09:08 AM CDT on Friday, July 14, 2006

Mike Hoss / WWL-TV News Reporter

Orleans Parish homeowners said they’ve known about FEMA’s advisory base flood elevations since they came out in April. Most didn’t agree with the science that came up those elevations and they wanted to know how it specifically applied to them.

The City Council hosted a town hall meeting Thursday night to advise and answer questions on high those residents would have to rebuild their damaged homes.

“You tell me what the elevation is in my house, my building; and what I need to do. Real simple; it’s not magic,” said homeowner Donald Vallee, chiding the City Council.

FEMA’s elevation guidelines for Orleans Parish state that any home more than 50% damaged must be raised three feet above the highest grade of their property, or to the base flood elevation; whichever is higher.

According to Alfredo Sanchez, the planning advisor working for the city, many homes in the city would have to be raised higher than three feet. That’s only for homes with more than 50% of damage.

“If you’re less than 50% damaged, you're grandfathered in. You do not have to raise your home or respond to the advisory base flood elevation; either one because you're grandfathered in,” Sanchez said.

It had also been understood than any homeowner who got a building permit before the FEMA advisories came out in April would also be grandfathered in and wouldn't have to raise their house, even if it was more than 50% damaged.

Walter Leger, a member of the LRA, said homeowners who got permits after April 12 and those who get them likely through the summer would also be exempt and wouldn’t have to raise their homes.

“And so is it really appropriate for us to penalize people who've been aggressive in getting built and moving forward,” said Leger.

Leger said the LRA would soon have to set a firm date, possibly by the end of next month, where people getting building permits would no longer be grandfathered in; thus being exempt from raising their homes.