Gov't may buy thousands of Miss. homes

[cal04]

Source: Associated Press

The federal government is considering buying out as many as 17,000 homes along the Mississippi coast and remaking the land into a vast hurricane-protection zone, raising anxieties that it could destroy the waterfront lives many residents are struggling to rebuild after Katrina.

The Mississippi Coastal Improvement Program could cost $40 billion, including buying the homes, building levees and restoring barrier islands. The land could be converted into wetlands or other public uses, such as golf courses or bike trails, but could not be sold for private development.

For Finley Williford, a 42-year-old boat captain, a buyout offer would have been tempting if it had come shortly after Hurricane Katrina destroyed his Bay St. Louis home on Aug. 29, 2005.

But instead of leaving, he invested countless hours of labor and more than $400,000 in two new houses for his family and his father.

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071010/ap_on_re_us/katrina_home_buyouts

[pattmarty]

1. That's nice. Mississippi's Governor is Haley Barber (R) What about La?

[krj44]

2. barbour is the biggest crook

in the rethug party,a sleeper,a behind the scenes abramoff,big tobacco owns him,in the poorest state in the union he has raised 7 mil.how? he didn`t raise it in ms.

[uberblonde]

3. This should be done in any major flood area.

It's really the only approach that makes sense. You can't keep letting people build in harm's way.

[atreides1]

4. Easier said then done

So they build this buffer zone away from the shoreline! Now, what do you suggest that those 17,000 families who are probably employed by businesses do about employment?

Remember contrary to Republican belief this is still technically a free country, and people are still allowed to build in areas that are zoned for residential use, as long as they understand the risks!

[dbackjon]

5. But those same residents want a handout everytime a hurricane/flood hits

Buy them out. Coastal Development should be strickly limited, anyways.

[juajen]

6. Then you have to do it in mud slide zones, fire zones, earthquake

zones, etc. The list is endless. No place is truly safe. That's why people got together and formed insurance companies, so that the risk would be evened out between safe and risky areas. Duh!