<table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="0" ><tr><td valign="top" style="font: inherit;"><DIV>Dear FoCHAT Members,</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>1. <FONT color=#c00000><STRONG>The Good and The Disappointing About RH Sold-At-A-Loss Grants</STRONG></FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>It is good that grants are being extended to another class of applicants who were encouraged to apply. </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>However, it seems that the very long delays in giving out even the first class of Sold-At-A-Loss grants to those who sold before the RH started might be the arbitrary reference to <FONT style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffff00">$100 million</FONT> in the LRA press release below. Is this cap related to saving money for the "SURPLUS"?</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>This could explain why there are no additional compensation grants for low-income Sold-At-A-Loss applicants.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt; LINE-HEIGHT: normal; mso-outline-level: 1; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto"><B><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt">http://road2la.org/news_releases/hud_sold_home_012309.htm<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p></SPAN></B></DIV>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt; LINE-HEIGHT: normal; mso-outline-level: 1; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto"><B><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt">For Immediate Release<o:p></o:p></SPAN></B></DIV>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt; LINE-HEIGHT: normal; TEXT-ALIGN: center; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto" align=center><B><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">HUD Approves <I>Road Home</I> Change to Aid More 'Sold Homes' Applicants</SPAN></B><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><o:p></o:p></SPAN></DIV>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt; LINE-HEIGHT: normal; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto"><B><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">BATON ROUGE, La., January 23, 2009</SPAN></B><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"> - The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development has approved the state of Louisiana's request to bring more<I> Road Home</I> applicants into the Sold Homes program, a change which could make more than 800 families eligible for aid.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></DIV>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt; LINE-HEIGHT: normal; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">"Homeowners had to make tough personal choices about what to do with their homes after hurricanes Katrina and Rita, and many times this included selling a home for an extreme loss," said Paul Rainwater, executive director of the Louisiana Recovery Authority. "By approving this change, the federal government is allowing us to aid more of those families, for which we are thankful."<o:p></o:p></SPAN></DIV>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt; LINE-HEIGHT: normal; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">The approval extends the timeframe until August 29, 2007, meaning that <I>Road Home</I> applicants who sold their homes up to that time, and prior to receiving aid from the program, are now eligible for aid. The previous deadline was August 29, 2006. Before submitting the plan, the state took public comment on the change and it was approved by the LRA's board and the state Legislature.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></DIV>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt; LINE-HEIGHT: normal; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">When the original <I>Road Home</I> action plan was written and approved in 2006, it included a provision to pay grants for applicants who sold their homes at a loss prior to the launch of the Road Home, but only if the program had funds remaining after paying compensation and elevation grants. <o:p></o:p></SPAN></DIV>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt; LINE-HEIGHT: normal; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">Last fall, the state made "sold home" applicants eligible for program funding and has started processing their applications and scheduling closing appointments for their grants. The change affects an additional 832 applicants; sufficient funds exist in the <FONT style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffff00">$100 million budgeted for the Sold Homes program</FONT>. These applicants had been contacted by the Road Home and their applications will be processed now.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></DIV>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt; LINE-HEIGHT: normal; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">The state sent 5,500 letters to "sold homes" applicants, with 2,964 applicants responding as interested in funding. From that pool, 1,657 applicants have active, in progress applications and another 102 are having their eligibility verified. <o:p></o:p></SPAN></DIV>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt; LINE-HEIGHT: normal; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">Applicants still must have applied to the program prior to its July 31, 2007, application deadline and completed their first appointment by December 15, 2007. Regulations attached by Congress to the use of the final allocation of <I>Road Home</I> funds do not allow for any new <I>Road Home</I> applications to be taken.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA">To view the approved plan, visit </SPAN><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi"><A title=http://lra.louisiana.gov/action.cfm?md=emaillist&task=addMessageClickThru&msgid=121&uid=folPk%26&encoded=1&redirect=http%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Edoa%2Elouisiana%2Egov%2Fcdbg%2Fdr%2Fplans%2FAmend31%2DProposed%2DSoldHomeDeadline%2D08%2D11%2D05%2Epdf
