Lowes to offer Katrina Cottage

[n74tg]

Yesterday I got my fourth of July Lowes sale flyer in the mail.  Right there in the middle is an add for the Katrina Cottage (and two other smaller house plans).  The Lowes website says that in late 2006 they got together with Marianne Cusato (Katrina plans architect) to offer more affordable house alternatives to Hurricane Katrina survivors along the Gulf Coast.  These kits (plans and materials) are offered at Mississippi and Louisiana Lowes stores.

I don't know if this is good news, or bad news.

[John_C]

I lived in the FL Keys for nearly 20 years and the rule of thumb for a house built to sustain a direct hit by a hurricane was....    "The best thing is a low house on high ground.  Next best is a high (stilt) house on low ground."

Houses on low ground were built on stilts allowing a storm surge to pass underneath.  New Orleans by definition is low ground.  All of the Katrina Cottage proposals I've seen are houses built on grade, virtually guaranteeing they will one day be flooded.  This shouldn't be rocket science.  What am I missing?