I. Am. So. Angry.
A little background:
Hurricane Katrina. House all but destroyed. FEMA useless. Required to apply for a Small Business Administration Loan to repair house and replace contents.
Okay, so we JUST get our SBA loan approval in the amount of $120,000. Great. However, it is SO restrictive that it'll be impossible to use. You can't do any repair work yourself. You must obtain bids for all work. You must submit bids and receipts to the SBA in order to get the money. We must have flood insurance (because NOW, due to hurricane Katrina, we're in a "special" flood zone.) We must NOT sell our house.
Um…we have to move in June. We CANNOT keep the house unless we repair it and rent it out, which will leave us in more debt than we're in now. Plus, some of the money is designated for replacing household goods. So if we use the money to replace things, we can't sell the house in order to take the stuff with us.
Basically, the SBA loan is useless, yet if we turn it down, FEMA will no longer give us ANY assistance. Ever. We're stuck in a horrible situation, and I'm fuming. The SBA loan assumes you'll repair your house to live in it–it gives NO consideration to those like us, who have to move due to a military assignment.
Senators, congressmen, FEMA officials, get ready for some seriously angry letters, because I am FUMING. :evil::evil::evil::evil::evil::evil::evil::evil::evil:
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That is a frustrating situation, enough to make anyone fume. But check the irony: FEMA forces you to obtain bids for the repair work and yet they extend no-bid contracts to cronies, even after promising they would ask for re-bids. I read about it a few days ago. Here’s the link:
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/politics/3746309.html
All I have to say is that they have some nerve.
by Sharon
on March 26th, 2006 at 11:07 am
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Larissa, if you want additional angry letters, let me know. Be glad to oblige.
Insanity. 
by raine
on March 26th, 2006 at 12:21 pm
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OMG what a clusterF8ck! :evil:
by Cece
on March 26th, 2006 at 7:18 pm
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Definitely a charlie-foxtrot! That is such B-S! :evil:
Let us know those to whom we should pen our own letters, Larissa; we’re behind you!
~PJ~
by PJ
on March 26th, 2006 at 7:37 pm
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Give me names and addresses, and I’ll write letters too. This is soooo unfair!
–Liz–
by Liz
on March 27th, 2006 at 8:20 am
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That is SO not right. God, I’m p.o.’d for you. :evil: I want to say that I hope everything works out, but this sounds like you’re screwed if you do and you’re screwed if you don’t. Post that address on your blog tomorrow so we can send angry letters, too!
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I can see you banging your head against the wall, if your house even had a freaking wall. What a nightmare!
Don’t forget to pen angry letters to your local newspaper, radio and tv stations. Sometimes media publicity can light a fire under government bottoms much faster. Go national even. USA Today, the morning news shows. Definitely slant it from the angle of a military family’s perspective, being REQUIRED to move. If you have a different news angle, like being a military wife forced OUT of her home due to the fact it’s unliveable and now having this grant which ties your hands, you might get some publicity.
Good luck, Larissa. From the highs of selling to Red Sage and Bantam to the lows of dealing with this mess of red tape… big hugs.
by Bonnie
on March 27th, 2006 at 9:58 am
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*hugs* This is SOOOOO wrong!!!! I agree with everyone else here. Angry letters and contact the media!!!
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My blood pressure’s up for you, Larissa. I really really hate bureaucracy and that seems to be just the tip of the iceberg you’re dealing with.
by Amy
on March 27th, 2006 at 4:33 pm
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Oh honey — this absolutely sucks ass! :evil:
Remember, y’all always have a spot here in OK if you need it!!!
Terri
by Terri
on March 27th, 2006 at 7:34 pm
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Thanks, everyone…I can’t tell you how much it means to have people willing to take my back on this. It sucks. I’ve always said that I don’t expect the government to bail us out on this–I want the insurance company to make good–but sheesh! If the government is going to help, they need to do it in a way that is actually useful and doesn’t screw us for life. ARGH!!!!:evil:
by Larissa
on March 27th, 2006 at 8:49 pm
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I agree. Hit the media, and do ti from a Military Wifes standpoint. The support of the people woudl surely be quick and large, and media can really hit the goverment.
Good Luck! *hugs*
by Sasha
on March 28th, 2006 at 10:15 am
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Maybe the military can put you in touch with the right people? Hope you can find a solution! What a nightmare! Hugs to you and your family. 
by Michelle
on March 28th, 2006 at 7:40 pm
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OMG, Larissa - that’s so horrible!!! I don’t blame you for fuming, it’s just plain :evil: what they’re doing to you guys.
Sheesh. Wish I knew how to help.
Big hugs are about all I have to offer.
by Teresa
on April 2nd, 2006 at 9:12 am
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