Wednesday, January 24, 2007

 
A reply to a fax received from:
George Smith
Acting IA Section Chief
DHS/FEMA
LA TRO
January 19, 2007
RE: Request for Donation of FEMA trailers
Mr. Smith,
It is my belief based on my short experience, and what I have heard from others, it was never your or FEMA’s intent to do business to a large degree with “any” African American Organization non-profit or African American for profit in particular. These are not only my statements, but also remarks made by those you supervise. The fax I received this date although disappointing, due to the many Katrina Victims you and FEMA have caused to suffer will continue, until and unless FEMA is re-structured replacing biased individuals as yourself and in particular those above you as indicated by some of your staff.

You mentioned in this fax your reasons for not proceeding was:
"Your stated intention of seeking partnering with another non-profit group and not only charging them $3,000 per unit for administration costs; but also requiring them to provide a non-refundable deposit of $5,000 for legal and administration cost to finalize the partnering agreement with you amounts to using the donated trailers as a business venture." This does not adhere to the letter of the law and is not what FEMA intended when devising a policy for Temporary Housing Unit Donations.

I don’t know where you received this or these false documents, or information, but even an African American should be able to have a fair hearing as I have asked Roman Napoli and Verdie Culpepper to assist in how this donation program can be presented under FEMA’s regulations. We have asked for meetings with our coalition partners and they have refused. Mr. Napoli promised a telephone conference in order that these matters could be discussed.
UAAD have registered in excess of 100 applicants under the authorization and guide lines of FEMA, and now they are saying that presently they are suspending the agreement with UAAD.
With another 501c3 Partnering with LNPRC this process can move forward.

LNPRC request from Mr. George Smith and FEMA that they arrange a process in order that the applicants processed, some found to be eligible to receive the donated units with the present agreement with LNPRC / UAAD be assigned to another LNPRC partner meeting FEMA’s approval. We ask that a meeting be arranged by January 24, 2007 in order to facilitate these arrangements. A date sooner will be agreeable with LNPRC and UAAD. The delays by FEMA are creating considerable harm to the Katrina Victims and the Coalition Partners.

Mr. George Smith we are faxing your office three additional applicants in addition to many in the past month as authorized by your office. We have received faxed and verbal replies that many of these applicants have met all the certification s that is needed in order that they can receive a trailer being donated to LNPRC / UAAD. LNPRC / UAAD need an answer from your office immediately in order to advise our Partners and the individual Katrina, Rita Victims when and how they receive these housing units so long promised and too long denied.

You can contact me at, www.uaadcorp.com
http://unitedaffirmativeactiondevelopment.com/id37.html
http://unitedaffirmativeactiondevelopment.com/id38.html
Respectfully,
Walter L. Ellis, CEO UAAD

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