Katrina housing program on hold

After building up record deficits and using the veto pen once to stop science, the Bush Administration finally gets around to cutting some spending... Stash


MATT APUZZO AP

WASHINGTON - A federal appeals court told the Bush administration Friday that it does not need to immediately restart a housing program for thousands of Hurricane Katrina victims.

The ruling suspends an order by U.S. District Judge Richard Leon, who said last month that the Federal Emergency Management Agency violated the Constitution when it eliminated short-term housing assistance. Leon said the agency didn't explain its reasoning and provided victims only confusing computer-generated codes to explain its decision.

Under Leon's order, FEMA appeared on track to restore housing payments to families in Texas.

"Maybe we can get this thing jump-started and get these people a roof over their heads before Christmas," Leon said Monday.

The ruling by a three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit puts that on hold at least until March, when the court will hear arguments in the case.

Under Leon's order, FEMA told officials in Texas early this week to expect federal money for housing about 4,200 evacuees. After Friday's ruling, FEMA can now tell Texas that plans have changed.

"That's FEMA's Christmas present to the people of Texas and the United States," said Kevin Whelan, a spokesman for the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now, which brought the lawsuit. "They managed to appeal long enough to be able to deny housing funding."

More...

posted by Stash @ 6:33 PM