Congresswoman Ros-Lehtinen & Director Peter J. Horton laud $2.5 million FAA grant to sound proof homes in Key West

Monroe County, FL – August 27, 2009 – (RealEstateRama) — Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, a senior member of the Florida Congressional Delegation, and Peter J. Horton, Director of Airports at Key West International Airport, were both very pleased that the Federal Aviation Administration has authorized a $2.5 million grant to sound proof homes in Key West, Florida.

The FAA grant will go towards soundproofing 38 homes under the Noise Insulation Program (NIP).  This grant is especially important because these homes were included in the program in the year 2000, but excluded by the FAA in 2005, causing a justifiable outcry among the affected homeowners.  These homeowners had been waiting five years and were then told they would be excluded from the program.

The homeowners and the Key West International Airport contacted Congresswoman Ros-Lehtinen who in turn wrote to the FAA. Director Horton’s staff was told about a month ago that the money had been appropriated and the grant was headed for clearance.

Said Ros-Lehtinen, “I am pleased that the FAA has awarded this grant to the Key West Airport so they can begin to pay for the noise insulation for 38 homeowners living around the airport. After waiting nearly 9 years for this project to begin, these homeowners will soon have the peace and quiet that all homeowners are entitled to have. Director Horton and his staff will work tirelessly to complete this long awaited and necessary project.”

Director Horton stated, “This grant for nearly $2.5 million is especially important because it pays for noise insulation for 38 homeowners who have been patiently waiting for nine years to have the work performed. These homes were originally approved in the year 2000, but were removed by the FAA in 2005.

Working with Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, we were able to get these homes back into our Noise Insulation Program two years ago. This year, when we applied for the construction money for these homes, we were told that funding may not be available. But recently we were told that the funding had been approved, and I have to again give credit to Ileana for making that miracle happen.”