Let's talk about money

Aside from the obvious money concerns, there are hidden costs and...... for those who "work the system" there are hidden benefits after the hurricane.
Some of the cost for me personally have been, the 2% hurricane deductible on our insurance. This amounts to about $2000.00 on my home. The realization that we did not have full coverage on the contents of our home, only depreciation. That was our mistake and we will be changing our policy. The things that are uninsured, like the privacy fence, the deck and evidently our shed, because it was not on a cement slab. We have gotten estimates for repairs on our home that total close to $60,000. so far. Not that we will actually be paying all of that. Somethings we will repair our selves.
I mentioned in another post that the mold removal people want $14,000. for my home. My insurance does not cover mold, so the mold removal that is going on, is me and a lot of bleach. The cost to me is a few bottles of bleach and a whole lot of my time. I guess I should add in the expense of the visit to the emegency room where I went when I was having trouble breathing from the bleach fumes and the mold. When Brad is able to come back down to the Coast to stay, he will probably be doing a lot more of the work himself. The wall between our house and our garage was extensively damaged by water and will have to be removed down to the studs. Then we will dry the studs for several days and replace all of the sheet rock. This is a huge job and would cost a lot if we paid a contractor, but Brad has done this before and he can do it if he can only get back down here and spare the time. Somethings we will just not worry about. The roof is something that we have to have, and we want it done right. The contractors are bidding from $210. to $400. per square to replace the roof. The insurance companies are reimbursing from $140. to $150. for 30 year shingles like ours. We will pay whatever we have to have out pocket, because the roof is just too important.
Almost every single home in Gulfport (as well as the rest of the coast) received at the very least, roof damage. After the first week of sitting here in the dark with no news or help from the outside world, the help started flowing in. There was never any question of people both rich and poor, damaged and no damage, needing food and water. The questions started when the cold hard cash help starting coming in.
Keep in mind that we still were not getting much information from the outside world, so most of the info on hurricane relief, came from word of mouth. The first thing I started hearing about was the FEMA money. Several of my friends and neighbors had applied for and received a $2000.00 check from FEMA. Everyone encouraged me to go wait in the line and apply for this also. I did not do it because I had no idea who the money was intended for. Was it only the people who lost their homes? Only the very poor people? As time went on, I heard of more and more people receiving the check for $2000.00 and also, being reimbursed for generators and for all of their hotel and food expenses if they left town, before or after the storm. I knew several people who had evacuated to Florida and then stayed there for several weeks just because they did not want to stay here with no power. Three of the people had no damage at all to their homes, but FEMA gave them the 2K and paid for all of their expenses in Florida. They were told that everyone in the zip code was receiving the aid. Finally I applied for the FEMA money. We were reimbursed for the small generator we were able to purchase (but not use because there was no gas) and we were told we were not eligible for any other funds because we had insurance.
Almost everyone down here, including me, has a 2% hurricane deductible on their insurance. This amounts to $2000. on a $100,000. home. A lot of people thought the fema check was to help cover that. The FEMA people were not giving out any information on the exact criteria for receiving any aid.
A friend of mine who is in her 60's, lives in a small home in the worst of the damaged areas, south of the railroad tracks. She did not have power or even running water for long after the rest of the city got it back. She walked down to the nearby hospital each day and carried water back from their outside spigot which was working. She could not afford to leave, so she stayed. She was told that she could not receive any help from FEMA since she did not evacuate.
It is very frustrating trying to figure out what the criteria to get help is.
Fema is saying that they will go after people who commited fraud to get money, but nobody that I know lied to get the money. They were just given it when they applied. Others were turned down for no reason that I can understand.
The only other source of money I applied for, was the Red Cross money. Red Cross did not do too much as far as get food or water or medical help down here, but they did give everyone in the zip code a check for $300. The paperwork that was required for this money did not have any questions about income or even damage. It just said where do you live and where do you work. I applied for this money and received it. There again, I had some doubts at first that I even should be receiving it, but after I was given the papers to fill out, and saw that there seemed to be no criteria to apply, I did it. I was given the paperwork for this money from my husbands work (as was everyone else there) and just told to fill it out.
There was a lot of other things being given out to pretty much everyone, but I did not want or need any of these things because I knew we would be OK. I do not begrudge anybody who did apply for these things because everyone had a lot of unexpected, uncovered expenses. It was tempting to apply for these things since everyone else was doing it, but my sister and I talked it over and we both decided that we could get along without the money, and we wanted to leave it for others. It does not seem like that would be hard decision to make, but it really was. You keep hearing over and over about the people who went on vacation for 2 weeks while the power was out, and they were reimbursed. You keep hearing the stories of people who already have way more money than you, and yet they apply for and receive the "free" money that was out there. It was just hard to resist it, and I was very glad to have my sister, Kathie, going through the same emotions and making the same decision to stay away from any of the money.
The Salvation Army was giving out $50.00 per person. The Mississippi Realtors was giving out up to $2500.00. This was amazing to me that such a small group was giving out so much money, while the Red Cross was giving out $300. Several churchs and other groups were giving out $20.00 Walmart cards. The Government was giving out up to $500. in food stamps to everyone, even if they did not qualify for food stamps. It was to help everyone restock their freezers. There was truck loads of brand new Nike tennis shoes for anyone who wanted them. There were brand new clothes, not just the good used clothes that people donated. There was a special government grant to cover loss of employment. There were the FEMA trailers that were supposed to be for people who lost their homes, but a lot of those trailers went to people who did not even live down here before the storm. My daughter-in-law and my 2 Grandchildren had to move out of their apartment because of heavy damage. Her Father and Grandmother also lost their homes. My daughter in law had applied for the fema trailer but still has not received one, 2 months after the storm. She finally moved back into her apartment because she did not want to stay with others. It was hard on her with the 2 kids. She had to close off all of the damaged area of the apartment, and they are all 3 living in one small room that does not have much damage. We read in the Sun Herald the other day, that a lot of people who did not even need trailers were being given them, while other people who really needed them, did without.
The people who are actually profiting from the storm are a very small (I think) minority. These are probably people who do not even live here but came down after the storm to follow the money. There is, however, a great deal of discrepency on how the people who actually need the help, are getting it. I don't have any answer to the problem, I just wish that the people in charge had the answers.
5 Comments:
This is the stuff that makes you MAD. Nancy, your attitude is remarkable. I just love this about you!
Karen
Nancy, I left a comment on a previous post about a friend who had searched for a relative in St. Bernard Parish. He was found. His home was destroyed and he's relocted somewhere not far from NO. Seems to be putting the pieces back together. Slowly. But then you already know how that works.
Thank you for continuing to share your experience.
Karen, the attitude swings from good to bad. I just try to let the "good" one out in public more.
:)
To the other poster, I am so happy to hear that your friend found their relative. That must be a huge relief. I hope they are able to get their home rebuilt.
Nancy you are an amazing woman and such an inspiration! I am frustrated along with you because of the who gets what money issues. All I can say is follow your heart, and God knows your heart. I hope that brings you some peace.
I cried when you mentioned your Chicago trip and the guilt you felt. I feel a similar guilt here because I have not lost one thing and you've had to deal with such an enormous life change. I wish I could even just give you a hug. Those clothes in the trees are quite ominous, and I am sorry to hear you are still having nightmares. PLease know you are prayed for and loved so much.
Nancy, I hope that your recent absence here means good, happy and productive times for you and your family. If you have the chance to update please let those of use who've followed your story know how you and your town are doing.
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