Katrina rent vouchers sought for homeless

NEW ORLEANS, May 28 (UPI) -- Homeless advocates in New Orleans say Congress needs to pass a funding bill for the Iraq war that includes rent subsidies for their city.

The measure added to the Iraq funding bill, approved by the Senate last week, includes $76 million earmarked for rent subsidies and services for as many as 3,000 of the growing number of homeless in New Orleans.

The money, which thus far is not in the House version of the bill, would replace federal "rapid rehousing" vouchers that are due to expire at the end of the year.

The New York Times said Wednesday that the homeless situation in New Orleans was aggravated by Hurricane Katrina, which ousted many poor people from their homes and left them unable to fend for themselves. Many homeless have physical or mental disabilities compounded by drug abuse.

A February estimate by outreach groups found that 86 percent of the homeless were from New Orleans. Sixty percent said Katrina made them homeless and 30 percent said they had at one time received rental assistance from Federal Emergency Management Agency.