[Pacg] Help New Orleans Residents Return Home!

[Carolina 1961]

>From Kriss Wells, kriss444 at aol.com:


Tonight is the last showing of Spike Lee's provocative documentary, "When
the Levees Broke," at the Davenport Unitarian Church, 3707 Eastern Ave -
6:30pm. This film portrays the extent of displacement suffered by so many
impoverished residents of New Orleans.

What can you do about it?

Today, Congress has the opportunity to help thousands of New Orleans
residents come back home. The Gulf Coast Hurricane Housing Recovery Act of
2007 would re-open desperately needed public housing units and make sure
there is no loss of affordable public housing in New Orleans.

The bill quickly passed the House of Representatives, but the two people who
should be leading the charge in the Senate--Louisiana Senators Landrieu and
Vitter--are stalling, and without their support, the bill will go nowhere.
I've signed on with ColorofChange.org to call on Senators Landrieu and
Vitter to stop dragging their feet, and lead on this important legislation,
now.

Will you join us?

http://www.colorofchange.org/hr1227/?id=2332-142317

*Preserving Affordable Housing in New Orleans*

Since Hurricane Katrina hit, public housing residents have been fighting to
return home. Unfortunately, HUD (Department of Housing and Urban
Development) is planning to demolish most of the available public housing
units--apartments that were minimally damaged by the storm--and replace them
with far fewer units of affordable public housing.

In response to residents' protests, Congresswoman Maxine Waters held
hearings in New Orleans, giving residents a chance to voice their concerns
to Congress. Around the same time, Governor Blanco met with Congressman
Barney Frank--head of the committee that oversees HUD--to discuss the need
to re-open housing not damaged by the storm. The result of these meetings
was H.R. 1227, The Gulf Coast Hurricane Housing Recovery Act of 2007.

H.R. 1227 honors the right to return of all New Orleans public housing
residents and takes steps to preserve affordable housing in New Orleans. It
requires the reopening of at least 3,000 public housing units and ensures
that there is no net loss of units available and affordable to public
housing residents. The bill swiftly passed the House of Representatives, but
it won't pass the Senate unless Louisiana senators take the lead.

*Why haven't Senators Landrieu and Vitter stepped up?*

Race and class seem to explain Landrieu and Vitter's refusal to step up.
Some have expressed a desire to see a "richer" and "Whiter" post-Katrina New
Orleans, and many of them have a great deal of political influence. From
what we can tell, Senator Vitter is playing to those interests by ignoring
this legislation– but as a senator for all Louisiana residents, it's his
responsibility to ensure that everyone who wants to come home can--not the
just the wealthy, privileged, and White. Insiders tell us that Senator
Landrieu is being cautious for the same reason: that she doesn't want to
offend "moderate" supporters who have a similar vision for New Orleans.

The Gulf Coast Hurricane Housing Recovery Act is the last great hope for New
Orleans public housing residents who want to come home. By urging the Senate
Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs to take up H.R. 1227,
Senators Landrieu and Vitter can make it a reality. But if the senators from
Louisiana don't lead on this issue, others simply won't follow.

It's time to do what's right for New Orleans public housing residents and
pass this bill in the Senate. Will you join us and demand that Senators
Landrieu and Vitter support H.R. 1227.

http://www.colorofchange.org/hr1227/?id=2332-142317
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