The Hill News

Sixty-percent of Americans believe the city of New Orleans needs more government aid to help rebuild from Hurricane Katrina, according to the latest CBS News poll.

About the same number believe the federal government is not prepared for a similar storm.

The poll comes shortly after officials noted last week that much of the funding earmarked for hurricane relief remains undistributed. 

By one estimate, more than a quarter of the $20 billion appropriated to the Housing and Urban Development relief fund for Katrina victims has not been disbursed.

MSNBC reported that in the case of one housing program, more than $777 million remains because agency duties have shifted and no staff is assigned to distribute it.

One official blamed the delay on paperwork issues.

Meanwhile, a federal judge found the formula employed by the Disaster Recovery Unit, which oversees the disbursement of funds, discriminates against black homeowners by tending to make calculations based on the pre-storm value of the home.

Families in more affluent neighborhoods, which tend to be majority-white, instead received funding based on a "repair value" calculation.

President Obama, first lady Michelle Obama and several cabinet members have planned a trip to New Orleans for Aug. 29 to note the five-year anniversary.

First lady Laura Bush was in the city Frid! ay for a similar event.

According to the CBS poll! , 52 per cent say the city has still not recovered, while 35 percent say it mostly has. Asked whether it will ever recover, 34 percent believe it will not.