F**K FEMA

[picksail]

So as many of you know I migrated to Los Angeles shortly after the whole Hurricane Katrina fiasco.

I received a letter today from FEMA informing me that they have conducted an audit on those, who received finacial provisions and I, among others, must return the full amount of $2,000.

This money was provided at the time during, which I was evacuated from my home and business for nearly a month.

Mind you this is what I received from my business as the insurance didn't cover all losses (This is attributed to the feuding between insurance companies-another can of worms to be opened later).
The pictures of my losses were posted here on Gearslutz. As many of you know, it was pretty clear that the assistance was fully warranted.

My wife and I didn't receive any assistance from FEMA on our home, because we were covered by our insurance.

So the grand total of FEMA assistance that I received was $2000, which they want back.

What should I do at this juncture?

Anyone else experience this?

[pan60]

that truly suck's!
on what grounds do they want it back?
things seem to me to be taking a big shit here in the good ole USA, that greatly saddens me.
i hope manage to get thing worked out.
best wishes.

[djui5]

they gotta pay for new locks on those trailors sitting in that field somehow


**** em. I wouldn't pay. I'd refuse to. Did you sign anything when you got the $? If so, does it say anywhere about paying it back? If no, tell them to **** off, and if they try to repremand you, tell them you have a lawyer and he/she will be contacted.

Gotta love our f'n government...

[KingUgly]

Call the tv news. It's time for your network debut.

[De chromium cob]

But I saw on the news that guy Rockey Vaccarella thanking President Bush for all he's done for the people of New Orleans and wishing he could have ANOTHER four years in office. Please don't tell me that was just a photo op with a republican shill and that our supposed liberal media and government *GASP* lied to us?!!!

bush-rocky-vaccarella/


I'd send FEMA back a letter with only two words on the page: "BLOW ME"

[PoorGlory]

There's not much in this world that shocks my jaded, cynical mind... but this does.

Un-goddamm-believable. FEMA must have some enormous ****ing balls to ask you to return an amount of money that some people don't make in a month, a mere year after the whole thing went down. Who the **** do they think they are. Don't pay them a ****ing dime, man. If they keep bugging you, ask them for a) a copy of a signed contract where you agreed to pay them back, or b) an invoice for services rendered. If they can't come up with either, give them my home address and tell them to come over and eat my balls.

[feyshay]

Tell them that you spent it on crack.
I would not pay that back (unless you are doing well financially). They'll do other things with the money, I'm sure, but how efficiently?
I've been watching the Spike Lee documentary over the last few nights. With election season and all, I'm sure a news agency would eat that up. Also, I'm sure a local politician (considering the season) would be glad to help you with this. Call your representative about the matter. Definitely.

Pick, I'm not surprised. I probably have a letter in Philly asking for the $2Gs that I received during the storm while living in a shelter!

I actually have 2 applications in so I'm expecting their fraud department to be giving me a call soon.

Why do I have 2 applications you ask?

At the time of the storm I filled out an application at the address I was living at.

I was later informed (by a FEMA employee) when checking the status of my application that I shouldnt have filed that address becasue I had not lived there 6 months prior to the disaster. The FEMA rep said I needed to do another application.
So I gave him my information and did the application via phone.

When I called to check the status of my application I was informed that when there are 2 applications on file for the same person they ALWAYS disregard the second application!



NOW WHY THE F UCK did the guy have me do a second application if he knew this (And I'm assuming he did.)

I will fight them tooth and nail on any accusations they throw at me. I own BOTH of the residences so they can't say I didnt live at either of them.

I guess I was homeless prior to Katrina.



fuuck FEMAdfegad

[e-cue]

Originally Posted by KingUgly

Call the tv news. It's time for your network debut.

Time for a sub-plot in your reality TV show Pick?

[Albert]

Originally Posted by picksail

What should I do at this juncture?

Anyone else experience this?

I'm not experienced at this at all, but what I would do is this:

Send them a reply explaining why they gave you the assistance in the first place (it was their decision after all). Include documentation, photos, whatever--as much paperwork as you have accumulated. Make them deal with as many documents as possible.

