Comparisons between the American fund raising results for Haitian earthquake relief and the efforts after Hurricane Katrina and the Southeast Asian tsunami are inevitable. Private giving by Americans, individuals, foundations and corporations has always been generous. Our economy is significantly weaker than it was in 2004-2005 and that may be the biggest factor affecting giving to date.

Some of the historical numbers include money raised by churches. Those collections have happened but have not been reported publicly as far as can be determined for the Haiti relief effort.

Here are the current results as recorded on this site. The column titles are links to the articles on that topic.

This table will be updated as the donations continue for Haitian relief. Obviously there is quite a ways to go to catch up to the levels from Hurricane Katrina or the tsunami.

I’ve banged on Louisiana for its foot-dragging with the Gulf recovery efforts, but now it’s Mississippi’s turn. The city of wavelad, nearly flattened by Hurricane Katrina, has lost its mind.

Sun Herald

City leaders denied several special permits Monday, prompting the world’s largest charity homebuilder to abandon plans to construct new houses for more than 70 local families.

The Board of Aldermen supported a recommendation from city planners to deny special permits that would have allowed Habitat for Humanity to build nearly 20 new homes on lots that are smaller than the city’s code requires.

Habitat, which is building thousands of houses along the Gulf Coast, was planning to build at least 70 new homes in Waveland, where more than 200 families remain on a waiting list.

Instead, Habitat will finish up work on “two or three” homes for families who already own property large enough to meet the city’s standards. After that, the group will look elsewhere.

“We’ll find places to build, but it won’t be in Waveland,” said Wendy McDonald, who runs the Hancock County chapter of Habitat. “We will focus the bulk of our energy on communities that are more receptive to smaller-sized lots.”

McDonald has said large lots are more expensive, which drives the mortgage payments out of reach for most Habitat homeowners.

In addition, she said many who qualify for Habitat homes are senior citizens and single moms who would have trouble caring for a large lot.

“I’m not so sure any affordable housing builder can afford to build on larger lots; the math just doesn’t work,” McDonald said. “There’s no consideration for affordable housing in Waveland and that’s where the housing shortage is the most severe.”

The 20 lots that were denied are in the predominantly black neighborhood of Middletown, but Alderman Brian Schmitt said most of the resistance came from residents living in different parts of the city. “The opposition wasn’t just from Middletown, it was from everywhere,” Schmitt said. “People don’t want smaller lots and that’s what the ordinance is there for.”

Schmitt, who represents parts of Middletown, said he wrestled with the decision for weeks, and casting a vote that could prevent construction of dozens of homes can make it tough to sleep at night. “Having to make that decision killed me,” he said. “I went home and cried like a baby.”

Since March, aldermen have approved several recommendations from city planners allowing special permits similar to the requests they denied from Habitat. One property owner was allowed to divide his property into eight lots, each seven feet smaller than the city’s code requires, and another homeowner was allowed to divide one lot into two, one of which did not meet the city’s square-footage requirement.

However, Schmitt said, none of those requests caused nearly the kind of fuss that surrounded Habitat’s plan. He said such large-scale development on small lots could jeopardize property values for existing homeowners, and homes built close together could create dangerous fire hazards.

This is just plain stupid. Racism? Who knows? But it’s 70 homes that will not appear on the tax rolls. Can Waveland really afford to be that short sighted? Waveland was levelled, essentially zero property values.

Homes built close together is called city living. It creates no appreciably greater fire hazard.

What a bunch of maroons! [Bugs Bunny]

Bunny called before I got to bed with an update on the Ride to Rebuild. They’ve made it through the Rocky Mountains and are now in the “rolling hills” of Kansas. She called from Wellington, Kansas. They’ve ridden about 2,400 miles and she thinks they’re about half way.

The mountains were both very tiring and very exhilarating.

They’re at three riders for now, picking up a fourth in St. Louis. They hope to be in St. Louis on Labor Day. Today, for the anniversary, they are putting in an 80 mile ride.

