The State of Louisiana will hold a public hearing to obtain views on the housing and community development needs of the State; those comments will assist the agencies in developing the Consolidated Annual Action Plan for FY 2009. For those persons who are unable to attend the public hearing, written comments on the needs of the State may be submitted beginning April 2, 2008 and will be accepted until April 11, 2008. Written comments may be mailed to the Office of Community Development, Post Office Box 94095, Baton Rouge, LA 70804-9095 or faxed to 225-342-1947.

The public hearing will be held on April 2, 2008, at 1:30 p.m. in the V. Jean Butler Board Room in the Louisiana Housing Finance Agency building. The Louisiana Housing Finance Agency is located at 2415 Quail Drive which is off of Perkins Road near the Pennington Biomedical Research Center in Baton Rouge. This facility is accessible to persons with physical disabilities. Non-English speaking persons and persons with other disabilities requiring special accommodations should contact the Office of Community Development at 225-342-7412 or at the mailing address or fax number in the preceding paragraph at least five working days prior to the hearing. More on Public Hearing Notice for FY 2009 Louisiana Consolidated Annual Action Plan

The Jefferson Parish Finance Authority is making loans to low and moderate income families through local lending institutions. All persons wanting to reside in Jefferson Parish, including women, minorities and persons of low and moderate income are encouraged to apply for these loans which are available to all who qualify. Interest rates from 4% - 5.84% available on VA, FHA, FHLMC or CONVENTIONAL LOANS to qualified buyers. For program requirements and participating lending institutions, click here.

BATON ROUGE, LA - Governor Kathleen Babineaux Blanco issued a proclamation declaring Monday, June 18th as Louisiana Recovery Day.

“Local and state agencies have implemented recovery programs that are making a significant impact on people’s lives; and measurable progress has been made in the areas of social services, infrastructure, community planning, housing, economic development, health care, education, workforce development, coastal protection, tourism, fisheries, the environment and many other areas of the recovery, ” she said in the proclamation.

To highlight the progress and challenges of rebuilding in the aftermath of the first and third most expensive natural disasters in U.S. history, Louisiana will host the first annual Recovery Day at the Legislature on Monday, June 18th, 2007. Representatives from more than twenty three organizations engaged in various aspects of Louisiana’s recovery from hurricanes Katrina and Rita will feature exhibits in the Rotunda of the State Capitol from 1:30- 3:30 pm in Baton Rouge, LA.

Recovery Day participants will include:

* Board of Regents
* Department of Education/ Recovery School District
* Department of Environmental Quality
* Department of Health and Hospitals
* Department of Labor
* Department of Transportation and
* Development Department of Wildlife and Fisheries
* Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness
* Local Recovery Plans:
o Cameron Parish Planning & Development
o Lake Charles Downtown Development Authority
o St. Bernard Parish
* LA Alternative Housing Pilot Program
* LA Association of Nonprofit Organizations
* LA Economic Development
* LA Family Recovery Corps
* LA Housing Finance Agency
* LA Recovery Authority
* LA Speaks
* National Guard
* Office of Community Development
* Road Home
* Workforce Commission

In the fall of 2005, Hurricanes Katrina and Rita devastated South Louisiana, claiming 1,464 lives, destroying more than 200,000 homes and 18,000 businesses. In the aftermath of these storms, Recovery Day will provide an important opportunity for Legislators to meet with organizations from across the state to discuss progress, barriers and opportunities for advancing Louisiana’s recovery.