TubeNet

Waiting for a taxi to take her to her job at McDonald's, Chanavia Williams of Galveston, who makes $5.75 an hour, laughed at the notion of buying provisions to sock away.

"We got food, but I got none saved," said Ms. Williams, 17, the single parent of a 2-year-old, who lives in public housing.

Ms. Williams said she would have to sacrifice buying diapers and baby clothes to afford a hurricane survival kit.

The plan would provide grants of as much as $150,000 per homeowner.

Louisiana's plan to use federal money for repairs, reconstruction and buyouts of hurricane-damaged property has been approved