Urban Unrest

26 November 2006 | Politics | Ernesto Aguilar

From New Orleans activists:
For all those who oppose the demolition of 5000 desperately needed, virtually undamaged apartments, HUD and the Housing Authority of New Orleans (HANO) are required to listen to your opinion! The federal judge hearing the case against the demolitions has required HANO to hold a consultative meeting with residents and supporting organizations. You don’t have to be a resident to give your opinion to HANO. Write an email or send the attached sample to the address listed below today, and cc: survivorsvillage@gmail.com, so we can print your emails and bring them to HANO’s meeting on November 29th. Visit www.survivorsvillage.com or www.justiceforneworleans.org for more information.

All written comments should be sent to: info@hano.org. You may also call 504-670-3300, but emails provide documented support!

Lafitte Development is the most pristine looking of all the public housing complexes in NOLA. Paradoxically, it is the first one slated for demolition! Even an architect for the developers said he admired the structures and condition of the buildings, and DOESN’T think they should be torn down. Many think that if HUD can succeed in demolishing this beautiful site, the others will be easy game. The property is also extremely valuable, only a few blocks from the French Quarter and the Central Business District.

In August HUD announced two major partners in its plan to destroy this immediately inhabitable housing - Enterprise Community Partners and Providence Community Housing. Enterprise has a long history of assisting the ‘downsizing’ of low-income housing across the nation. Providence is a new organization associated with Catholic Charities whose president was party to the destruction of St Thomas development of NOLA. Developers turned St Thomas into River Gardens, in the process permanently displacing approximately 900 families but giving Wal-Mart a new home. The few families who could return describe the new neighborhood complaint system and it’s restrictive rules as ‘like living in prison’. Send the attached sample to the email addresses below, and then call the folks on their direct lines listed below and tell them to end their support for HUD’s ‘Campaign of Homelessness’. Tell them that they must withdraw their support for the demolition of Lafitte and let people come home to their undamaged homes NOW! If you live nearby, deliver your letter in person – maybe with a group! Remember, they will lie to you, just like they lied to the former residents of St Thomas development, where 900 families were promised new homes they never received.

Aaron Weisner, aweisner@enterprisecommunity.org
410-772-2621 New Orleans Project Lead
Enterprise Community Partners, American City
Building, 10227 Wincopin Circle, Columbia, Maryland
James R. Kelly, jkelly@archdiocese-no.org
504-592-5683 President Providence Community Housing,
1050 S. Jeff Davis Pkwy, Suite 301, New Orleans, LA 70125

You may also want to talk to Tom Costanza tcostanza@archdiocese-no.org (504-596-3097), the Director of the Office of Justice and Peace for Catholic Charities, and tell him what you think JUSTICE looks like.

Connie Andry candry@archdiocese-no.org (504-310-8738), the head of the Homeless Services project for Catholic Charities might want a heads up that she’s about to get a lot busier if Providence helps evict all the Lafitte residents.

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