Download - Housing New Orleans
HousingNew Orleans
300,000 homes uninhabitable
Black & Poor NeighborhoodsSuffered Disproportionate Damages
Lower Elevation
Pre-Katrina, 5000 families lived in public housing
“We finally cleaned up public housing in New Orleans. We couldn’t do it, but God did.”
Richard Baker, U.S. Congressman (R-La) Days after Katrina
St. Bernard Parish:
September 2005
Rent Only to Blood Relatives
Ordinance
Jefferson Parish Council Passes Resolution Opposing
Tax Credits for Housing. Member
Chris Roberts: "With the number of jobs out there,
nobody should be
on public housing unless you're ignorant or lazy." October 2005
We do not want “thugs” and “trash” from New Orleans
public housing projects.
Everyone with dreadlocks or che-wee
hairstyles will be stopped by law enforcement.”
Sheriff Jack StrainSt. Tammany Parish
Noose Around New Orleans for African-American and Moderate Income Renters
New Orleans isMajority Renters
Rents Soar – 39% - 70%
June 2006 - 1040 families allowed to return to public housing
HUD Announces
Demolition of4500
Apartments
Need for Affordable Housing?
Over 65,000 Families on Gulf240 sq ft. Trailers – Oct 07
12,000+ homeless
Over 100,000 HomeownersStill Not Receive Road Home $
Demolition of 4500 affordable apartments by government will give
clear message to everyone about who is welcome back
HANO has had a one person board that makes all decisions.
The one person HANO board is
a HUD employee.
That person selects all personnel and approves all
contracts.
HUD Demo Plan
Lafitte was 896 will be 276
St. Bernard was 1436 will be 160
BW Cooper was 1550 will be 154
CJ Peete was 723 will be 154
Loss of 82% of low-income apts.
Cost of Demo & Rebuild?
Cost to Demo & Redevelop
$762 millionResult?
Loss of 82%
Of low-income public housing apartments
$762m = Loss of 82%?
Cost of Redevelopment
$400,000+ per apartment
82% loss in low-inc housing?
No Bulldozing
Until EveryoneCan Come
Home
Where did the money go?
Tens of billions of $ to be made
2% Rule of Gulf Coast
• 98% of the money distributed in a disaster ends up enriching corporations
• 2% gets to the people.
Example #1 – Blue Tarps on Roof
Example #1 : Blue Tarps – 2%
• SHAW GROUP 1st got $175 a square to put on the tarps.
• Shaw subcontracted the work out to A1 CONSTRUCTION for $75 a square.
• A1 subcontracted the work out to a WESCON corporation for $30 a square.
• Who in turn subcontracted it out again to guys who did the work for $2 a square.
Shaw Group got contract for$175 a square (100 sq ft)
-subcontracts for $75/square earns $100 each square-
average roof is 1500 square feet – 15 squares
X 15
Per roof!
A1 Construction gets $75/square subcontracts out for $30/square
X 15
Per roof!
Roofers get $2 per square (of original $175)
Example #2: Ashbritt Inc of Florida• Received no-bid contract
for $579 million to pick up trash in Mississippi
• Miami Herald reports company does not own a single dump truck!
• MH also reported the company gave $40,000 in previous 12 months to GOP lobbying firm
Example # 3: Circle B Enterprises - Georgia
• Awarded $287 million no-bid contract to build FEMA trailers
• Company filed for bankruptcy year before• Company does not have a website• Company had no license to manufacture
trailers in GA.
HUD HANO Corruption &Disaster Capitalism Issues
HUD Secretary A. Jacksonworked for
and is owed over $250,000 from
COLUMBIA RESIDENTIAL
$250,000
COLUMBIA RESIDENTIAL
awarded $127 million redevelopment contract for
St. Bernard Development by HANO,
approved by HUD
and other HANO contracts
Golfing buddy of Sec. Jacksonawarded no-bid post-Katrina
contract from HANO, approved by HUD, for $175 per hour – totaling
over $485,000 in 18 months.
Numerous campaign contributors to New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin received no-bid emergency
contracts with HANO post-Katrina
August 2007 – HANO awarded $494,483 contract to the exact person suggested
by USDC Judge handling HANO/HUD case as possible special master in case &
head of board approving tax credits
FBI and HUD Inspector General are investigating HUD and HANO right now for
post-Katrina development issues
$762m = Loss of 82%?
Cost of Redevelopment
$400,000+ per apartment
82% loss in low-inc housing?
Solution?
One for one replacement low-income public housing
Real participation of residents in decision-making
