegro bay or jamaica at the present time. but mr. mayor, we need your help. i need to rebuild, but i cannot

afford that. . trailer, and a still have not received that. could you answer some of those questions? i appreciate that. it is the same thing in pine village. they are mostly working people. the cannot afford to pay $60,000. i would have to raise my house seven feet that would mean i would have to have an escalator. that is unfair. for washington to come here and determine we would have to raise that kind of leverage, i went through all the floods. could you explain that for me? mayor nagin: what are you running for? [applause]

>> excuse me? mayor nagin: what are you running for? >> dogcatcher. running for anything, i'm just a working person. i just asked the question. mayor nagin: let me try to answer -- [applause] >> you never answer any question. mayor nagin: enough of the political ads. >> i'm not political. mayor nagin: these are legitimate questions. pine village is an area that really needs electricity. they are working to get you electricity, and their commitment is to have electricity there by january. once you get electricity, the world will change out there. as it relates to you and limiting your home, that is a personal decision that the homeowner has to make. if you want to elevate your home, and do it.

if not, then that is your own personal decision. all we can do is take the federal law on the books and try to get people as much information as we possibly can. if you want to talk to the fema representatives, we can get them to talk about when you can get a trailer. >> i was not devastated, but most people don't have 50 plus or under. i never went through the flood. it is not my fault of the levees broke. mayor nagin: i agree. look, i totally agree with you. based upon the current information that we have, you have to make some decisions on how you want to rebuild, and continued to watch the baker act in congress. maybe that will give you some more options and support for how to rebuild.

that is all i can tell you right now. hello, i am here to talk about the various theories and strategies. for rebuilding we have to be very careful who we listen to. there are a lot of people from elsewhere who don't understand the city that think our problems , orwhat make us unique amusing. we have to stop listening to people who make it sound like we are authentic because we were the murder capital. that's mated frightening. frightening.it they say they miss the shoe sign scam -- shine scam on canal street.

there are a lot of people that are cynical. they think the people that run this city we lie on the criminals to be elected. thinkinghave to stop all or nothing thinking. why isn't there any middle ground? we did not deal with our problems before hand. schools.o have good we have millions of police from everywhere, it seems to be helping. we need a category five levee but we will not get it if we tell washington we will go back to being the same way we were.

>> if you could bring your question to a close. >> i don't have a question. but will weep pay attention to will wehe city a bit -- pay attention to making the city a better place. mayor nagin: thank you, sir, for your comments. >> hello, i am from lake view. i have lived in orleans parish my entire life. i've been like to set the record straight that this was not a four black issue -- poor black issue. there were poor white people, people,lass black and wealthy black and white people that were involved in this act of congress.

[applause] no, it is not a political problem right now, it is our problem. who is it when you referred to armyand "us" to get the corps of engineers to demolish the homes of the homeowners that want their homes demolished? can you answer that one question? mayor nagin: if you could provide us with your information that you would like to have a demolished, you can send that information to the city and we will forward that to the corps of engineers. >> it is my understanding that ask theparish needs to state coordinating office in baton rouge to ask fema to direct the army corps of

engineers to demolish these homes. [laughter] mayor nagin: you have been doing a little homework. >> yes sir, i have. i got it from the horse's mouth. i would like to ask you, mr. to ask the state coordinating officer, to ask fema, to direct the army corps of engineers after we signed the waiver. so that we do not have to pay for this demolition all on our own, because congress allowed my home in lake view to be demolished, or flooded, not god. i believe fema needs to step up to the plate to help pay for me to demolish my home so i can rebuild it up to code, to give me the $30,000 to raise my house

15 feet so fema doesn't have to come into my neighborhood again so i won't be flooded anymore. that is one situation. i will contact you, sir. i will. you understand the process. send us a letter, saying you want your house demolished. it will get to someone who will do some work. >> somehow, it might be. the baker bill, sir. please, i ask you for one more minute. it doesn't sound like it will be very advantageous to let the united states corporations i our homes out and resell -- buy our homes then resell them to us when it will be at denmark in valley which will be double or

triple what our homes were worth pre-katrina. if there is somebody that can clarify the issue -- mayor nagin: it is my understanding that the way the bill is designed is that there are some modifications that need to come out. first of all, they will start a preconstruction price for you to buy back into. it will not be the escalated value after everything is done in the neighborhood. >> that is really good to know. mayor nagin: the second thing is that, if you do not want to participate, you do not have to. >> but if you don't, or don't all be in linel for a contractor to rebuild. if you don't, it says they can force you to sell out to them or force you to start building. mayor nagin: it is my understanding that will take that language out.

