Katrina victims still homeless
More than 400,000 people left homeless by Hurricane Katrina will remain living in hotel rooms past the Oct. 15 deadline set for their relocation, according to The Washington Post.
The hotel program was established as a temporary measure, but other ventures, including housing evacuees on cruise ships, have failed. Victims have moved from shelters to hotel rooms arranged for by the Red Cross and paid for by the federal government, which is costing approximately $8.3 million a day.
Rooms average about $59, and no cap has been put on room rates because in certain states there is no more room for evacuees. FEMA has agreed to reimburse the Red Cross for the hotel costs.
This week, the Red Cross placed the 50 people remaining in the D.C. Armory in local motels.
Traffic cams don't prevent crashes
A Washington Post analysis of car crash statistics shows that the number of accidents at D.C. intersections with red-light cameras has increased.
The analysis shows that the number of crashes at locations with cameras more than doubled, from 365 collisions in 1998 to 755 last year. Injury and fatal crashes rose 81 percent, from 144 such wrecks to 262. Broadside crashes increased by 30 percent, from 81 to 106.
Three traffic specialists independently reviewed the data and concluded that the cameras do not appear to be making any difference in preventing injuries or accidents.
City officials accredit the increase in accidents to higher traffic volume. The outside experts suggested that the cameras may be more useful at other intersections, which D.C. officials said they would study.
D.C. started the camera program in 1999 with the goal of reducing collisions and red-light running.
