The People’s Hurricane Relief Fund and Oversight Coalition (PHRF/OC) thanks everyone who contacted or attempted to contact the Louisiana State legislature to demand that they take action to protect displaced renters and allocated resources to bring them home and help make them whole. Your efforts helped to ensure a small victory.
Yesterday, the State legislature approved several measures within the Louisiana Recovery Authority (LRA) plan that will provide potential support to renters in Louisiana (see article below at the following link
http://www.nola.com/news/t-p/capital/index.ssf?/base/news-4/116011674578540.xml&coll=1&thispage=1).
However, this measure is only a partial victory. We still have a major fight ahead of us to ensure that a major portion of the recovery funds go directly to renters, who compose more than 60% of New Orleans population, and are directly controlled and appropriated by the masses of those displaced.
So, again thank you. We will be calling on all of you to take further actions over the course of the next several weeks and months against Governor Blanco, the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), and the City Council of New Orleans. We will also be calling on all of you to help us build the “Where is the Money” mobilization against Governor Blanco and the Louisiana Recovery Authority on Saturday, November 18th in Baton Rogue. This mobilization is to demand:
1. That at least 20% of the LRA funds be appropriated to renter transition and recovery programs, including assistance for moving costs, deposits, and rent assistance.
2. That rent controls be implemented in all of the Hurricane affected areas of the state.
3. That rent stabilization be implemented in all of the Hurricane affected areas of the state.
4. No demolition or reduction in public housing in New Orleans. That public housing in New Orleans throughout the state be opened immediately.
5. That transitional housing be created and opened immediately.
6. That all homeowners receive full compensation for their homes, or if their homes were destroyed, be completely rebuilt by the government due to the faulty design and failure of the levees.
