JURIST - Paper Chase: Katrina victims ask for extended hotel stays in FEMA lawsuit

[JURIST] Lawyers for victims of Hurricane Katrina [JURIST news archive] Monday asked for an extension of a program which houses displaced New Orleans residents in hotels at government expense, at an estimated $3 million per day, totaling $300 million since August 29. The request to keep the hotel program going is the latest filing in the class action lawsuit [JURIST report; PDF complaint] with 23 named plaintiffs accusing the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) [official website] of the wrongful denial of housing benefits to Katrina victims. FEMA had given the program a December 1 expiration date, but later extended it to December 15 after critics said this would lead to the eviction of thousands who are displaced and impoverished. In addition, 10 states - Alabama, Arkansas, California, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, Nevada, Tennessee and Texas - are able to apply for extensions that would last until January 7. Attorneys are seeking to extend this date even further. AP has more.

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