href="http://lra.louisiana.gov/action.cfm?md=emaillist&task=addMessageClickThru&msgid=121&uid=folPk%26&encoded=1&redirect=http%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Edoa%2Elouisiana%2Egov%2Fcdbg%2Fdr%2Fplans%2FAmend31%2DProposed%2DSoldHomeDeadline%2D08%2D11%2D05%2Epdf"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; COLOR: blue; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">http://www.doa.louisiana.gov/cdbg/dr/plans/Amend31-Proposed-SoldHomeDeadline-08-11-05.pdf</SPAN></A></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>2. <STRONG><FONT color=#ff0000 size=4><FONT color=#451528>Update</FONT> on</FONT></STRONG> <B><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; COLOR: red; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: 'MS Mincho'">Problems with the Implementation of the 2008 RH Auditing Law, Act 829, Signed into Law on July 9, 2008 <o:p></o:p></SPAN></B></DIV>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0pt 0pt 0pt 18pt; TEXT-INDENT: -18pt; LINE-HEIGHT: normal; tab-stops: list 18.0pt; mso-list: l51 level1 lfo36"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol"><SPAN style="mso-list: Ignore">·<SPAN style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'"> </SPAN></SPAN></SPAN><B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana; mso-fareast-font-family: Verdana-Bold; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana">Here are excerpts from Act 829: The Road Home Program; reporting on certain contract payments, subcontractors, and performance.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></B></DIV>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: normal"><B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'MS Mincho'"><SPAN style="mso-tab-count: 2"> </SPAN></SPAN></B><B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'MS Mincho'"><A href="http://www.legis.state.la.us/billdata/streamdocument.asp?did=504525"><FONT color=#0000ff>http://www.legis.state.la.us/billdata/streamdocument.asp?did=504525</FONT></A> <o:p></o:p></SPAN></B></DIV>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: normal"><B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'MS Mincho'"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></B></DIV>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0pt 0pt 0pt 72pt; TEXT-INDENT: -18pt; LINE-HEIGHT: normal; tab-stops: list 72.0pt; mso-list: l51 level2 lfo36"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Courier New'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Courier New'"><SPAN style="mso-list: Ignore">o<SPAN style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'"> </SPAN></SPAN></SPAN><B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana; mso-fareast-font-family: Verdana-Bold; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana">Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, the division of administration, office of community development, shall report monthly to the Legislative Audit Advisory Council with respect to the contract between the office of community development and ICF Emergency Management Services dated June 30, 2006, as amended. </SPAN></B><B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY:
'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'MS Mincho'"><o:p></o:p></SPAN></B></DIV>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: normal"><B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'MS Mincho'"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></B></DIV>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0pt 0pt 0pt 72pt; TEXT-INDENT: -18pt; LINE-HEIGHT: normal; tab-stops: list 72.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-list: l39 level2 lfo38"><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Courier New'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Courier New'"><SPAN style="mso-list: Ignore">o<SPAN style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'"> </SPAN></SPAN></SPAN><B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana; mso-fareast-font-family: Verdana-Bold; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana">The report shall contain information relating to subcontractors, inclusive of subcontractors of subcontractors, payments made to any contractor or subcontractor, the value of the contract, <SPAN style="BACKGROUND: yellow; mso-highlight: yellow">contractor performance in the achievement of goals and objectives of the contract, and any penalties which have been assessed for insufficient
performance.</SPAN></SPAN><o:p></o:p></B></DIV>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: normal"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'MS Mincho'"> <o:p></o:p></SPAN></DIV>
<P class=a style="MARGIN-LEFT: 18pt; TEXT-INDENT: -18pt; tab-stops: list 18.0pt; mso-list: l51 level1 lfo36"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol"><SPAN style="mso-list: Ignore">·<SPAN style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'"> </SPAN></SPAN></SPAN><B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana; mso-fareast-font-family: Verdana-Bold; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana"><FONT color=#451528>Mr. Steve <SPAN class=SpellE>Theriot</SPAN> of the Louisiana Legislative Audit Office confirmed as of Jan. 29, 2009 that OCD had not submitted a single required report according to the Legislative Audit Advisory Council as specified by Act 829. This council is supposed to receive monthly reports about the ICF contract, including, ICF performance measures. The Council has asked
for such reports but not received them despite this law being in effect since July 9, 2008.</FONT></SPAN></B></DIV>
