Erath moving forward to elevate Housing Authority apartments

ERATH - It looks like the Erath Aldermen will accept the $2.2 million in grant money to elevate 13 homes in the Erath Housing Authority.
Earlier this year, HUD awarded the town $2.2 million to lift the homes. HUD will pay 98 percent of the cost. The Housing Authority agreed to pay the remaining $42,000 of what the HUD grant will not cover.
However, at the meeting, Erath Mayor Taylor Mencacci did not want to assume the Housing Authority would pick up the $42,000 without hearing from them. Once he gets the official word that the Housing Authority would contribute the $42,000, the Mayor said the town would sign off.
If the Housing Authority signs off on the $42,000, the town will go out for bids to elevate the homes and have ramps or stairs built for each apartment. The only apartments that will get a handicap ramp are if the residents are handicap.
If the bids are more than $2.2 million, the grant amount, the town can back out, elevating the homes.

Flooded roads big problem

Todd Vincent of Sellers and Associates informed the aldermen and Mayor that the residents had a meeting last month and brought up concerns about elevating the 13 homes, which are divided up into two apartments. There are around 44 residents who live in the Housing Authority.
The residents’ biggest concern is the roads that flood for heavy rain, trapping residents inside their homes. The town looked into elevating the streets, but it would cost too much.
The residents requested the town to create another road access into the Erath Housing Authority other than the La. 14 Bypass. Once the roads flood, they have no other way to leave, they said.
The residents also did not like how they have to evacuate, Vincent added. For heavy rains, high trucks have to ride down the road to evacuate residents. Many residents are elderly and can not climb into the trucks.
Vincent informed the aldermen and Mayor that Acadian Ambulance purchased six rescue trucks that could be used to evacuate the elderly.
Alderman Clarence Fuselier told the Mayor and aldermen that the residents were also worried about the height of their apartments once elevated and where they go once they are evacuated for a heavy rain. The aldermen said the town could not pay for them to stay in hotels.