Section 8 housing is once again on the front burner, and a group that fights for tenants’ rights has a beef with the city. On Thursday, the People’s Hurricane Relief Fund went before the city council to demand more affordable housing to bring back people now scattered across the country.
Word of a moratorium on Section 8 housing in New Orleans East is what burns up this group. It has collected thousands of signatures from people across the U.S who want to come back, but can’t afford to. And the People’s Hurricane Relief Fund wants action on behalf of renters.
A proposed ordinance before the council would have put a moratorium on building new Section 8 housing in New Orleans East, but Councilwoman Cynthia Hedge-Morrell says it is not moving forward.
"We are going to withdraw it, look at trying to get an ordinance that can be equitable to homeowners and renters alike. We have to live together and that’s where we are," Hedge-Morrell said.
She says however, there is a problem with out of town developers who come into New Orleans with plans for apartment complexes that would end up as densely populated, pockets of poverty. City leaders worry about a rush to rebuild that would result in a new city with the same old housing problems.
But a spokesman for the People’s Hurricane Relief Fund says the city is just making excuses.
"No one can build anything in this city without the permission of the city planning commission which is controlled by the city council, they can dictate the density of the apartment complex. They can say that you can have so many parking spaces and playgrounds and so many swimming pools," Malcolm Suber said.
"We’ve fought very hard for the right of every citizen to return and we are not going to do anything to stop any citizen from returning," Hedge-Morrell said.
Meanwhile across the city, hundreds of Section 8 homes are empty. This group says that’s because it’s the best kept secret from its lost citizens.
Download and read council presentation by Malcolm Suber
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