<P class=a style="MARGIN-LEFT: 18pt; TEXT-INDENT: -18pt; tab-stops: list 18.0pt; mso-list: l51 level1 lfo36"><B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana; mso-fareast-font-family: Verdana-Bold; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana"><FONT color=#451528><o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></B> </DIV>
<P class=a style="MARGIN-LEFT: 18pt; TEXT-INDENT: -18pt; tab-stops: list 18.0pt; mso-list: l51 level1 lfo36"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol"><SPAN style="mso-list: Ignore"><FONT color=#451528>·<SPAN style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'"> </SPAN></FONT></SPAN></SPAN><B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana; mso-fareast-font-family: Verdana-Bold; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana"><FONT color=#451528>The reports that are furnished to the Louisiana legislature are from ICF</FONT> <FONT color=#451528>and to the</FONT> <A href="http://chatushome.com/chatusfiles/OCD_Report_On_ICF_&_Subcontractors_1_13_09.pdf"><FONT color=#0000ff>Joint Budget Committee</FONT></A> (click to see Contractor and Subcontractor info posted at our website
chatushome.com)</SPAN></B></DIV>
<P class=a style="MARGIN-LEFT: 18pt; TEXT-INDENT: -18pt; tab-stops: list 18.0pt; mso-list: l51 level1 lfo36"><B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana; mso-fareast-font-family: Verdana-Bold; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana"></SPAN></B> </DIV>
<P class=a style="MARGIN-LEFT: 18pt; TEXT-INDENT: -18pt; tab-stops: list 18.0pt; mso-list: l51 level1 lfo36"><B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana; mso-fareast-font-family: Verdana-Bold; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana"><FONT color=#451528>Angele Davis, Commissioner, Department of Administration, Louisiana, is responsible for setting up the format for this reporting by OCD (not ICF) that is supposed to be occurring monthly and is overdue since August.</FONT></SPAN></B></DIV>
<P class=a style="MARGIN-LEFT: 18pt; TEXT-INDENT: -18pt; tab-stops: list 18.0pt; mso-list: l51 level1 lfo36"><B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana; mso-fareast-font-family: Verdana-Bold; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana"></SPAN></B> </DIV>
<P class=a style="MARGIN-LEFT: 18pt; TEXT-INDENT: -18pt; tab-stops: list 18.0pt; mso-list: l51 level1 lfo36"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana; mso-fareast-font-family: Verdana-Bold; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana"><STRONG>3. Thanks to Cox 10 and UNO, t<SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN">he 2-hour <SPAN style="COLOR: green">CHAT meeting on Dec. 10, 2008 about Road Home Contradictions</SPAN> has been/will be shown on:<o:p></o:p></SPAN></STRONG></DIV>
<P class=a><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; COLOR: red; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: SimHei; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><STRONG>Tues., Dec. 16, 4 PM; Wed., Dec. 17, noon; Thurs., Dec. 18, 8 AM; Tues., Dec. 23, noon; Thurs., Dec. 25, noon; Fri., Dec. 26, 8 AM; Sat., Dec. 27, 4:30 PM; Sun., Dec. 28, 1 PM; Mon., Dec. 29, noon; Wed., Dec. 31, 2 PM; Thurs., Jan. 1, 1 PM; Fri., Jan. 2, 8 AM & 6 PM; Sat., Jan. 3, 3 PM; Mon., Jan. 5, 1:30 PM; Tues., Jan. 6, 3 PM; Wed., Jan. 7, noon; Thurs, Jan. 8, 4 PM; Fri., Jan. 9, 1:30 PM; Sat., Jan., 10, 3 PM; Mon., Jan. 12, 4 PM; Tues., Jan. 13, noon; Wed., Jan. 14, 2 PM; Thurs., Jan. 15, 2 PM; Fri., Jan. 16, noon; Sat., Jan. 17, 3 PM; Mon., Jan. 26, 4 PM; Tues., Jan. 27, noon; Wed., Jan. 28, 4:30 PM; Thurs., Jan. 29, noon; Fri., Jan. 30, 3 PM; Sat., Jan. 31, 4 PM; Mon., Feb. 2, noon; Tues., Feb. 3, 4 PM; Wed., Feb. 4, 4:30 PM; Fri., Feb. 6, noon; Sat., Feb. 7, 9
AM.</STRONG></SPAN></DIV>
<P class=a><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; COLOR: red; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: SimHei; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"></SPAN> </DIV>
<P class=a><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; COLOR: red; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: SimHei; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><STRONG>4. Our next CHAT meeting:</STRONG></SPAN></DIV>
<P class=a><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; COLOR: red; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: SimHei; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"></SPAN> </DIV><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; COLOR: red; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: SimHei; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><o:p>
<UL>
<LI><STRONG><FONT color=#000000>Time: Meetings on Wed. at 6:30 PM at <SPAN class=caps>UNO</SPAN>, usually every other week </FONT></STRONG></LI></UL>
<UL>
<LI><FONT color=#000000>Place: Room 179, <SPAN class=caps>UNO </SPAN>Milneburg Hall,</FONT><STRONG><FONT color=#000000> on Milneburg Rd. (the road where the brand new dorms are, past the stop sign and the University Center and opposite the Fitness Center).<BR>Building #24</FONT></STRONG></LI></UL>
<UL>
<LI><SPAN class=caps><FONT color=#000000><STRONG>NEXT MEETING </STRONG></FONT></SPAN>Wed., Feb. 4. Newcomers are welcome.</LI></UL>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#000000>Best wishes,</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#000000></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#000000>Melanie Ehrlich</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#000000>Co-Chairman, Citizens' Road Home Action Team (CHAT)</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#000000></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#000000>If you still have ongoing, unresolved issues with Road Home, take or re-take our survey at <A href="http://chatushome.com">http://chatushome.com</A></FONT></DIV></o:p></SPAN></SPAN></td></tr></table>