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Hurricane Katrina Evacuees seek free lodging at 4-star hotel (41
comments; last comment posted Today 12:37 pm)
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By Anne Constable <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> | The New Mexican
September 30, 2005
A Louisiana family that fled Hurricane Katrina complained Thursday that a
four-star hotel in downtown Santa Fe declined to provide them with free
accommodations.
Paul Barielle, whose bill for a four-night stay at the Santa Fe Hilton was
paid by the Federal Emergency Management Administration, said Eldorado hotel
refused to give his family a room while they wait for their donated house to
be ready.
"It's an outrage," Barielle said. "I have not asked for much."
He said he was told the denial was a "matter of compensation."
According to Eldorado, where rooms currently go for $229 to $279 a night,
the hotel was fully booked for the dates Barielle requested.
Barielle, who said he, his wife, Jocelyn, and their twin daughters plan to
resettle in Santa Fe, said he was treated better at the Hilton, across the
street from Eldorado.
The Hilton confirmed Thursday that Barielle paid nothing for his room, which
included room service on one occasion. The hotel billed the Federal
Emergency Management Agency for the four nights at $179.95 per night.
According to the Hilton, the FEMA Plan requires only that the evacuee ask
for the FEMA rate and provide an identification showing that he or she lived
in one of the 200-odd ZIP codes impacted by the hurricane. A Hilton official
said FEMA supplied the chain with the billing forms. Participation by hotels
is voluntary.
Steve Bond, director of disaster response for the American Red Cross in
Santa Fe, said his organization is paying for hotel rooms for evacuees in
Albuquerque for 14 days. But the motel rates are in the $40 to $60 range.
"We're not approving anything at an expensive place like (Eldorado)," Bond
said.
Evacuees who register with the Red Cross also receive one-time emergency
grants for clothes, food and other essentials. The amounts depend on family
size. People may use the money in any way they want.
Linda Abeyta, an assistant to Eldorado's managing director, said she told
Barielle no rooms were available. But she said she asked him for evidence he
was part of the evacuation and even called a Los Alamos contact provided by
Barielle. She explained she hoped she could be of some help to the family.
"Nowadays, you have to be so careful," she said. "There are going to be
people who take advantage of this whole situation."
Abeyta said Eldorado knows nothing about the FEMA Plan and has had no other
requests for emergency housing. The Hilton has hosted one other family of
evacuees -- and billed FEMA in that case as well.
Richard Verruni, Eldorado's manager, said immediately after Katrina hit the
Gulf Coast, the hotel offered to honor guest-room-rate contracts for all
meetings scheduled to be held in New Orleans between now and February, and
to donate 10 percent of room revenue to the American Red Cross Disaster
Relief Fund or a local New Orleans charity. About 15 conference planners
have contacted Eldorado, he said, but none have rebooked at the Santa Fe
hotel so far.
Verruni invited displaced hospitality workers to call him for job
interviews. He also said the hotel matched employee contributions to the
relief effort and helped collect food and clothing for people displaced by
the storm. Relatives of some staff, he said, are living with friends and
relatives or at Louisiana shelters since the storm.
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On 9/30/05, Dana <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
>
> You mean you aren't? <g> Actually, having seen the varying interpretations
> of my comment that it didn't make a difference a few days ago, I see your
> point, but, I don't know how to break this to you, um, quoting Rush Limbaugh
> counts for more on this than any misinterpretation.
>
> On 9/30/05, Sam <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
> >
> > See, I said "Shhhh! He wasn't appointed by Bush."
> > And that turned into "no administration officials had been arrested
> > for corruption."
> > It's like playing telephone, it's no wonder you all think I'm a
> > right-wing-nut.
> >
> > On 9/30/05, Dana wrote:
> > > Ken said you had a point, that no administration official had been
> > arrested
> > > for corruption. I thought he was kidding.
> > >
> > > Dana
> >
> >
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