Terrebonne Parish Council members demand answers at Housing Authority Meeting

Several members of the Terrebonne Parish Council attended a regular meeting of the Houma-Terrebonne Housing Authority on Thursday, April 27, 2023, requesting answers and transparency from the Housing Authority on the current process of rebuilding Senator’s Circle and Bayou Towers. Both locations were severely destroyed by 2021’s Hurricane Ida, displacing hundreds of local citizens.

“I am here because we, as a council, would really like some light shed on where we are and where we are going as far as housing support in our area,” said Council Chairwoman Jessica Domangue at the beginning of the meeting. “It has been almost two years since the storm and we don’t feel like there has been enough transparency between our two organizations. I would like to be that conduit to bring some new information to our council, so we can in turn provide that information to our constituents. The worst thing to tell a concerned citizen who has been homeless for the past two years is, “I don’t know.”

Councilman Carl Harding, whose political district houses Bayou Towers, was also in attendance at the meeting alongside several former residents of the two locations. “It seems obvious, but some of these units could have been repaired by now,” Harding said. “We, Terrebonne Parish Council, want to know how we can assist the Housing Authority to get Bayou Towers and Senator’s Circle back up, how we can find out more information, how displaced citizens can access vouchers, and how we can work together to get things rolling and expedite the process.” Brien Pledger, newly elected Councilman whose political district houses Senator’s Circle, voiced his questions and concerns last. Pledger requested clarification on FEMA processes, base flood levels of the new houses in Senator’s Circle, damage control, and a potential timeline for project completion.

The Houma-Terrebonne Housing Authority and several professional consultants and lawyers working with them helped to provide answers during the meeting. Read below for important information regarding Bayou Towers and Senator’s Circle.

BAYOU TOWERS INFORMATION

• The Houma-Terrebonne Housing Authority is currently in the process of finding a realtor to look for land to potentially rebuild the high rise. This decision is based on FEMA’s assessment– if Bayou Towers is more than 50 percent damaged, it will be eligible for demolition. If it is less than 50 percent damaged, it will be eligible for on-site repairs.
• An Environmental Review for Bayou Towers was required, with the estimated completion of the review being May 9, 2023. The insurance claim for Bayou Towers is currently complete. Part of the major delay for Bayou Towers was a disgracefully low insurance claim which had to be refuted, an issue that has affected many Terrebonne Parish residents and their personal properties since Hurricane Ida.
• As of now, the Houma-Terrebonne Housing Authority is waiting for FEMA to complete their assessment before proceeding.

SENATOR’S CIRCLE INFORMATION

• Unlike Bayou Towers, every unit in Senator’s Circle has a individual insurance policy, which creates a much larger and time-consuming workload.
• The Houma-Terrebonne Housing Authority is scheduled to go to arbitration with the insurance company on July 14, 2023 to get insurance estimates for the different properties.
• When it is time to rebuild, the new/existing units will need to be raised multiple feet off the ground to base flood elevation. The timeline for this work is unknown as of now.

If you are a former resident of Bayou Towers or Senator’s Circle and are in need of a voucher, or need clarification on the voucher process, please call Director of Housing and Human Services Kelli Cunningham at (985) 219-2900. For more information, please visit the Houma-Terrebonne Housing Authority website or contact your local Terrebonne Parish Council member.