They’ve been sleeping in city parks. Bunny says the people of Kansas are very friendly. They’re living on peanut butter and honey sandwiches for lunch and quick pasta meals for supper. If you see them biking by, I’m sure they could use a big meal and a soft bed.

Please consider going to the Ride to Rebuild link and donating. Habitat for Humanity is one of the best ways you can provide recovery support to the people of the Gulf Coast who have lost so much.

The three hurricanes last year, Katrina, Rita and Wilma did more than flood New Orleans. As you read story after story about the people of New Orleans today, please also remember the hundreds of thousands of people in rural Louisiana, Missippis, Texas, Alabama and Florida who are also struggling to rebuild and recover.

Bunny’s description of her work in the Gulf with AmeriCorps can be found here.

Congressman Bobby Jindal: Waste in the Eye of the Storm

The ultimate cost is paid by us — the taxpayers. Every tax dollar being wasted and not spent on recovery is a dollar not reaching the people that need it. To date, nearly $100 billion has been approved in assistance, but we have yet to see that much in actual work on the ground due to the fraud and waste.

In contrast, the private sector and faith-based organizations have stepped up where government has failed and have begun the process of demolishing and clearing neighborhoods of homes and debris that remain almost a year later. A national faith-based construction group uses volunteers to offer free demolition of homes in areas affected by the hurricanes. This group, that claims to be able to clear more than 100 homes a day, even includes removing the concrete slab, a service not provided by FEMA.

Instead of common sense solutions to help displaced individuals begin the process of rebuilding, the state and federal governments instead often acted like the large bureaucracy that they are by hindering the recovery process with red tape, paperwork and policies that defy logic. I find it ironic that some of the people creating these burdensome policies are the same people who want the government to run our health care.

New York Post: STORM, SOUND & FURY

Democrats are milking the theme: “We know the storm was a tragedy,” Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid said last week, “but a bigger tragedy is how the federal government responded.” New York Sen. Chuck Schumer readily admits that Democratic candidates for the Senate cite the storm every chance they get.

The truth? As former reporter Lou Dolinar wrote on these pages Sunday, the response “may have been the largest, most successful aerial search-and-rescue operation in history.”

Paul at Wizbang: The Katrina Video Congress Didn’t Want You To See

The bottom line is, Katrina’s storm surge did not wash the wall away. As you may remember, water had been seeping under the floodwall at the break location for about a year before Katrina. The ground under the levee was soaked and ready to give at any moment…

New Orleans was doomed with or without Katrina, we just didn’t know it. A good high tide puts more water in the canal than this. As the video shows, the water was barely higher than normal levels. The walls could have failed on a decent high tide.

From the looks of the video the fact the wall failed when Katrina was approaching was really coincidence. Yes, Katrina was the “final straw” but so could any winds from the southeast. Or any given winter storm. (we often get winds out the south that “stack” the lake far higher than this.) Indeed these same walls held much higher surges in the past; that is, before they were undermined by seeping water for a year.

White House

President Bush Is Fulfilling His Long-Term Commitment To
Helping The People Of The Gulf Coast Recover From Unprecedented Devastation. One year after Hurricane Katrina, the Gulf Coast is rebuilding and the Nation is better prepared for future natural disasters. Commerce is returning to the region, and as rebuilding plans are firmed up, growth and progress will follow, and New Orleans will once again be a vibrant American city.

Hurricane Katrina Was The Most Destructive Natural Disaster In U.S. History, And Rebuilding Will Take Time – The One-Year Anniversary Is Not A Finish Line. Challenges still remain, including crime and housing needs.

We Have Learned From Last Year’s Inadequate Response And Today Are Better Prepared For Future Disasters.

The Federal Government Has Provided More Than $110 Billion In Resources – $118 Billion Including Tax Relief – To The Gulf Region. This funding is helping fulfill vital needs, including relocation, rental assistance, infrastructure repair, flood insurance payments, education, and debris removal.

• Over $77 Billion Of The $110 Billion (70 Percent) Either Has Been Dispensed Or Is Available For States To Draw From. We are working with State and local leaders to help them rebuild the region, and the remainder of the funding will become available as States roll out their housing plans to the public. The Federal government plans to obligate every dollar – the funds are there and ready to be used.

