| How You Can Help | Action Alerts/Events |
Update:
March 25, 2008
Public Housing:
Demolition has begun at C.J. Peete, B.W. Cooper and St. Bernard. New Orleans Mayor Nagin has given the green light for the demolition to proceed at Lafitte and is expected soon. See: NOLA.com article
Last week there were civil disobedience arrests at St. Bernard and Lafitte, brining to several dozen total arrests so far.
United Nations experts on housing and minority rights have criticized the demolition of public housing in New Orleans calling it a violation of international human rights. See: AHN Article
HUD Secretary Alphonso Jackson is under FBI investigation for actions taken in several places across the US, including New Orleans, and has been asked to resign by two U.S. Senators. See: A.P. Article
All legal challenges in federal court have been denied and are on appeal to the U.S. Fifth Circuit – unfortunately the Fifth Circuit has refused to fast track the appeals so no decisions are expected for months.
Internationally, New Orleans expects to join the Zero Evictions Campaign. Look for developments at: IAI Article
The companies who are the developers of new housing on the site of 4500 units of soon to be demolished public housing in New Orleans are:
- C.J. Peete – McCormack Baron Salazar and KAI Design & Build
- B.W. Cooper – KBK and BWC Resident Management Corporation
- St. Bernard – Fore! Kids Foundation, Columbia Residential (former partners of HUD Secretary Jackson) and Baton Rouge Area Foundation
- Lafitte – Providence Community Housing and Enterprise Community Partners
See: HUD Press Release
Other Affordable Housing Update:
FEMA has begun moving 30,000 hurricane displaced families out of trailers across the gulf – despite severe housing shortage.
Policy Link documents that only 2 of 5 Louisiana renters who need affordable housing can expect to find it. They also document that even when all the planned subsidized housing in New Orleans is rebuilt (and we are a long way from that point today) the total will reduce the amount of subsidized housing by about two-thirds that existed before Katrina. https://www.policylink.org/
City of New Orleans is working hard to criminalize homelessness and expects to pass a new ordinance in April to allow the arrest of homeless people who sleep on the street. New Orleans homeless population has doubled since Katrina. Experts now estimate that 1 in 25 people in New Orleans is homeless, the highest rate in the nation. See: USA Today Article
How to Help:
Watch the Zero Evictions Website and support the campaign: https://www.habitants.org/article/articleview/1449/1/276/
Contact Elected Officials:
George Bush – President - (202) 456-1111 - Ask him to fire Alphonso Jackson
Alphonso Jackson, Sec. of HUD - (202) 708-1112 - Ask him to resign
Sen. Mary Landrieu (202) 224-5824; Fax: 202-224-9735 - Ask her to insist on one to one replacement of all demolished public housing
Sen. David Vitter - (504) 589-2753, DC Office (202) 224-4623
Action Alerts:
CALL TO ACTION
Protest Sen. David Vitter on Jan. 25th— International Day of Action in Defense of New Orleans' Public Housing
Join us Friday, January 25th from 2-4 PM as we tell Senator David "Family Values" Vitter at his home to stop blocking Senate Bill 1668 and let our working class families come home.
We will meet at Carrolton and Canal (old Robert parking lot) at 1:30 PM and then caravan to Vitter's.
Call the number below if you need a ride.
Directions to David Vitter's Home at 238 Helois in Metairie: (from New Orleans take I-10 west, get off at the Bonnabel exit (Exit 229) take first left on Bonnabel Blvd. Take right on Brockenbraugh, and take first left on Helios).
For more information call 504-520-9521
See events in other cities
How You Can Help
1. Get on the Phone- Call your congressional and senate representatives urging them to support the passage of SB 1668- the New Orleans Housing Recovery Act, currently awaiting a vote in the Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committees.
See Call-In Numbers below
2. If you are interested in coming to New Orleans to help, email us at action@peopleshurricane.org for more information
3. Spread the Word via, e-mail - Get the word out to your network of family, friends and co-workers. The attack on low-income and poor families is not limited to New Orleans, If we allow affordable housing to disappear during a critical time in it’s recovery, there will be less chance for it’s survival throughout the US.
4. Keep updated, visit www.defendneworleanspublichousing.org (aka www.NoDozers.org) regularly for updates!
5. Find out about solidarity actions in your area by visiting our solidarity network page.
Call-In Numbers:
City Council Member Stacey Head: Head has been the leading force on the City Council in pushing for the demolitions and mixed income housing. (504) 658-1020
City Council Member Shelley Midura: Encourage Midura to oppose the demolitions and support the reopening of public housing. (504) 658-1010
D.H. Griffin: The Contractors hired to demolish Lafitte. For the locations of local offices across the South go to https://www.dhgriffin.com/about/locations.asp. (888) 336-3366
Senator David Vitter: The Louisiana senator actively support the demolitions by blocking the passage of Senate Bill 1668: The Gulf Coast Recovery Act. Put pressure on him to support SB 1668. Washington D.C. Office (202) 224-4623 New Orleans Office (504) 589-2753
Senate Banking,Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee Members: SB 1668 is currently stuck in the Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs committee. Demand that they approve SB 1668.
Senator Christopher Dodd (202) 224-2823
Senator Tim Johnson (202) 224-1638
Senator Jack Reed (202) 224-4642
Senator Charles Schumer 202-224-0420
Senator Evan Bayh (202) 224-5623
Senator Tom Carper (202) 224-2441
Senator Robert Menendez (202) 224-4744
Senator Daniel Akaka (202) 224-6361
Senator Sherrod Brown (202) 224-2315
Senator Robert Casey (202) 224-6324
Senator Jon Tester (202) 224-2644
Senator Richard Shelby (202) 224-5744
Senator Robert Bennent (202) 224-5444
Senator Wayne Allard (202) 224-5941
Senator Michael Enzi (202) 224-3424
Senator Chuck Hagel (202) 224-4224
Senator Jim Bunning (202) 224-4343
Senator Mike Crapo (202) 224-6142
Senator John Sununu (202) 224-2841
Senator Elizabeth Dole (202) 224-6342
Senator Mel Martinez (202) 224-304
Send info about any solidarity actions happening to action@peopleshurricane.org with "Solidarity" in the subject line. If you have any questions contact the Stop the Demolition Coalition at action@peopleshurricane.org or call us at 504-458-3494.
Contact Elected Officials:
George Bush – President - (202) 456-1111
Alphonso Jackson, Secy of HUD - (202) 708-1112
Sen. Mary Landrieu, (202) 224-5824; Fax: 202-224-9735
Sen. David Vitter - (504) 589-2753, DC Office (202) 224-4623
Rep. William Jefferson Phone: (202) 225-6636; FAX: (202) 225-1988
Contact the following to let them know what a miscarriage of justice has been done in their support of demolition
Mayor of New Orleans Ray Nagin – (504) 658-4900
New Orleans City Council Members:
Arnie Fielkow - (504) 658-1060 AFielkow@cityofno.com
Jacquelyn Clarkson - (504) 658-1070 JBClarkson@cityofno.com
Stacy Head - (504) 658-1020 SHead@cityofno.com
Shelley Midura - (504) 658-1010 SMidura@cityofno.com
James Carter - (504) 658-1030 JCarter@cityofno.com
Cynthia Hedge-Morrell - (504) 658-1040 CHMorrell
Cynthia Willard-Lewis - (504) 658-1050 CWLewis@cityofno.com
Read the original Call to Action
The Faces:
Here are some of the public housing residents leading the struggle for affordable housing in New Orleans.
Photos by Mavis Yorks