Audit: La. Home Elevation Program Improperly Monitored

A $750 million Louisiana hurricane recovery program that doles out money for home elevations is being criticized for ineffective management and monitoring by the state agencies that oversee it.

The Louisiana Legislative Auditor released its review of the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program on Monday.

The audit says the governor’s Disaster Recovery Unit isn’t properly processing and tracking applications. The audit also says the Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness didn’t adequately monitor the Disaster Recovery Unit’s handling of the program, making it unlikely to address inefficiencies in the home elevation program.

State agencies defended their performance. The Disaster Recovery Unit saying the program has consistently exceeded its performance benchmarks and has spent less on management than projected.