Daily Real Estate News  |  September 19, 2005  |   Associations Disburse Relief to Katrina Victims Since the Alabama Association of REALTORSŪ began taking applications for Hurricane Katrina relief assistance last week, it has distributed $25,000 in aid from its Disaster Relief Fund to hurricane victims who have applied for aid. And they're not limiting that relief to citizens of their own state because so many displaced residents from Mississippi and Louisiana have decided to relocate to Alabama. In fact, 80 percent of the funds disbursed so far have gone to victims from other states, says Danny Cooper, AAR’s CEO. "We've already helped several REALTORSŪ relocate permanently to Alabama from Louisiana and Mississippi because they have nothing to return to," Cooper says. These REALTORSŪ have bought homes and are in the process of transferring their licenses. "They're starting to realize that they can't return and that's when the reality sinks in and the rebuilding begins," he says. Cooper spent several days last week touring the damage in the Gulf Coast region with NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS president Al Mansell. "The destruction is sobering," Cooper says. "In many places, there's nothing; there's just ground." Alabama's relief fund has $204,000 in its coffers so far to aid victims of the hurricane and expects to be inundated with applications in the coming weeks and beyond. To apply for aid or contribute to the fund, go to the AAR Web site. The Mississippi Association of REALTORSŪ says it has processed 600 of the more than 1,500 applications it has received and has committed to distributing more than $495,000 of the $735,000 in Hurricane Relief Fund. The first 500 checks were mailed on Friday. "The application review process has been difficult and heartwrenching for our fund directors," the association said in a statement. "It has become clear that the needs are tremendous, and we are going to run out of money before we run out of applications." The Louisiana REALTORSŪ Associations has distributed more than $35,000 from its relief fund, which has collected a little more than $288,000 in donations. "We've been able to aid about 50 people so far and we have about 60 applications pending," says Kyra Triche, the association's operations director. For now, there's a $2,500 cap on aid to any single individual, and the amount is determined by the applicant’s number of dependants, amount of loss, insurance, and other factors. "The money is going to help people with the basics of food, clothing, and rent," says Triche. Helping REALTORSŪ rebuild their businesses isn't the priority right now, she said. In three or four weeks, the New Orleans Metropolitan Association of REALTORSŪ is hoping to re-establish some services for members from its suburban Metairie building, which had several feet of water but is not a loss, said Triche. To apply for funds from the Louisiana REALTORSŪ Relief Foundation or to make a contribution, go to the LAR Web site. The REALTORSŪ Relief Foundation, which has collected more than $3.6 million in donations, approved the initial release of $1.05 million to the three state REALTORŪ association relief funds on Sept. 9, and the disbursements started last week. You can still donate to toward relief efforts. Contributions are tax deductible and can be made on the secure REALTORSŪ Relief Foundation Web Site. To donate by mail, send a check, payable to the REALTORSŪ Relief Foundation, to REALTORSŪ Relief Foundation, Attn: NAR Finance Division, 430 N. Michigan Ave., Chicago IL 60611. Read More on REALTORŪ Response For more information on how REALTORSŪ can help, visit the Hurricane Katrina Relief page at REALTOR.org. —Carolyn Schwaar for REALTORŪ Magazine Online