Tuesday before Thanksgiving a group of activists gathered in Metairie, Louisiana to hand deliver over 122,000 signatures in support of Senate Bill 1668, the Gulf Coast Recovery Bill, to Senator David Vitter's office. Senator Vitter has and continues to be a major roadblock to the passage of this bill which has built in legislation for public housing in New Orleans and the Gulf Coast region. Moveon.org, Brave New Foundation and Color of Change collected these signatures over the past couple of months to help urge our US Senators to vote passage of this bill. Many of these same activists have also been working to block the demolition of the public housing units in New Orleans– over 4,000 housing units will be demolished to make way for the development of mixed income housing of which only 700 units will be for low income residents.
The continuing struggle of Gulf Coast Residents has quickly turned into a class struggle– New Orleans residents are facing housing that has doubled or tripled in price and a dearth in low income housing. The Crescent City is being made over for the wealthy and meanwhile the poor have been scattered throughout the country– with continued government sanctioned efforts to block their return. Support the former residents of public housing in New Orleans on December 10th as they mobilize to fight against the scheduled demolition of public housing units in New Orleans.
December 10 is Human Rights Day and activists in New Orleans are calling upon concerned citizens to come to New Orleans and join the fight to stop the scheduled demolition of this much needed housing– housing that sustained very little structural damage during the Katrina and Rita storms.
People's Hurricane Organization
Organizers are asking supporters from across the country to organize demonstrations at local HUD offices and other government buildings. They are also asking them to make calls to government officials demanding the reopening of public housing in New Orleans. Among those leaders they are asking people to call:
* New Orleans City Council Member Stacy Head, who has been a leading force in pushing for the tear-downs. Her number is 504-658-1020.
* New Orleans City Council Member Shelley Midura, who is being asked to oppose the demolitions and support the reopening of public housing. Her number is 504-658-1010.
* D.H. Griffin, the North Carolina-based contractor hired to demolish the Lafitte complex. For locations of the company's offices across the South, click here. The toll-free number is 888-336-3366.
* U.S. Sen. David Vitter (R-La.), who's blocking passage of the Gulf Coast Housing Recovery Act (Senate Bill 1668). Sponsored by his colleague, Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-La.), the measure would require any demolished public housing units to be replaced by other units available to low-income residents. Vitter can be reached in Washington at 202-224-4623 and New Orleans at 504-589-2753.
* Members of the Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee, where SB 1668 is currently stuck. They are Daniel Akaka (D-Hawaii) at 202-224-6361, Wayne Allard (R-Colo.) at 202- 224-5941, Evan Bayh (D-Ind.) at 202-224-5623, Robert Bennett (R-Utah) at 202-224-5444, Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) at 202-224-2315, Jim Bunning (R-Ky.) at 202-224-4343, Tom Carper (D-Del.) at 202-224-2441, Robert Casey (D-Pa.) at 202-224-6324, Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) at 202-224-6142, Christopher Dodd (D-Conn.) at 202-224-2823, Elizabeth Dole (R-N.C.) at 202-224-6342, Michael Enzi (R-Wyo.) at 202-224-3424, Chuck Hagel (R-Neb.) at 202-224-4224, Tim Johnson (D-S.D.) at 202-224-1638, Mel Martinez (R-Fla.) at 202-224-3041, Robert Menendez (D-N.J.) at 202-224-4744, Jack Reed (D-R.I.) at 202-224-4642, Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) at 202-224-0420, Richard Shelby (R-Ala.) at 202-224-5744, John Sununu (R-N.H.) at 202-224-2841 and Jon Tester (D-Mont.) at 202-224-2644.
