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Thousands of homes in Ascension Parish still in need of repairs after last year's flood

6 years 6 months 3 weeks ago Thursday, August 31 2017 Aug 31, 2017 August 31, 2017 6:45 PM August 31, 2017 in News
Source: WBRZ

ASCENSION PARISH - Vinyl siding contractors have been working nonstop in St. Amant since last year's flood.

They've been repairing numerous homes in the area and have even more jobs waiting.

"We stay about three to four weeks booked out," Siding Contractor Brian Picou said.

The Ascension Parish Tax Assessor Office has completed it's door-to-door canvassing of all flood-damaged property in the parish.

"Those numbers are staggering. You would think after one year, that the people would be moved in," Tax Assessor Mert Smiley said.

The tax assessor says almost 6,200 properties were damaged in the 2016 flood and more than 2,000, or about one-third, are being repaired. Which means many homeowners still can't move back in.

"It was because the insurance hadn't paid them the amount that they should have paid them, or the mortgage company is holding the money. So that's the reason that a lot of them haven't moved back in," Smiley said. 

But the tax assessor also says that as many a 500 of those homes will not be repaired or lived in again because the homeowners have simply walked away and left their property behind.

"They are not getting the help that they need. They may have not had insurance and the federal government may not be helping as much as they should be helping them," Smiley said.

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