The Calcasieu Parish Police Jury at its Oct. 21 meeting unanimously adopted a resolution requesting an increased disaster appropriations package for Southwest Louisiana to address the “unmet needs” of recovery efforts from Hurricanes Laura and Delta.

The request is for the Community Development Block Grant – Disaster Recovery Program to make the full $5 billion in funding available for states with disasters declared in 2020 and take into consideration Louisiana’s more than $1.6 billion in unmet needs as the result of multiple, federally declared disasters.

“We call upon our entire Louisiana Legislative Delegation and Congressional Delegation to fully support and lend the full effort and influence of their offices to work with President Biden, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), and fellow members of Congress toward an increased disaster appropriations package for our region that gives every consideration to the request of Governor Edwards in January of 2021, and the two federally declared disasters following that request, to address the significant unmet needs of our region and state,” according to the resolution.

The Police Jury’s resolution cites the unprecedented circumstances of two hurricanes striking the region during a global pandemic in 2020, which were compounded by the winter storm and spring flooding events in 2021. It also mentions the enormous personal, emotional, and economic impacts of the storms and the insufficiency of current appropriations. 

“It is critical that we continue to impress upon key decision-makers the enormous, unmet needs here in Calcasieu Parish more than a year after multiple disasters. We know from experience that the opportunities are few and far between to obtain disaster aid, and we must take every opportunity to push for adequate, long-term recovery funding for the people of Calcasieu Parish,” said Calcasieu Parish Police Jury President Brian Abshire.

The resolution is being sent to the Biden administration, Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards, HUD Secretary Marcia L. Fudge, and to all members of the Louisiana legislative and congressional delegations.

The full resolution can be viewed on the Calcasieu Parish Police Jury’s website at www.calcasieuparish.gov/recovery.