Collection

Posted below is a SHN listserv exchange regarding a October 31st, 2006 Sun Herald newspaper article. The article appears below the emails.

From: shn_info-bounces@lists.studenthurricanenetwork.org on behalf of karen@lash.us Sent: Wed 11/1/2006 7:54 PM To: morgan williams Cc: shn_info@lists.studenthurricanenetwork.org Subject: Re: [SHN] Sun Herald coverage of law students and MCJ's apartmentsurvey Thanks goes to all of YOU.

Karen

Karen A. Lash

> -------- Original Message -------- > Subject: Sun Herald coverage of law students and MCJ's apartment survey > From: "morgan williams" <morganwilliams@fastmail.fm> > Date: Wed, November 01, 2006 11:20 am > To: shn_info@lists.studenthurricanenetwork.org > Cc: karen@lash.us > > Dear SHN Leadership, > > Check out the article the Sun Herald ran yesterday on law students and MCJ's apartment survey (See http://www.sunherald.com/mld/sunherald/15890263.htm). The data is a tremendously valuable resource in influencing policy. Kati, could you run this in the next newsletter? Mike, could you post this on the web page? Karen, thanks for passing it along.

> Great work team, > Morgan

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Posted on Tue, Oct. 31, 2006

Apartment losses near 50% 10,000 units fell victim to Katrina By PRISCILLA FRULLA pfrulla@sunherald.com

More than 10,000 South Mississippi apartments were destroyed or rendered uninhabitable by Hurricane Katrina, 4,000 units more than a previous estimate given by the Gulf Regional Planning Commission.

A recent survey by the Mississippi Center for Justice concluded that 43 percent of the units were lost to the storm. Pre-Katrina data was based on a survey conducted by W.S. Loper and Associates for the planning commission in November 2004.

Due to limitations in data gathering, some estimates may have been on the low side.

"The number is almost certainly higher, almost certainly above 50 percent," said Reilly Morse, an MCJ attorney.

The center's survey documented the loss of 2,633 units of subsidized housing, representing 41.5 percent of subsidized units Coastwide and 71.8 percent of the subsidized housing in Hancock County.

The number of units lost that were rented at market rate is 7,388. The surveyors found 5,390 units uninhabitable in Harrison County, representing 46.6 percent of the county's market rate rental units.

Morse said the results have been shared with the RAND Gulf States Policy Institute.

"We are also using it in our own efforts to make the case for beefing up the recovery process for Katrina victims who are renters," said Morse. Apartment survey

Total Rental Units

Loper Post-storm Uninhabitable Gulf Coast 23,319 10,021 43.0 percent Hancock 1,183 830 70.2 percent Harrison 15,451 7,161 46.3 percent Jackson 6,685 2,030 30.4 percent Subsidized Rental Units

Loper Post-storm Uninhabitable Gulf Coast 6,342 2,633 41.5 percent Hancock 634 455 71.8 percent Harrison 3,892 1,771 45.5 percent Jackson 1,816 407 22.4 percent Market Rate Rental Units

Loper Post-storm Uninhabitable Gulf Coast 16,977 7,388 43.5 percent Hancock 549 375 68.3 percent Harrison 11,559 5,390 46.6 percent Jackson 4,869 1,623 33.3 percent Survey limitations

Law student volunteers working for the Mississippi Center for Justice surveyed apartment complexes in the three coastal counties December 2005 through January 2006, March 2006 and summer 2006. Volunteers did visual inspections, interviewed residents and managers where they were available, and completed a survey instrument regarding extent of damage, habitability and the status of any repair efforts.

The damage inspections occurred over several months and may no longer reflect current conditions.

at an individual property.

There are variations in what is deemed "uninhabitable" in some cases due to subjective judgment. MISSISSIPPI CENTER FOR JUSTICE

© 2006 The Sun Herald and wire service sources. All Rights Reserved. http://www.sunherald.com