>> thank you. >> please move on to the next question. mayor nagin: one more. old. mother was 86 years i would not leave my mother, she has lost everything and was renting. now, i am ineligible from help because i had help -- flood insurance. my mother has not even received the first penny from fema. now, i signed a lease for her on and on thursday morning the landlord called the agent and told her she wanted to raise the rent by $400. i signed the lease the next $200 more we split the difference because i had to put my mother in a safe place. the rent gouging is over the

top. my mother is on a fixed income, she needs help from fema, and i cannot even get -- i have gone to the jcc and i am going back tomorrow. happening,ng that is i paid for the flood insurance and fema is trying to give me less. i have quite a lot of issues here. i know i am not the only one. mayor nagin: we have to take up some of your issues at the next town hall meeting. if we can get you with fema, deducted budget mother's issues. >> you can turn the mic down and step closer. >> good evening, mr. mayor.

resident on saint anthony's street. on, i amicity was under the section eight housing budget program and i fear when the inspectors come out they will tell me it is not livable. to go.t have anywhere >> what area of the city was that? >> saint anthony street. >> we are in that area. towards the later part of december two have gas service. i'm not really sure.

i don't think there will be any decertification of any properties in the short term. i don't think you should be overly concerned about that. if you do get an inspector to come out, get that information to us. >> i have another question. where will you go for civil cases? mayor nagin: excuse me? >> where do you go to get civil cases handled? mayor nagin: it is my understanding the civil court in gonzales -- algiers.also one in we have almost completed the cleaning out of the courts. within the next couple of weeks they should be open for business downtown. right now, algiers is the closest area for civil district court. >> i have another question.

mayor nagin: [laughter] all right. >> my friend came from houston, and she was looking to try to find some help. in houston, they are doing the femur of vouchers -- fema vouchers. is there any kind of help her? mayor nagin: the best of eyes i could give to fema would be to see if she can qualify for one of their programs. >> thank you. mayor nagin: she will give her

friend that advice. >> i have been living in the city for over 30 years. i have a contract with the city for the last 10 years. i have a contract in force right now signed by you. to this day, we have not been contacted by fema for any type of tree work. not once. havechance does anybody locally to get any work if they won't even contact me with a contract with you guys? i am disgusted. mayor nagin: all right, i understand. we have been hearing a lot of stories like this. over our entire authorized contract list to fema and to the corps of engineers. they give us assurances they would be contacting you guys. >> fema has never contacted me.

mayor nagin: let me get, if you come aside, let's get your information and we will advocate on your behalf. evening. the ignored part of the city -- new orleans east. it costs us a lot to live. i want to know how long do you think we can all hold on paying these enormous housing notes and live elsewhere also? mayor nagin: it is my understanding that most of the mortgage companies have given everyone kind of a reprieve from paying their mortgages. that is going to end at some point. i'm not sure the exact eight it will end, i the 90 or 120 days

from that particular point in time. after that, it is my understanding you have to start paying your house bills, and hopefully by then you will have some type of support either from the federal government, or a decent job that can cover those costs. that is the best information we have to date. i understand you signed a proclamation, why are they not being put in? mayor nagin: we can help you with that. they are supposed to be putting blue roofs everywhere in the city. we will see we can get you expedited and get that moved up on a list. >> thank you. everyone.ternoon, i live in algiers.

one of the first areas you invited back to new orleans. but i still don't have any power. my wife has an asthmatic condition and is on a breathing machine. and has toback here, deal with the stale air. the electrician has come out and done his work, tree people have done their work, i fed carpenters in and out, but i can't get the city to do any work. ison't know if someone dropping the ball. mayor nagin: you need an inspector to come out that the power? >> that is what i am told. mayor nagin: give that lady right behind you, we would get that expedited. >> ok.

i have been leaving messages. mayor nagin: well, give it to me now. >> if you can come out there and approve it, i will do that. mayor nagin: i will make sure that gets done. >> i will hold you to that. mayor nagin: i know you will. >> leave it here? mayor nagin: yes or. -- yes, sir. >> good evening. i have the utmost respect for you. i am here for a different reason. first of all, i am renting during the time of the flood and i was out of town. when i returned, a lot of things in my house was missing. spent thank