JEFFERSON PARISH, La. — Hurricane Ida left shredded and leaky roofs for miles in her path, but it may take some time before a roofer can get to your house for repairs.
So the Army Corps of Engineers has a free program to help.
Roof damage is everywhere in Southeast Louisiana. Drive down any street and you'll see shingles mixed in with all the tree debris, but behind the scenes, the Army Corps of Engineers is already working on a solution. It's called the Blue Roof Mission.
In Hurricane Laura last year in Southwest Louisiana, contractors working with the Corps installed reinforced plastic sheeting on damaged roofs. They are blue but the corps says these are much stronger than those blue tarps we all remember from Hurricane Katrina. In fact, when Hurricane Delta came into the areas hit by Laura, 87 percent of the installed sheeting held.
“The Blue Roof Program is about getting as many houses into living conditions as possible. So if you sustained roof damage, we really want you to take advantage of this program,” said Governor John Bel Edwards.
The Corps is already doing aerial and satellite surveillance of damaged roofs to get an idea of the job ahead. So here's what you need to do.
Call or go to the website and apply for a "right of entry." That will then go to an assigned contractor who will start scheduling installation parish by parish. It won't be immediate because contractors are in the process of moving into temporary housing. After it's done, the Corps will come to inspect it for quality control. That will buy you some time and protection while you are waiting for a roofer. One person who had a blue sheeting installation said she waited six months to hire a roofer, knowing the price of shingles would come down after the initial demand.
The number for the program is 888-roof-blue. Or www.blueroof.us. This is a free program, so beware of scams if anyone asks for money.