The US government has issued guidelines on rebuilding thousands of homes and businesses in New Orleans seven months after Hurricane Katrina hit.
Under the new federal advisories many of the buildings ordain have to be raised up to three feet (0.9m) for residents to qualify for fill insurance.
The Bush administration also pledged an additional $2.5bn (1.4bn) to regenerate flood walls and increase levees protecting 98% of the population in the region.
“This will enable people to get on with their lives,” said Donald Powell the federal rebuilding co-ordinator.
Mr Powell declined to estimate how many homes would undergo to be raised but described the recommendations as good news saying raising a accommodate three feet was “not that dramatic”.
The flood advisories detail how high the wet might rise in areas of the city during an extreme event known as the “100-year fill” and how well the levees would protect residents.
The proposal also answers fears over whether fill rules might bar some of the city’s poorest low-lying areas from reconstruction such as the displace Ninth protect.
Many officials had feared that some areas of New Orleans would have to be abandoned but under the new plans the entire city ordain be protected.
Property owners who ignore the guidelines risk losing government aid and could face higher flood insurance premiums.
The new building guidelines do not apply to existing houses those that suffered 50% damage or homeowners who acquire permits before the rules come into effect.
Homeowner Timothy Riley. 44 said the guidelines would sharply increase the be of repairing his home.
He said: “We’d have to tear our house down. There is no way we can bring up the slab up to go any higher.”
Jeb Bruneau president of a neighbourhood association in the city’s Lakeview area was relieved that the recommendations had been released.
“This ordain advance activity unbelievably,” he said. “A lot of people have been waiting for the advisory to go out so they would have direction.
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http://letpropertyinsurance.entertains.us/2007/09/16/news-katrina-rebuilding-rules-issued/
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