The hurricanes still are felt

• Welcome to the property management blog, our diary fo the property management business. We did not service any properties in the impact area of Katrina. But we did get calls from people all over the country who were displaced by Katrina and were looking to get re-established. One of the first things they needed to do was get storage for the belongings they were able to bring out in the evacuation and for new belongings that they might acquire for a new household before their new household was rented or purchased. Some callers were receiving items to help them get reestablished but had no where to put the items. These calls came from all corners of the country. We service a self storage property in Lake Charles, LA, which was swamped by Rita. The managers will not be allowed back into the area until October 3rd to assess the damage. Early evacuations meant that the store staff was out of harm’s way when the storm hit. One of the commercial properties that we service helped open a disaster recovery office for LA and MS evacuees here in Columbia, MO. The complex, Parkade Plaza, is home to a few social service agencies and was a natural choice for a resource referral site. The recovery center was set up in the office of the Boone County Community Partnership Office, which is an umbrella agency for promoting community based improvements. Even though we are a small community very far from the action, we had about 160 families to assist. Some came here to be with family during Katrina and ended up stranded with no home to return to. Some just ended up here. Former PhoneSmart employee, Rev. Lorenzo Lawson, the executive director of Columbia’s Youth Empowerment Program, served as the disaster recovery office’s director, pulling together local agencies and church relief groups to coordinate relief efforts. The center was able to help evacuees find shelter, food, medical care, transportation, job referrals and school enrollment. The whole community pulled together for these several hundred people and did what could be done to help them land on their feet and to help all the many others far form us. PhoneSmart and every other business, organization and place of worship in town collected food, clothing and store gift cards to pass to evacuees who ended up here in Columbia and to pass on to others in need elsewhere. The local Red Cross, Salvation Army and many local churches opened up temporary shelter for the displaced. Local landlords offered discounted rent on vacant apartments. Fortunately almost all the evacuees were able to get out of the shelters and into a more-home-like environment quickly. We have not felt the same local impact from Rita, but we hope the donated items for Katrina will also find their way to Rita’s many displaced people, too.

Related Posts:

NAA release- What are the points?- The benefit of a small business- rent while you are out- PhoneSmart basic information- When are phone calls missed at a property?- Storage Video Highlights Kansas City Storage Units- Stop and Listen- Why a call center?- Recovery protocols

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Disclamer: This entry is intended to promote our partner StorageMart and some or all participants received compensation.

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