Fwd: Update on New Orleans Public Housing
Jennifer
I thought you all might be interested in what is happening here in New
Orleans with the threat to public housing and the extreme crisis of
homelessness, if you haven't already heard.
all best,
Jennifer Whitney
Did you know?
- Homelessness in New Orleans has nearly tripled since Katrina, and
more than 200,000 New Orleanians remain displaced.
- Rents have skyrocketed since the storm, up more than 45%.
- Public housing sustained minimal damage during Katrina and could be
renovated cheaply and quickly for people to move in now.
- The homeless population of New Orleans before Katrina was around
6,000. Now, it is estimated to be 12,000-16,000 people. This will
dramatically increase as 65,000 people will be evicted from their FEMA
trailers across the Gulf coast over the next six months.
Next week HUD plans to raze 4,600 units of habitable affordable
housing, spending $762 million to destroy rather than build housing New
Orleans desperately needs.
For more info, see the website of the Coalition to Stop the Demolition
www.defendneworleanspublichousing.org
Also, here's an excellent article by lawyer and Loyola law school
professor Bill Quigley:
Christmas Presents for New Orleans from HUD:
Bulldozers for the Poor, Huge Tax Credits for Wealthy Developers
http://www.counterpunch.org/quigley12032007.html
And here is info on how to get involved - please contact either of
these two addresses immediately below for more information, as I am
only working on one specific aspect of the planned actions:
> ---------- Forwarded message ----------
> From: Stop the Demolition Coalition <act...@peopleshurricane.org>
> Date: Nov 27, 2007 10:25 PM
> Subject: CALL TO ACTION: Join the fight to defend public housing in
> New Orleans
> To: nat...@gmail.com
>
>
> CALL TO ACTION: Pledge of resistance in defense of the right to
> housing in New Orleans and the Gulf Coast
>
>
> December 10th is Human Rights Day. Come to New Orleans December 10th
> and join the Stop the Demolition Coalition as we mount a campaign to
> stop the demolition of public housing.
>
>
