[News] Save 5000 New Orleans Apartments in a single email!

[Anti-Imperialist News]

From: "n d" <arugula2 at gmail.com>
Date: November 25, 2006 10:13:34 AM PST
To: baygulfsupporters at lists.riseup.net, baygulfsolidarity at lists.riseup.net
Subject: [baygulfsolidarity] SAVE 5000 New 
Orleans Apartments in a single email!
Reply-To: baygulfsolidarity at lists.riseup.net, "n d" <arugula2 at gmail.com>

Date: Sat, 25 Nov 2006 07:16:15 -0600
From: survivors village <survivorsvillage at gmail.com>
Subject: SAVE 5000 New Orleans Apartments in a
single email!


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 at 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 at 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 at enterprisecommunity.org
410-772-2621    New Orleans Project Lead
Enterprise Community Partners, American City
Building, 10227 Wincopin Circle, Columbia, Maryland
James R. Kelly, jkelly at 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 at 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 at 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.

NO JUSTICE, NO PEACE!  - KNOW JUSTICE, KNOW PEACE!
Contact 504-717-7324 for more information
HUD and HANO,

REOPEN ALL PUBLIC HOUSING ... SAVE LAFITTE!!

ENTERPRISE and PROVIDENCE

END YOUR PROFITEERING COMPLICITY WITH THESE
EVICTIONS!




Attorneys say displaced residents "...have already
been wrongfully deprived of one Christmas at home,
the court should not deprive them of a second. This
Thanksgiving, as we reflect on all that we have,
this Court should allow Plaintiffs the simple
dignity of being able to return to their homes."


I  AGREE – LET FAMILIES COME HOME TO THEIR UNDAMAGED
APARTMENTS!


Reopen Lafitte because:

    * Displaced families are struggling.  Landlords
won't accept housing vouchers. Emergency apartments
are far from public transportation and jobs. Support
networks of friends and family are scattered.
DISPLACED FAMILIES AND CHILDREN ARE SUFFERING.


Reopen Lafitte because:

    * HUD's own documents reveal that Lafitte will
cost $20m to repair, $84 for substantial
modernization, over $100m to demolish and rebuild.


Reopen Lafitte because:

    * Demolishing NOLA public housing is a blatant
attempt to whitewash the city.  In Biloxi, where
only 52% of HUD residents are African-American, HUD
is promising to replace housing on a one-to-one
basis. In NOLA almost 100% of HUD residents are
African American.


Reopen Lafitte because:

    * The concrete and brick walls are the best
structures for withstanding hurricanes.  These
bricks saved lives during Katrina. What will happen
to residents of flimsy new structures?


Reopen Lafitte because:

    * The concrete and brick walls are undamaged, and
only need to be washed down so residents can move
back in where all their belongings wait intact.


Reopen Lafitte because:

    * Redevelopment numbers don't add up. If there
are 100 affordable apartments, replaced with 80
middle-income apartments only 20 affordable
apartments remain when you needed 100! WHAT HAPPENS
TO THE OTHER 80 FAMILIES!?! When St Thomas
Development became River Garden 900 families were
not allowed to return as promised, but Wal-Mart had
a new home.  HUD's plan will take 3-10 years;
families need homes NOW!


Reopen Lafitte because:

    * HANO's actions amount to illegal eviction.
Every resident has a current, valid lease.

Reopen Lafitte because:

    * HUD Secretary Alphonso Jackson used hundreds of
thousands of dollars for labor and materials to
board up and fence in housing developments instead
of doing the minor repairs that would have allowed
residents to return. Delay has caused thousands more
dollars of damage. Jackson should be prosecuted, not
praised.


Reopen Lafitte because:

    * New Orleans needs the working class to rebuild!
The majority of public housing residents held jobs,
they just didn't pay enough to support a family.

NO JUSTICE, NO PEACE! KNOW JUSTICE, KNOW PEACE
www.survivorsvillage.com


The Freedom Archives
522 Valencia Street
San Francisco, CA 94110
(415) 863-9977
www.freedomarchives.org 
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://freedomarchives.org/pipermail/news_freedomarchives.org/attachments/20061126/5a7eb11a/attachment.htm>