Mar 15 2010
Since the discovery that toxic Chinese drywall has devastated homes in Florida, attorney Mike Ryan has worked to help find relief and solutions for homeowners across Broward County and the State. Ryan, a partner at Krupnick Campbell Malone Buser Slama Hancock Liberman & McKee, has traveled to Tallahassee and Washington, D.C. with homeowners and builders to press elected and agency officials to find immediate solutions to save communities from this defective drywall catastrophe.
On November 25, 2009, FEMA sent a letter to U.S. Senators explaining what role FEMA could play in this catastrophe. Ryan discovered "FEMA was essentially blaming the State for failing to start the process for securing emergency help for our homeowners and businesses."
Yesterday, the Interim Director of the State of Florida's Division of Emergency Management wrote FEMA requesting "urgent assistance." Ryan explained, "It is nearly one year to the day that Congressman Wexler asked Governor Crist to declare a state of emergency. Now, with numerous City and County Commissions passing resolutions requesting the Governor to activate emergency resources, emails from homeowners all over the State to the Governor's office, and numerous trips to the Capitol, finally the grass efforts are finally working. Maybe, the State is finally beginning to understand the scope of this catastrophe and the desperate situation for homeowners."
Quoting from the March 10, 2010 letter, Florida's Interim Director said, "Florida families are suffering deeply and we need your urgent assistance....It is undisputed that Chinese drywall corrodes copper and other metal surfaces, causing the degradation and non-performance of wiring, plumbing, appliances and smoke detectors."
Ryan outlined, "The request for Federal assistance finally recognizes that the damage to the home is unquestionably 'substantial,' requiring at a minimum all of the defective drywall to be gutted from the home. In fact, some builders are tearing the homes down to the block and studs. And, we know it is caused by the defective drywall. Thankfully, in requesting this emergency assistance, the State finally appreciates that we do not have to wait for scientific proof of health side effects before trying to save our homes, businesses and communities."
Explaining the scope of the disaster, Ryan added, "People are losing their homes because they are unable to rent or sell the home, and many are unable to live in the homes. The blight of abandonment is infecting blocks, subdivisions, buildings and communities. Businesses in the building industry are declaring bankruptcy. Insurance companies are refusing to provide coverage, and some have even dropped homeowners' policies once the insurance companies learned the homes had defective drywall. In the meantime, homeowners are paying mortgages, taxes and upkeep on the homes. Homeowners, simply put, have nowhere else to go."
HUD recently said Community Development Block Grant funds may be available. However, the HUD system requires municipalities to request the funds, and they are slow in coming or unavailable based upon income restrictions or have already been used up by the municipalities.
"The shelf life on patience has been running out. The financial futures of families and business are on the line and put at risk. These homeowners are not looking for a handout. They understand there are foreign manufacturers who are responsible and the law may provide recovery from the building and insurance industry. But, while the litigation runs its course, families, businesses, and communities are being impacted terribly."
Ryan applauded the request for financial assistance, quoting from the letter, "Finally, and most importantly, Governor Crist has directed me to request that you identify and distribute financial aid to the families suffering as a result of this defective drywall. Any disaster funding that could be provided to these individuals would help relieve the significant burdens they are experiencing."
"Since March of 2009, we have been describing this catastrophe as a 'silent hurricane,' with a path of destruction throughout Florida and the country," said Ryan. "In some sense, it is worse than a hurricane, because insurance companies are refusing to cover the damage and some of these companies are abandoning Florida families. The recognition that these families need financial assistance is welcomed, even if a full year after we first asked for help.
"This disaster is an equal opportunity catastrophe, affecting the wealthy and those on fixed incomes, those of all races, religions, and political affiliations, and both homeowners and businesses throughout the State of Florida. Simply put, the highest calling of government is to help those who have done nothing wrong and have tried every other means to fix a problem. The time to help is now, not another year from now after yet another study or taskforce report. Now, the ball is in FEMA's court, and let's hope they move quickly!"
Source: http://krupnicklaw.com/