While Orleans and St. Bernard Parishes are getting the majority of the money, St. Tammany will also be getting its fair share. St. Tammany Parish will see just over nineteen-million headed it’s way.
 
Slidell took a hard hit when Hurricane Katrina smashed up against the shore line, knocking out lots of basic infrastructure including drainage and sewerage capacities. Now those projects will get a big boost from the money the LRA is handing down.

Sydney Fontenot, St. Tammany Parish’s Planning Director, said, “This money will have to be allocated towards some of those long term projects but we haven’t identified which ones those are. We have a number of projects that we have identified but we have decided which ones to direct this money to.”
 
The state is also handing over almost three-hundred properties to the parish. These are houses turned over in the buy out option in the road home program.

According to Fontenot, ”We will keep some of the properties as open space in appropriate areas, we will have some properties we will use for public infrastructure whether it be drainage improvements, fire stations, police stations, public parks.”

The remainder of the properties will be redeveloped and could be a much needed addition to affordable housing desperately needed in the parish.

No official program has been worked out but LRA member Walter Leget said it could get the workforce needed in the parish into homes, “Teachers, police, fireman, etc, to get back, basically workforce assist them into getting into home ownership rather than renting.”
 
The money won’t come in immediately. There will have to be planning and public comment meetings but the funds should start arriving in the spring.

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