The Administration Has Demonstrated Its Commitment To The Gulf Coast:

• President Bush has visited the Gulf Coast 12 times since September 2005 and will make a 13th visit to commemorate the anniversary.
• Mrs. Bush has visited the Gulf Coast 13 times since September 2005 and will travel there along with President Bush to commemorate the anniversary, making her 14th visit.
• Cabinet officials have visited the Gulf Coast 82 times since September 2005.

Fulfilling The Federal Government’s Obligations To The People Of The Gulf Coast

Federal Gulf Coast Rebuilding Coordinator Don Powell Is Continuing To Work With Governors Kathleen Blanco And Haley Barbour And Mayor Ray Nagin To Provide Resources To The People Who Need Them Most. For example, Federal officials worked with State and local leaders to designate certain properties as health and safety hazards to enable the Federal government to fund debris removal from private property.

Providing The Necessary Funding For The Gulf Coast

The Federal Government Has Committed More Than $110 Billion To Rebuilding The Gulf Coast, Including:

• FEMA Has Funded $5.6 Billion To Repair And Replace Damaged Public Infrastructure Such As Roads And Bridges, Schools, Water Systems, Public Buildings, And Public Utilities, As Well As To Fund Emergency Protective Measures And Debris Removal.

• States Have Been Awarded Nearly $17 Billion In Flexible Federal Grants As Part Of The Largest Housing Recovery Program In U.S. History. $16.7 billion in Federal funds have been allocated under the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Community Development Block Grants (CDBG) program to help rebuild damaged housing and other infrastructure. The National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) has closed 98 percent of claims made by policyholders affected by Hurricane Katrina.

• The U.S. Department Of Education Is Releasing Almost $2 Billion To Help Reopen Schools And Educate Students. This funding will continue a recovery process that has aided over 150,000 students. All major higher education institutions in the region have reopened.

• The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) Has Approved More Than $10.4 Billion In Disaster Loans To Homeowners, Renters, And Business Owners In The Gulf Coast States Affected By The Hurricanes. SBA has completed damage assessments on 99 percent of applications submitted, and it has rendered decisions on more than 99 percent of the loan applications for businesses, homeowners, and renters. More than 22,000 loans totaling $2.4 billion have gone to small business owners.
  • In Louisiana: 92,650 disaster loans were approved for $6.5 billion; 79,363 home loans were approved for more than $5 billion; and 13,287 business disaster loans were approved for more than $1.4 billion.
  • In Mississippi: 35,292 disaster loans were approved for $2.5 billion; and 30,743 home loans were approved.

• The President Signed Legislation Creating A Gulf Opportunity Zone (GO Zone) To Spur Economic Development, With Tax Relief For Businesses And Entrepreneurs In Louisiana, Mississippi, And Alabama.

• The U.S. Department Of Justice (DOJ) Has Made More Than $20 Million Available To The City Of New Orleans And Orleans Parish To Help Rebuild The Criminal Justice System There. In addition, Attorney General Gonzales recently announced additional Federal resources to help fight violent crime in New Orleans, including ten attorneys who will be temporarily assigned to the region to assist in prosecuting firearms, drug, and immigration cases and an additional nine Federal prosecutors who will be hired to assist with fraud and violent crime cases.

Restoring And Improving New Orleans’ Levees

The Administration Has Secured Nearly $6 Billion For The Army Corps Of Engineers (Corps) To Repair And Enhance The Levees, Make The Entire Hurricane Protection System Better And Stronger By 2010, And Begin To Restore The Wetlands Surrounding The Greater New Orleans Area.

Almost The Entire New Orleans Hurricane Protection System Is In Equal Or Better Condition Than Before Hurricane Katrina. The Corps has repaired and restored more than 220 miles of floodwalls and levees since September 2005. Pumping stations are being flood proofed, and levees and floodwalls are being armored at selective sites to protect against erosion. Floodgates have been added at the outfall canals to protect against storm surge, and the Administration has secured $20 million dollars to jumpstart the restoration of the wetlands surrounding the greater New Orleans area.

