For Immediate Release, Thursday, March 30, 2006
Contact:  Suzanne Parsons Stymiest @ 985-898-5243

Private Property Debris Removal Program
Week One Status Report

            In the first complete week of the Private Property Debris Removal Program, Camp Dresser & McKee, Inc. (CDM) answered 743 citizen phone calls for information about the program, met with 334 citizens in temporary customer service offices, and completed 102 citizen application packets for assistance.  CDM was hired by St. Tammany Parish Government to expedite the FEMA application process for citizens living in unincorporated St. Tammany Parish.  The program, which began March 20th, is for the removal of structures and/or debris that have been damaged by Hurricane Katrina and that also present an immediate threat to public health and safety. 

            To be eligible for FEMA assistance, the debris removal must meet one of the following criteria:

CDM opened temporary Customer Service Offices will be open until April 21st.  Office hours are 11:00 AM until 8:00 PM, Monday through Friday and 8:00 AM to Noon on Saturdays at the following locations:

Northshore Harbor Center                    St. Tammany Parish Administrative Complex
                                                                 Council Chambers lobby
100 Harbor Center Blvd.                       21490 Koop Drive
Slidell, Louisiana  70461                      Mandeville, LA  70471

            To begin this process, homeowners must sign a Right of Entry Form.  Forms will be available Monday, March 20th at the temporary Customer Service Offices, at St. Tammany Parish libraries, and on line at www.stpgov.org.  The form must be returned to one of the temporary Customer Service Offices or mailed to St. Tammany Parish Private Property Debris Removal Program, c/o CDM,  P.O. Box 1348, Slidell, LA 70459-1348.  An affidavit is also available on the web site and homeowners are encouraged to download and complete the affidavit before coming to an office.  St. Tammany Parish government and its contractor, CDM, are not responsible for any late, or non-delivered, mail.

If you return your application in person, bring the following information with you, if available, to expedite your application processing:

  1. Proof of ownership – Act of Sale
  2. All insurance documentation, including flood insurance
  3. Any pictures or other evidence of damages to property

Property owners will complete a right of entry form, and a hold-harmless agreement.  Property owners must confirm that the property is not inhabited, and indicate whether any personal property that requires removal prior to demolition is on-site.  If the property owner does not have insurance, the owner will be required to complete a notarized affidavit indicating that the property is not insured.

After the Right of Entry form and necessary documents have been received, applications will be reviewed by FEMA to determine your eligibility for this program.  St. Tammany Parish, and/or its contractor, does not make this determination.  This decision is made solely by FEMA. 

            Demolition activity will be limited to above-ground structures.  The removal will not include concrete slabs, driveways and footings.  FEMA will determine if any trees or vegetative debris constitute an immediate threat to lives, public health, safety or property.

For more information about the Private Property Debris Removal, you may call 898-3080.  This line will be answered from 8AM to 8PM, M-F and 8AM to Noon on Saturdays.  If this line is busy, please call back.  A high call volume is expected in the first weeks of the program.

 If you live in a municipality, contact your city or town for information about your specific city.

Here are contact numbers and web addresses for some municipalities:

City of Slidell, 646-4330, www.slidell.la.us
City of Mandeville, 626-3144, www.cityofmandeville.org
City of Covington, 892-1873 

###