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Solidarity Actions

Documents:

Facts vs. Myths

Demolition fact-sheet

Busting Vitter's Myths

Links:

Justice for New Orleans

Peoples Hurricane Relief

New Orleans Indymedia

SF Bay View

Lakewood-Colorado-Payday.Loan - fast money with any credit score in USA

Media:

Save Public Housing in New Orleans

Amy Goodmand Democracy Now
 Democracy Now! coverage

The Battle Over New Orleans Public Housing

Dolan Media Newswire Story

Locking out New Orleans' poor (Salon)

H.O.P.E.- Housing Opportunities For People
Everywhere - the St. Bernard

HANO to demolish New Orleans Public Housing video

Images: Public Housing In New Orleans

 

COALITION TO STOP THE DEMOLITION

Goals: 1) No Demolition until 1:1 replacement is guaranteed 2) Resident participation in any redevelopment planning

Organizational Endorsements:

  1. Advocates for Environmental Human Rights

  2. Agenda for Children

  3. African American Leadership Project (AALP)

  4. American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee of New Orleans

  5. Amnesty International USA

  6. Anti Racism Working Group

  7. Ashe Cultural Arts Center

  8. The Baptist Peace Fellowship of North America

  9. Black Love Movement

  10. Center for Empowered Decision Making

  11. Central City Partnership

  12. Christian Unity Baptist Church

  13. Churches Supporting Churches

  14. Common Ground Health Clinic

  15. Craige Cultural Center

  16. Critical Resistance New Orleans

  17. C3 Hands Off Iberville

  18. Ebenezer Baptist Church

  19. European Dissent

  20. Faith in Action Evangelistic Team

  21. Faith Temple Church of God the Holy Ghost Center, New Orleans

  22. First United Baptist Church

  23. FYRE Youth Squad

  24. Gert Town Revival Initiative, Inc.,

  25. Greater New Orleans Fair Housing Action Center

  26. Hope House

  27. INCITE! New Orleans

  28. Institute of Women & Ethnic Studies

  29. Left Turn Magazine

  30. Louisiana Justice Institute

  31. Louisiana Unity Coalition on Black Civic Participation

  32. Malcolm X Grassroots Movement

  33. Mennonite Central Committee—New Orleans

  34. Mennonite Disaster Service

  35. Millions More Movement

  36. Moving Forward Gulf Coast, Inc.

  37. The NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc.

  38. National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP)

  39. National Coalition on Black Civic Participation

  40. The National Hip Hop Political Convention

  41. National Trust for Historic Preservation

  42. New Orleans Interfaith Worker Justice

  43. New Orleans International Human Rights Film Festival

  44. New Orleans Women's Health & Justice Initiative

  45. New Orleans Women's Health Clinic

  46. New Orleans Workers’ Center for Racial Justice

  47. Nuthinbutfire Records

  48. Pax Christi—New Orleans

  49. Peoples’ Hurricane Relief Fund

  50. People’s Institute for Survival and Beyond

  51. The Praxis Project

  52. The Renaissance Project

  53. Restaurant Opportunities Center—New Orleans

  54. Safe Streets Strong Communities

  55. Situations: Project for the Radical Imagination

  56. Southern Christian Leadership Conference

  57. Total Community Action Faith Collaborative

  58. Twomey Center for Peace Through Justice

  59. United Teachers of New Orleans

  60. Welfare Rights Organization

  61. Youth Inspirational Connection, Inc,

  62. Youth Media Council

Additional organizations have endorsed the Gulf Coast Housing Recovery Act of 2007 (S.1668), which would provide that no demolition shall occur until HUD devises a plan to replace all of the units that would be demolished.

The list can be found here



First, be aware of these major warning signs:

  1. Upfront Fees: A legitimate lender will never ask you to pay a fee before you receive the loan. This is illegal under the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) rules. Scammers often call this an "insurance fee," "processing fee," or "activation fee."

  2. Pressure to Act Immediately: Scammers create a false sense of urgency. A reputable lender will give you time to review the terms.

  3. No Physical Address or Verifiable Information: Be wary of lenders with only a P.O. Box or no listed address. A legitimate business should have a verifiable physical location.

  4. Not Registered in Nevada: All lenders must be registered and licensed to operate in the state of Nevada. This is your most powerful verification tool.

  5. Unsolicited Offers: Be extremely cautious of loan offers that come via phone call, text, or email out of the blue. Legitimate lenders don't typically operate this way.

  6. Requests for Unusual Payment Methods: If they ask you to pay via gift cards, wire transfers (like Western Union or MoneyGram), or cryptocurrency, it is 100% a scam.

  7. Guaranteed Approval: No legitimate lender can guarantee approval without checking your creditworthiness. This is a classic trap for people with bad credit.

Green Flags of a Legitimate Lender (What to Look For)

  1. Clear and Transparent Terms: They clearly disclose the Annual Percentage Rate (APR), all fees, the total cost of the loan, and the repayment schedule before you sign anything.

  2. They Check Your Credit: A legitimate lender will perform a credit check (hard or soft pull) to assess your ability to repay.

  3. A Professional Website: The website should be professional, secure (look for https:// and a padlock icon in the address bar), and free of spelling errors.

  4. Verifiable Contact Information: They have a physical address, a customer service phone number, and professional email addresses.

Step-by-Step Verification Process for Las Vegas/Nevada Lenders

Follow these steps to conduct your own due diligence:

Step 1: Check Nevada State Licensing (The Most Important Step)
All legitimate lenders operating in Las Vegas must be licensed with the Nevada Department of Business and Industry, specifically the Financial Institutions Division (FID).

  • How to Check: Go to the Nevada FID Licensee Search website.

    • You can search by the company's name.

    • This will confirm if they are legally allowed to offer loans in the state. If they are not listed, do not do business with them.

Step 2: Verify Their Physical Address

  • Use Google Maps to look up their listed Las Vegas address. Does it look like a real office building? Does it match the business name?

  • Be cautious of lenders that only use mail drops or virtual offices.

Step 3: Check with the Better Business Bureau (BBB)

  • Search for the lender on the BBB website. Look at their rating, customer reviews, and, most importantly, how they handle complaints.

Step 4: Read Independent Online Reviews

  • Look beyond the reviews on the lender's own website. Check Google Reviews, Trustpilot, and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) complaint database.

  • Look for patterns. A few negative reviews are normal, but multiple reports of hidden fees or fraudulent activity are a major red flag.

Step 5: Know Your Rights and Nevada's Laws

  • Nevada has specific laws cinterest rates and fees for different loan types. For example, payday lending is legal but heavily regulated with strict terms. A legitimate lender will operate within these laws.

  • Familiarize yourself with the Nevada Revised Statutes (NRS) Chapter 604A on deferred deposit loans (payday loans) to understand the rules lenders must follow.

Where to Report a Suspicious Lender in Nevada

If you suspect a lender is a scam or is operating illegally:

  1. Nevada Financial Institutions Division (FID): File a complaint directly with the state regulator. This is the most effective place to report unlicensed activity.

  2. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB): Submit a complaint online. The CFPB will forward it to the company and work to get a response.

  3. Federal Trade Commission (FTC): Report fraud at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.

  4. Nevada Attorney General's Office: File a complaint with the Bureau of Consumer Protection.

Final Advice: Trust your instincts. If a deal feels too good to be true or something feels "off," walk away. Taking time to find a legitimate lender is always better than dealing with the devastating financial consequences of a scam.