Hold out paying them back for as long as you can, basically until the letters from them get very threatening. Then send them the money back if you have really exhausted all your options. But make them wait, and make them work for it.

It's absurd for them to be doing this, and it really is leaving a bad taste in everyone's mouth. The incompetence regarding the response to New Orleans is mind boggling. Not just the feds, the problems are at all levels.

[DonPedro]

To all you citizens of the USA:

Now would be a good time for a revolution.

[wwittman]

Republicans are right... when THEY run government, it "doesn't work"

[djui5]

Originally Posted by DonPedro

To all you citizens of the USA:

Now would be a good time for a revolution.

That's a good way to wind up in a hole in the desert. People here are afraid to stand up to the gov...a revolution would never happen IMO, unless you live in Watts

[mentalattica]

I didn't apply for any FEMA aid due to that reason, I was happy to walk away with my life. I knew that was going to happen considering in D.C. (where I'm originally from) when they had a I believe what was a tropical storm a couple years ago and a lot of flooding FEMA did the exact same thing. My family that still lives in DC advised me against dealing with FEMA for any relief because they would make you pay them back. I definitely feel for you, along with the people who got $10,300 or more. Due to the slow federal response, they shouldn't get a damn dime back even if they are entitled to it.

I saw Bill Cappo on the news (WWL I think is the station he's on), interviewing a lady in the same situation. He also spoke with a FEMA rep. who said the womans case will be looked at again, so I'm assuming there's a way you can appeal but to what avail I don't know.

As if we didn't have enough problems in N.O. prior to Katrina

[introvert]

All of this... and Hezbollah have given out almost $400 million in aid to Lebanese citizens who lost their homes in the Israeli rocket attacks. The streets are clean. The power is back on. People are quickly rebuilding their lives and their terrorist government is helping them.

Not that I like Hezbollah, I don't. I just think it's a stark contrast.

Sorry to hear about your situation with FEMA. That really sucks. Best of luck man =/

[Albert]

There are some big differences between Hezbollah in Lebanon and Katrina in the US. Hezbollah is directly responsible for all that destruction, having basically started a war. They should rebuild those people's lives, but $400 million is really a drop in the bucket, cheap publicity.

Katrina was the biggest natural disaster in US history. Yes, the response in New Orleans has been to a large extent incompetent, but comparisons between Kartrina and Hezbollah starting a war are completely off-base in my opinion.

[Killahurts]

Originally Posted by introvert

... Hezbollah have given out almost $400 million in aid to Lebanese citizens who lost their homes in the Israeli rocket attacks. =/

Interesting. To me that begs the question - Where did a bunch of stupid small-minded brainwashed 7th century sub-human murdering terrorist pigs get 400 million dollars in cash?

Hey Picksail about the $2k, maybe you should just keep telling them that you don't have it, that you're still trying to get back on your feet. Maybe they'll go away eventually. Well, maybe not.

But I feel for you man, I would be sick with writing a check to FEMA. That would be like paying the surgeon after they lost the patient.

[pan60]

the the gov. ( fema ) leads the citizens to believe our tax dollars are helping people when they are in need but then when no one is looking they want they money back.
that is just shlty and under handed.

sadly this activity i fear is not solely relegated to fema.

[introvert]

Originally Posted by Albert

There are some big differences between Hezbollah in Lebanon and Katrina in the US. Hezbollah is directly responsible for all that destruction, having basically started a war. They should rebuild those people's lives, but $400 million is really a drop in the bucket, cheap publicity.

Katrina was the biggest natural disaster in US history. Yes, the response in New Orleans has been to a large extent incompetent, but comparisons between Kartrina and Hezbollah starting a war are completely off-base in my opinion.

I don't think they're totally off base, although there are differences, as you said. I was simply pointing out that it didn't take their government a week of standing around with their heads up a particular orifice before they got to the location of the damage and started doing something about it.

And where did they get all that money? I'm amazed to even hear that question. Most Americans don't want to acknowledge it, but WE fund them, just like we fund Al Qaeda. It's all oil money, and every time someone fills up their Ford Expedition (with 11 miles per gallon, or whatever miserable number it is), some of that money ends up in their hands.