• The Corps Continues To Construct Stronger Protection For New Orleans By Engineering, Constructing, And Improving Storm And Flood Protection Infrastructure To A 100-Year Protection Level. This work includes higher levees, stronger floodwalls, and greater interior drainage capacity. Work is underway to restore undamaged floodwalls and levees to originally authorized heights by September 2007.

Removing Debris

Since Hurricane Katrina, 103 Million Cubic Yards Of Debris Out Of 122 Million Total Have Been Removed In Alabama, Mississippi, Texas, And Louisiana. All debris has been removed in Alabama and Texas, 96 percent of debris has been removed in Mississippi, and 72 percent of debris has been removed in Louisiana.

Restoring The Gulf Coast’s Transportation And Energy Systems

All Ports Are Open Without Restrictions And All Navigational Aids Have Been Repaired Or Replaced With Permanent Or Temporary Markers.

All Crude And Petroleum Product Pipelines And Nearly All Petroleum Refineries That Were Affected By Hurricane Katrina Are Back To Normal Operations. In Louisiana and Mississippi, electricity has been restored to all customers who can safely receive it.

Combating Post-Katrina Waste, Fraud, And Abuse

There Are Multiple Layers Of Oversight And Accountability In Place To Ensure The Most Responsible Spending Of Taxpayer Dollars, Including State And Local Controls Against Wasteful And Fraudulent Activities.

• The Federal Government Has Increased Resources For Inspectors General Who Will Be Working To Prevent Waste, Fraud, And Abuse By Conducting Numerous Audits Of Relevant Departments And Agencies And Their Respective Programs. This includes:
  • $12.1 million to support FEMA’s efforts to reduce waste, fraud, and abuse with additional oversight of recovery contracts and procurements.
  • $5 million to the Small Business Administration’s and $9 million to HUD’s Inspectors General for fraud prevention.

• In The Year Since It Was Created, DOJ’s Hurricane Katrina Fraud Task Force Has Charged 381 Defendants In 30 Separate Judicial Districts Around The Country.

Ensuring The Nation Is Prepared For Future Disasters

Federal Disaster Response Capability Has Greatly Advanced. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is dramatically increasing the Nation’s stockpiles of relief supplies, retooling FEMA, updating disaster plans, supporting State and local partners, and emphasizing individual and community preparedness.

DHS Has Four Times The Emergency Meals And Ice, And 2.5 Times The Water Available This Year Than Were Available Prior To Hurricane Katrina.
These supplies have the capacity to sustain 1 million people for one week.

The National Weather Service And The National Oceanic And Atmospheric Administration Continue To Strengthen Weather Forecasting And Warning Capabilities.

On February 23, 2006, The Administration Released Its “Lessons Learned” Review Of The Federal Response To Hurricane Katrina. The Report identifies deficiencies in the Federal government’s response and lays the groundwork for better preparation for and response to future natural disasters.

Charitable Contributions Demonstrate The Resiliency Of The American Spirit

The Nation’s Armies Of Compassion Have Contributed More Resources After This Natural Disaster Than After Any Other In America’s History – Over $3.5 Billion In Cash And In-Kind Contributions. In addition to these private efforts, the Federal government’s national service arms have contributed significantly. The Peace Corps sent 272 volunteers to assist FEMA, and the Corporation for National and Community Service has supported more than 35,000 national service members who have contributed more than 1.6 million hours and leveraged an additional 92,000 volunteers.

• During The Hurricane Katrina Response And Recovery, More Than 100,000 Volunteered Through The Citizen Corps Network, A DHS-Administrated Initiative Of USA Freedom Corps. USA Freedom Corps created a nationwide clearinghouse allowing interested volunteers to connect with opportunities in the Gulf Coast. In the year since Hurricane Katrina, there have been more than 4 million volunteer opportunities listed on the site – with approximately 34,000 opportunities in Louisiana, 26,000 in Mississippi, and over 36,000 in Alabama.