By Monique Roth

L’Observateur

LAPLACE – St. John the Baptist Parish President Natalie Robottom requested and received authorization to move forward with rehabilitation grant projects and the purchase of new equipment.

Authorization was obtained from the St. John Parish Council to issue Requests for Qualifications for services related to the Hurricane Isaac Community Development Block Grant for the Homeowner Rehabilitation Pro gram and the Small Rental Rehabilitation Program.

The RFQs will include professional services for intake and eligibility determination, legal services, inspection services and general construction contractors.

The scope of the Home owner Rehabilitation Program is repairs to housing structures, their components and elevation of homes to one foot above the latest Federal Emergency Management Agency-issued base flood elevation. Financial assistance will be provided to bring homes into compliance with applicable codes, ordinances and standards as needed. Policies and procedures for implementation of this and other CDBG programs are under way and will be finalized by May 6.

Once all contracts are in place, St. John Parish will conduct public outreach meetings and release all guidelines and application information for the programs.

The Small Rental Rehabilitation Program will be handled in a similar fashion but will address unmet needs and assist in the re-establishment of damaged rental housing in the parish. Eligible owners that are provided assistance under this program will have to maintain affordable rents to low-to-moderate households for a specified time period.

The St. John Utilities and Public Works departments will be advertising for two pieces of equipment, a variable reach forklift and a long arm excavator. Both pieces of equipment will be used to perform daily work needed for moving heavy equipment and drainage work throughout the parish.