REACHED CATASTROPHIC. LEVELS AS IT CRIPPLES THE VULNERABLE POPULATION OF HOMEOWNERS IN THE AREA. ABOUT 100, MOSTLY OLDER. HABITAT FOR HUMANITY OWNERS ARE ON THE BRINK OF FORECLOSURE RIGHT NOW, AND ANOTHER 75 TO 100 ARE HANGING BY A THREAD. THAT’S ACCORDING TO THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, MARGUERITE A STRIKER WHO BELIEVES THAT THIS IS BY FAR THE MOST URGENT AND HEARTBREAKING ISSUE IN THE STATE. RIGHT NOW. I MAY BE FORCED TO LEAVE NEW ORLEANS BECAUSE IT’S NOT FEASIBLE ANYMORE. THE FIRST THING I SAID WHEN I CAME INTO THIS PLACE, I’M GOING TO DIE IN THIS HOUSE, NOT TODAY. FEAR AND UNCERTAINTY KEEPS HUNDREDS OF HABITAT FOR HUMANITY. HOMEOWNERS UP AT NIGHT. THE SOARING INSURANCE PREMIUMS HAVE LEFT THEIR WALLETS NEARLY EMPTY AND THEIR FUTURES FOGGY. THIS IS MY RETIREMENT HOME. UH, BUT I NEVER FORESAW THIS INSURANCE CRISIS COMING. I MEAN, THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO CALL IN IN TEARS. THERE ARE OLDER PEOPLE WHO ARE LIKE, I DON’T KNOW WHAT TO DO. I CAN’T GO LIVE ON THE STREET. I CAN’T LOSE MY HOUSE. ACCORDING TO HABITAT FOR HUMANITY’S CEO, MARGUERITE, A STRIKER ABOUT 140, HABITAT FOR HUMANITY HOMEOWNERS ARE READY FOR FORECLOSURE, MANY OF THEM ARE OLDER AND RETIRED WITH NOWHERE TO GO. THEY ARE TRULY AT RISK OF BECOMING HOMELESS. AND THAT’S NOT AN EXAGGERATION, SHE SAYS ANOTHER 75 TO 100 FAMILIES MAY BE RIGHT BEHIND THEM IF THEY DON’T GET ASSISTANCE. MONTHLY MORTGAGES HAVE DOUBLED SINCE THE INSURANCE CRISIS, AND THOSE ON FIXED INCOMES CAN NO LONGER AFFORD IT. IT’S RIPPING THE RUG OUT FROM UNDERNEATH SO MANY PEOPLE. ALTHOUGH FRED GOODRICH IS NOT FACING FORECLOSURE, HE IS ONE OF MANY HOMEOWNERS BURDENED BY HIGH PREMIUMS. YOU CUT SOME CORNERS AND ADJUST THE BUDGET. WE SEE FAMILIES GOING, FORGOING VISITS TO DOCTORS WITHOUT MEDICATIONS THEY NEED, CHANGING THE KIND OF FOOD THEY WERE ABLE TO SERVE THEIR FAMILIES OR FOR THEMSELVES. HABITAT FOR HUMANITY SERVES AS BOTH HOME BUILDER AND LENDER FOR MORE THAN 750 HOMES IN THE NEW ORLEANS AREA. THEY HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH THE HOMEOWNERS WHO ARE BEHIND ON THEIR MORTGAGES, WAITING FOR THEM TO CATCH UP, BUT NOW THEY’RE PUSHED AGAINST THE WALL. THE SITUATION IS SO DESPERATE, WITH SEEMINGLY NO END IN SIGHT, A STRIKER IS REACHING OUT TO EVERYONE SHE KNOWS, INCLUDING DONORS, PHILANTHROPIC ORGANIZATIONS AND CITY COUNCIL. SHE’S ASKING CITY LEADERS FOR $2 MILLION. MY THOUGHT IS THAT WE SHOULD HELP NOT ONLY THESE FAMILIES, BUT FAMILIES LIKE THEM WHO ARE ON THE VERGE OF FALLING INTO HOMELESSNESS. COUNCILWOMAN LESLIE HARRIS FEELS THE CITY SHOULD USE MONEY THAT’S ALREADY IN THE CITY BUDGET BY PULLING IT FROM PLACES WHERE IT’S CURRENTLY NOT BEING USED. THIS IS CONCERNING TO ME ON A HOLISTIC LEVEL, BUT SPECIFICALLY TO THIS TARGET GROUP AS WELL. INSURANCE COMMISSIONER TIM TEMPLE HOPES THE PACKAGE OF INSURANCE BILLS PASSED THIS LEGISLATIVE SESSION WILL ATTRACT MORE COMPANIES TO WRITE POLICIES IN THE STATE. BUT HE SAYS YOU WON’T SEE THE RESULTS OVERNIGHT. IN FLORIDA, IT TOOK TWO YEARS BEFORE THEY STARTED SEEING RESULTS. I DON’T THINK THAT WE COULD SEE THINGS MUCH QUICKER THAN THAT, PERHAPS, BUT WE ALSO HAVE A VERY ACTIVE HURRICANE SEASON THAT WE’RE CURRENTLY IN. AND IF WE DO HAVE ANY NEGATIVE IMPACT FROM THAT, I THINK THAT WOULD DELAY. BUT I THINK EVEN THEY WOULD TELL YOU IF YOU ASK THEM RIGHT NOW, THESE ARE LONGER TERM SOLUTIONS, SHE SAYS. EVEN IF THE INCREASED COMPETITION BRINGS DOWN THE RATES IN A FEW YEARS, IT’S TOO LATE FOR HOMEOWNERS WHO ARE ON THE BRINK OF LOSING HOMES THEY HELP TO BUILD WITH THEIR OWN HANDS, HOMES THEY WORKED SO HARD TO ACHIEVE AND HOMES THAT HAVE BECOME MORE THAN JUST A ROOF OVER THEIR HEADS. THIS IS EVERYTHING. THIS IS. THIS IS THE DREAM. UH, BECAUSE OUR DREAM WAS NOT ONLY TO HAVE OUR OWN HOUSE, BUT TO BUILD IT. AND THE CITY COUNCIL WILL VOTE ON THE REQUEST FOR THAT $2 MILLION AT ITS NEXT CITY COUNCIL MEETING, COUNCIL MEMBERS LESLIE HARRIS AND JOE GIARRUSSO ARE COAUTHORS OF THE LEGISLATION. THEY SAID THEY’RE GOING TO USE A PART OF TH