Two of Louisiana’s members of Congress and Gov. John Bel Edwards at a Jefferson Parish news conference Wednesday said they haven’t forgotten the need for federal hurricane assistance in Southwest Louisiana.

Many Southwest Louisiana homeowners have expressed concerns about being forgotten. They feared the extreme devastation in the New Orleans area would further delay the help they have waited a year to receive.

U.S. Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., and U.S. Rep. Steve Scalise, R-Jefferson, both said they are working on Community Development Block Grant-Disaster Recovery funding for Southwest Louisiana.

The CDBG funding provides money for homeowners to repair and restore their homes. Many residents of Southwest Louisiana have been unable to return to the area because their homes are uninhabitable.

Both congressmen said they will now begin working for the homeowners in southeast Louisiana.

All three state officials said President Joe Biden will be visiting southeast Louisiana Friday to see Hurricane Ida’s destruction first-hand. They said they will talk with the president about getting the necessary funding for both Southwest and southeast Louisiana.

Scalise said he spoke with Lake Charles Mayor Nic Hunter about that funding and assured him the congressional delegation is working to get the money. Hunter has been the main advocate for homeowners throughout Southwest Louisiana.

Edwards was asked about the long delay in Southwest Louisiana homeowners getting that CDBG money. He said there is no excuse for it taking as long as it has, but public officials haven’t stopped working to speed up the process.