I don't want to launch into a totally political debate here, but what amazes me about this administration is their stance that we must do anything to stop the terrorists, but their unwillingness to get off the oil tit. If we fully embraced alternative fuel methods and dropped oil as quickly as possible, we'd starve the terrorists out.

Anyway... back on topic. Sorry bout that. I too would tell FEMA that I don't have it, and need more time.

[picksail]

Thanks for the support fellas.

I'm still undecided as to how I should respond to this.

To be honest, I'm not at all concerned with any potential repercussions from FEMA.

If I were to return the money, then I could safely say that FEMA provided me no assistance at all.

Pretty much the equivalent of using a credit card, which I did anyway. I mean it was only $2000 they offered in the first place.

I guess I should be grateful that they didn't charge me interest.

[pomoone]

Don’t pay them, wait till the 3rd, 4th letter. You can always respond to them “is this to pay for all the ice you left sitting on the truck”, “maybe this is to pay for the trailer’s that are stuck in the mud” or better yet “Is this to pay for Bush’s golf trip while Katrina hit?”

Tell them you used it to actually do something with your life rather then hookers and blow an they can take it out of your taxes.

I don’t understand it, the government is so pathetic, they screw up and they try to do right for the media only to go back on their word to screw the individual. Bush is the new version of Mussolini , he needs to be dragged around the streets and let people kick his head in.

Wish you the best of luck PK

[pan60]

i think the majority of people think their tax dollars has gone to help these people not just loan them a few dollars.

[Peter Montessi]

Picksail,

Don't pay them!!!

That's pretty simple and there is nothing they can do..............what throw your silly ass in jail?

For what??

This money was given to you in time of need................isn't that what FEMA is about?

They gave me squat during the Earthquake and my freakin house was missing a wall

Just move on like nothing happened and let them make all the moves FIRST!

Gotta luv it right? dfegad

Peter

[Killahurts]

Originally Posted by pan60

i think the majority of people think their tax dollars has gone to help these people not just loan them a few dollars.

I think you're right.

[JBRecording]

get on TV man... you wouldn't want to see FEMA try to pull this horse manure on someone else, right?

[RoundBadge]

F*CK fuuck FEMA..

Stewart.. don't pay em'!

My relatives from N.O. and some friends are all getting the same shaft..
Unf*ckingbelievable!!
[every one of them lost thier homes/property]

[goom]

Keep the money. At least it's not going to be used to buy bombs. I think the gov'ment is running out of moolah. Roughly $12,730 per second in Iraq. Can you believe it?

[lucey]

Keep it or return it ... it's up to you if you have it to return. Karma is yours to choose. Sounds to me like you're leaning toward returning it and being done with FEMA.

The irony is that BILLIONS of dollars are being wasted on contracted rebuilding efforts in Iraq, and there is NO WAY to get the money back. For example, 120 health care clinincs were ordered from Becxhtel in San Fran, they have built 10 ... the rest they just "cant complete". The book to read is called "Blood Money" ... he painstakingly tries to track the money spent on nothing, it's an unbelievable waste, and hard to track! Seriously out of hand, no accountibility, corporate welfare giveaways.

This Bush government is always surprizing me with new ways fukc the regular American individuals they supposedly support.

[pan60]

Originally Posted by lucey

Keep it or return it ... it's up to you if you have it to return. Karma is yours to choose. Sounds to me like you're leaning toward returning it and being done with FEMA.

The irony is that BILLIONS of dollars are being wasted on contracted rebuilding efforts in Iraq, and there is NO WAY to get the money back. For example, 120 health care clinincs were ordered from Becxhtel in San Fran, they have built 10 ... the rest they just "cant complete". The book to read is called "Blood Money" ... he painstakingly tries to track the money spent on nothing, it's an unbelievable waste, and hard to track! Seriously out of hand, no accountibility, corporate welfare giveaways.

This Bush government is always surprizing me with new ways fukc the regular American individuals they supposedly support.

this i believe to be a just the way it is fact!