Services

Disaster Management

BHA provides services in storm and disaster preparedness, emergency management, post‐event recovery and redevelopment with an emphasis on disaster recovery management and hazard mitigation. The firm is especially familiar with catastrophic flooding and the need to recover and mitigate severely damaged properties. The BHA Team services the professional engineering and disaster response needs of many government agencies and political subdivisions, as well as private companies. As the engineering firm for many of these entities, BHA has served as a consultant on numerous projects and provided engineering, project management, and grant application development services.

Hazard Mitigation Grant Program

BHA has significant experience with the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP), as well as with FEMA and GOHSEP. BHA employees are part of successful residential construction monitoring and State and Parish-administered grant programs in south Louisiana. We provide oversight of properties in participation with various residential Hazard Mitigation, Severe Repetitive Loss and Flood Mitigation Assistance Grant Programs.

BHA is the sole provider of construction supervision services for the parish-wide Hazard Mitigation Assistance elevation and reconstruction programs in Jefferson Parish. BHA provides licensed Certified Floodplain Managers, Surveyors, Construction Managers, Licensed Contractors, Inspectors, Professional Engineers, and FEMA, HMA, HMGP and NFIP subject matter experts.

BHA personnel have been involved with Jefferson Parish in over $280 million in funding grants for the program, in response to Hurricanes Katrina, Rita, Gustav, Ike and Isaac in the cities of Kenner, Gretna, Harahan, Westwego, Grand Isle, Jean Lafitte, Metairie, Marrero, River Ridge, Harvey, Barataria. BHA has been responsible for construction supervision services for over 1700 properties for Jefferson Parish’s HMA grant program for fiscal years 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017 2018, 2019, and 2020 and HMGP projects for Katrina/Rita, Gustav/Ike, and Isaac.

Louisiana Land Trust Program Management and Implementation

BHA is currently the program manager contracted to manage the demolition of more than 11,000 properties in 27 parishes damaged by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita through the Louisiana Land Trust. Our team has been actively involved in this project since its inception in January 2009 and provides a wide array of program management and implementation services for hurricane recovery, blight removal and redevelopment, including project management, site assessment, asbestos inspection, crew supervision and crew monitoring, and environmental review of properties. BHA also provides the exclusive surveying services for this project.

Hazard Mitigation Plan Updates

Under the Louisiana Planning Pilot Grant Program (LPPGP), BHA provides hazard mitigation planning services resulting in an update to the Action Plan contained within the Parish’s existing Hazard Mitigation Plan

Drainage Improvements/Redirection

Under the Disaster Recovery Unit of the state Office of Community Development, BHA provides overall project management to various public entities, including engineering, design and construction management services to redesign and modify existing drainage systems to effectively drain subdivisions and prevent flooding of residences.

Elevation Certificates/NFIP Expertise

BHA provides elevation certificates and boundary surveys in Catahoula, Concordia, East Baton Rouge, Jefferson, Livingston, Madison, Orleans, Plaquemines, St. Bernard, St. Charles, St. Tammany, Tensas, West Baton Rouge and other parishes. We offer a quick turnaround at reasonable rates, and our survey team boasts more than 30 years of experience.

BHA has substantial experience with the rules and regulations of numerous federal, state and local agencies, and is familiar with the requirements of recent legislation, including the Biggert-Waters Act.

BHA employs experts in NFIP, state and local floodplain ordinances, which seek to reduce future flooding and ultimately lower insurance rates throughout Louisiana. Our Certified Floodplain Managers are also members of the Louisiana Floodplain Managers Association and the Association of State Floodplain Managers. Our members regularly attend conferences and workshops to stay up to date on NFIP requirements for floodplain management, maps and studies, ordinance administration and insurance updates related to floodplain management.

Certified Floodplain Managers:

Melonie Ellzey, CFM

David Simoneaux, CFM

Chandler Jordan, CFM

Jeff Carey, CFM