COUNCIL RESEARCH DIVISION
INTEROFFICE MEMORANDUM

July 13, 2006
 
TO:
Councilmember Oliver M. Thomas, Chair
Housing & Human Needs Committee
Councilmember Stacy Head, District "B"
Councilmember Cynthia Willard-Lewis, District "E"
Councilmember James Carter, District "C", Alternate

FROM:
Wilson L. Howard III, Deputy Director

SUBJECT:
REVISED: City Council Housing & Human Needs Committee Meeting, Monday, July 17, 2006

The City council Housing and Human Needs Committee will conduct a special meeting on Monday, July 17, 2006 at 10:30 a.m. in the City Council Chamber on the first floor of City Hall. The items offered for Housing and Human Needs Committee consideration are presented subject to the chairman’s approval. City Council Housing and Human Needs Committee meetings are generally accessible to persons with disabilities. People in need of certain accommodations such as a sign language interpreter may be provided service with 24 hours prior notice by calling (504) 658-1095/Voice or (504) 658-4020/TTY.
 
Agenda items are as follows:

1. Status Report: National Flood Insurance Program Impact relative to changes in Advisory Base Flood Elevation criteria and matters pending clarification.
A. Will local access to the National Flood Insurance Program coverage be placed in jeopardy for non-compliance or delayed compliance with new Advisory Base Flood Elevation criteria?
B. Will National flood Insurance Program rates be higher for non-elevated structures?
C. What is being done to expedite payment to the number of NFIP claims that have not been resolved?
D. Does the National Flood Insurance Program have an appeals process for disputed claims?
E. Have National Flood Insurance Rating Maps been revised for Orleans Parish to reflect new elevation criteria?
F. Will Post Katrina Flood Insurance coverage be restricted to certain limits?
NFIP/FEMA – Executive Program Representative

2. Status Report: Evaluation and report on the Louisiana Housing Finance Agency and Louisiana Recovery Authority response to Gulf Opportunity Zone (“Go Zones”) eligibility for the City of New Orleans through tax credit implementation.
A. Tax Credit applicability in defined Gulf opportunity zones
B. Benefit-Cost analysis of tax credits utilized as a post Hurricane recovery tool for economic revitalization
C. Barriers to tax credit program implementations in Gulf opportunity zones
D. Recommendations for expected use of tax credits in Gulf opportunity zones.
Andy Kopplin, LRA
Mark Madderra, LHFA
Tim Leonhard, Charter-Mac

3. Other Matters/Related Business