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From: "K W" <kaliakuno@gmail.com><br><br>
<br>
Dear comrades,<br><br>
In the past two years, New Orleans has faced a series of social crises
that have struck a blow to our collective vision for a more just and
equitable city, not simply one that is more inviting to elites. Yet none
of these crises has been so uniquely urgent as this. What is at stake
with the demolition of public housing in New Orleans is more than just
the loss of housing units: it destroys any possibility for affordable
housing in New Orleans for the foreseeable future. Without access to
affordable housing, thousands of working class New Orleanians will be
denied their human right to return. <br><br>
Although this situation is unique and urgent in the city of New Orleans,
it does not occur in isolation. The plans for redevelopment here are part
of a national assault on public housing, in which tens of thousands of
homes have been demolished in the past decade. <br><br>
Though we face this ongoing crisis together across this country, in New
Orleans the prospect of demolition is a critical moment for the
reconstruction movement itself. It is a test of the strength and will of
our movement: a loss at this juncture would be a blow to the ability of
the movement to grow and sustain itself to fight on other fronts.
<br><br>
In coming to New Orleans, you are helping us to draw this line in the
sand. You are taking part in a critical piece of the ongoing fight
against neo-liberal incursions into our cities. Here in New Orleans, as
the bulldozers arrive to destroy any hope for the right of return for
thousands of families, you can help us push back this agenda, and stand
fast with us to promote a more people-focused reconstruction: one that is
based on a vision of justice and rights for all people, and not profits
for corporations and the desires of those with power. <br><br>
We stand for a reconstruction that values and preserves services and
infrastructure for poor people who have always lived, worked, and
struggled to survive in New Orleans, and who possess the right to return
to the homes from which they fled or were forcibly removed more than two
years ago. <br><br>
Thank you for making the pledge to stand with us at this time. May the
love of justice, not power, guide our actions.<br><br>
In Unity and Struggle,<br>
<br>
The Coalition to Stop Demolition<br><br>
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Please spread the word to news organizations:<br><br>
Press Conference<br><br>
Calling on City Council to Oppose Demolition of Public Housing and
Supporting Right to Return<br><br>
Contact: Pam Nath - 419.358.4464 or Kali Akuno
510.593.3956<br><br>
Where: Outside City Hall - Steps of City Hall <br>
When: 9:30am, Friday, 11-30-07<br><br>
Who: Residents from Public Housing and Allies<br><br>
Request for City Council to Oppose Public Housing Demolition &
Support Right to Return<br><br>
<br>
Organizations supporting: <br><br>
Churches Supporting Churches<br>
Advocates for Environmental Human Rights<br>
Peoples Institute for Survival and Beyond<br>
Common Ground<br>
Peoples Hurricane Relief Fund<br>
Mennonite Central Committee<br>
Louisiana Justice Institute<br>
C3<br>
and several others! <br><br>
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Demolition Update 11-29-07<br><br>
<br>
Louisiana Housing Finance Agency has reserved $35 million in tax credits
for HANO to "rehabilitate" six public housing buildings –
making up 1949 units. This is an extension of the tax credit
arrangement between HANO and the LHFA on St. Bernard I, BW Cooper,
Lafitte, CJPeete I/III and Fisher. The extension is subject to the
following conditions: including: 1) HANO provides written confirmation to
LHFA no later than Dec. 18 that demolition has begun on the six
properties….<br>
Source:
Daily Journal of Commerce, November 27, 2007 .<br>
<a href="http://www.djcgulfc/" eudora="autourl">http://www.djcgulfc</a>
oast.com /pdf/nov27.pdf<br><br>
<br>
HUD November 16, 2007 Letter to Senator Landrieu – Attachment 7<br>
Demolition
of St. Bernard December 15, 2007<br>
BW Cooper I December 15, 2007<br>
Lafitte – December 17, 2007 <br>
CJ Peete III – December 15, 2007<br>
Fisher – December 15, 2007<br><br>
<br>
HANO Board Meeting – November 29, 2007<br>
Approval of
demolition services contract with Keith B. Key Enterprises up to
$6,000,000 to be paid from HANO capital funds to provide for demolition
and removal of all remaining buildings on the BW Cooper Site in advance
of final negotiation of terms and execution of a Master Development
Agreement in order to permit timely progress of redevelopment
activities.<br>
Approval of
demolition services contract with St. Bernard Redevelopment in amount not
to exceed $9,008,670 to be paid from HANO capital funds for demolition
and removal of all remaining buildings on St. Bernard site… in advance of
final negotiation of terms and execution of a Master Development
Agreement in order to permit timely progress of redevelopment
activities.<br>
Approval of
demolition services contract with Central City Partners in amount not to
exceed $5,830,000 to be paid from HANO capital funds for demolition and
removal of all remaining buildings on CJ Peete site… in advance of final
negotiation of terms and execution of a Master Development Agreement in
order to permit timely progress of redevelopment activities.<br>
Award
$2,526,116.10 to D.H.Griffon of Texas, Inc, to provide for the demolition
of 70 buildings and associated infrastructure at the Lafitte
Development.<br>
Approval of
loan of funds from HANO not to exceed $645,000 to St. Bernard I, LLC to
pay for certain predevelopment expenses to facilitate the Project… <br>
Ratifying
the execution of the Predevelopment Loan Agreement and related documents
by the Executive Director for purposes of loaning funds in the total
amount not to exceed $955,000 to Keith B. Key Enterprises to pay for
certain predevelopment expenses.<br><br>
------------ --------- --------- --------- ---------<br>
HANO approves $30 million in demolition contracts<br>
Posted by The Times-Picayune November 29, 2007 10:24AM <br>
Categories: Breaking News<br>
By Gwen Filosa<br>
Staff writer<br><br>
The Housing Authority of New Orleans on Thursday<br>
approved more than $30 million in contracts for<br>
citywide demolition of vacant brick buildings at five <br>
developments, part of its sweeping plan to transform<br>
New Orleans public housing.<br><br>
Demolition will begin Dec. 15, said HANO spokesman<br>
Adonis Expose, but no specific plans were announced<br>
Thursday.<br><br>
HUD announced in June that it would demolish the <br>
city's four largest developments, St. Bernard,<br>
Lafitte, C.J. Peete and B.W. Cooper to make way for<br>
"mixed income" neighborhoods.<br><br>
HANO board commissioner Donald Babers approved the<br>
following demolition plans Thursday, without a word of <br>
comment from the 20 people who attended the meeting in<br>
Algiers:<br><br>
-- $9 million for the demolition of 132 buildings at<br>
the vacant St. Bernard development, in agreement to<br>
St. Bernard Redevelopment.<br><br>
-- $6 million for demolition of vacant buildings at<br>
the B.W. Cooper, in agreement with Keith B. Key<br>
Enterprises. HANO also awarded an additional $955,000 <br>
to Keith B. Key for "certain predevelopment expenses."<br><br>
-- $5.8 million for the demolition of 55 buildings at<br>
the vacant C.J. Peete, in an agreement with Central<br>
City Partners.<br><br>
-- $2.5 million for the demolition of 70 vacant<br>
buildings at the Lafitte, awarded to D.H. Griffon of<br>
Texas, Inc.<br><br>
-- $6.3 million for the demolition of buildings and<br>
the construction of streets, lighting and other<br>
utility infrastructure at the Fischer, to support new<br>
home construction, awarded to Boh Brothers Construction.<br><br>
<br><br>
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