HTHA looking for housing options

The Houma-Terrebonne Housing Authority is looking to offer some relief to low-income housing residents who had to evacuate from their living quarters due to damages caused by hurricanes Gustav and Ike.

Nearly two weeks ago, a mandatory evacuation was called for Senator Circle and Bayou Towers residents after housing authority representatives deemed the homes were un-inhabitable because of roof damages and flooding.

To offer some aid to its residents, the housing authority council will waive the September rental fee for all residents at Senator Circle and Bayou Towers.

Housing Authority Council co-chair Brenda Belcher authored the motion. She asked the council to direct Wayne Thibodeaux, housing authority executive director, to exempt the September rent.

“Many of the residents are having some financial difficulties right now. The storm forced them to evacuate from their homes and many of them used what little money they had to do that,” she said.

Since the storms, Belcher has gone back to her apartment in Senator Circle. However, many of the residents have not returned, and all of units at Bayou Towers are still vacant. Residents are either staying with relatives, friends or in one of the two shelters located in Terrebonne Parish.

Thibodeaux was unavailable because he was meeting with Housing Urban Development representatives in New Orleans at the time of the meeting.

Acting Executive Director Jan Yakupzack said that on Monday, September 22, Thibodeaux met with several Senator Circle residents who were concerned about whether their rent could be waived for the month.

Under the HUD lease agreement, the housing authority has the right to waive the rent for its residents whose homes are un-inhabitable. Thibodeaux assured the residents that with council approval it would be done.

“Mr. Thibodeaux plans to meet with the residents frequently to keep them abreast of what’s going on,” Yakupzack said.

Council chair Willie Bonvillain said it has been estimated that it could be at least 30 to 40 days before many of the residents could return to their living quarters.

However, no other action was taken for the rest of the months. The council voted to authorize the rent waiver on a month-by-month basis.

Hurricanes Gustav and Ike caused a lot of damage to Senator Circle and Bayou Towers, prompting the council to declare a state of emergency on repairs.

Jimmy Dagate, the legal counsel for the housing authority, said calling the emergency declaration will allow the executive director and the council chair to seek bid proposals for the living quarter repairs.

“Mr. Thibodeaux has parameters he has to follow and he does not have to go through the formal bid process,” Dagate said. “But he does have to seek multiple bids before awarding the contracts.”

Thibodeaux is in the process of seeking bids for repairs at Senator Circle and Bayou Towers.

Senator Circle resident Kiara Alexander takes the necessary precautions to remove flood-damage items from her apartment. A number of residents in Senator Circle and Bayou Towers have had to evacuate their homes because of damage caused by hurricanes Gustav and Ike. * Photo by KEYON K. JEFF