NEW ORLEANS – As a sign of progress on the horizon, the Orleans Parish Criminal Sheriff’s Office has begun demolishing Templeman III and IV and a gym at the Orleans Parish Prison compound, to pave the way to rebuild two essential jail facilities in the city. Today the Sheriff’s Office, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the state of Louisiana announced available FEMA Public Assistance funding and plans for rebuilding the facilities.

Templeman III and Templeman IV, which together housed almost 1,438 inmates, were filled to capacity at the time Hurricane Katrina inundated their first floors with five feet of water. In addition, the flood destroyed critical electrical, mechanical and security systems as well as other important components used by the Orleans Parish Criminal Sheriff’s Office in the daily operations of the jails.

The Templeman buildings that once boasted state-of-the-art technology, before becoming storm casualties, will be rebuilt with more than $52.3 million recently obligated by FEMA.

“This success has been facilitated by working hand in hand with FEMA project officers with the same goal in mind: to restore the Sheriff’s Office complex to its pre-disaster condition,” said Sheriff Marlin N. Gusman. “The funds to replace the Templeman buildings will allow us to house inmates in a facility designed with space for rehabilitative services, a new kitchen, and intake and processing center.”  

The Sheriff’s Office is providing 7,500 meals a day from a small, emergency kitchen and using refrigerated trucks for storage.  The Central Lock-up facility, where all arrestees are processed, was outdated in the late 80s.  

“I see this as a great step forward for Orleans Parish and the state of Louisiana,” said Louisiana Recovery Authority Executive Director Paul Rainwater. “I understand the difficulties Sheriff Gusman has faced in returning these basic safety needs to New Orleans. Together with our state and federal partners, we are committed to speeding dollars to help repair these facilities in an efficient manner.”    

Templeman III was a maximum security prison with 600, double-occupancy cells and two single cells for isolation. Templeman IV consisted of dorms for 234 inmates.

With 12 jails before Katrina, the Orleans Parish Criminal Sheriff’s Office had an inmate population of 6,020 the day Katrina struck. Today, about 2,600 inmates serve their time in the restored jails of the Sheriff’s Office compound.

“We are working diligently to help rebuild New Orleans’ criminal justice system, and the funds for the two Templeman buildings illustrate our goal,” said Acting Associate Deputy Administrator for FEMA’s Gulf Coast Recovery Jim Stark. “Sheriff Gusman has been unwavering in his focus to strengthen the Sheriff’s Office compound, and I am pleased to see that our long partnership with the state and the Sheriff’s Office has produced such significant results.”

FEMA has obligated $142.6 million to assist the Sheriff’s Office in various rebuilding projects. In addition, the agency has provided $62.7 million to restore other buildings in the city’s criminal justice system.

“The Templeman buildings are a great example of how federal, state and local partners work together to build better, safer and stronger,” said Mark Riley, Assistant Deputy Director, Disaster Recovery Division, Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness (GOHSEP). “We look forward to continuing our close working relationship with FEMA and the Sheriff’s Office to complete other projects.”

When project funds are obligated by FEMA through its supplemental Public Assistance grant, the funds are transferred to a federal Smartlink account. Once the funds have reached this account the applicant can request reimbursement from GOHSEP for eligible work completed. Obligated funds may change over time as the project worksheet is a living grant that is often adjusted as bids come in and scope of work is aligned.

During his first day in office, Governor Bobby Jindal issued an Executive Order directing the Louisiana Recovery Authority to be responsible for the state’s actions with regard to FEMA’s Public Assistance program. The LRA is working in conjunction with GOHSEP and its federal partners to identify ways to streamline the Public Assistance process and improve efficiency, with the ultimate goal of cutting in half the length of time that applications spend in the process.  

The Public Assistance program works with state and local officials to fund recovery measures and the rebuilding of government and certain private nonprofit organizations’ buildings and recreation centers, as well as roads, bridges and water and sewer plants. In order for the process to be successful, federal, state and local partners coordinate to draw up project plans, fund these projects and oversee their completion.

Hurricanes Katrina and Rita devastated South Louisiana, claiming 1,464 lives, destroying more than 200,000 homes and 18,000 businesses. The Louisiana Recovery Authority (LRA) is the planning and coordinating body that was created in the aftermath of these storms to lead one of the most extensive rebuilding efforts in the world. The LRA is a 33-member body which is coordinating across jurisdictions, supporting community recovery and resurgence, ensuring integrity and effectiveness, and planning for the recovery and rebuilding of Louisiana.