Call Congress Today!!!

Dear Friends,
Support displaced public housing residents from New Orleans in their fight
to go home. Displaced residents have traveled to Washington, DC to make
their voices heard, but *they need our help *in telling their stories. Please
take *5 minutes *on *Monday, February 5th *to help New Orleanians in their
battle to return home.
*The Situation: *50 displaced public housing residents are in DC for a
Congressional hearing about federally-assisted housing in post-Katrina New
Orleans. Residents would like to have a voice at the table. But, so far,
no displaced residents are on the hearing agenda.
*The Ask: *Call Representative Barney Frank's office and tell them *you want
public housing residents to speak at Tuesday's hearing*. Tell them you do
not support HUD's plans to demolish four of New Orleans largest public
housing complexes. Tell them that you believe in a democracy where
government responds to those affected, instead of leaving them displaced and
behind.
*Who to Call: *Call Barney Frank's Financial Services Committee office at:
(202) 225-4247. *Ask for Dominique McCoy*, Chairman Frank's housing
staffer. If she isn't available, please leave a message with the person
answering the phone. Also, if your Representative is on the Financial
Services Committee, please call them and make the same request: find your
Representative and their
Committee assignments .
*Background Information*
- Tuesday's congressional hearing will discuss the Bush
administration's plans to demolish over 4,000 units of affordable housing
instead of allowing residents to return home.
- Before the hurricane, the four projects targeted for demolition had
4,534 units of affordable housing: 1,546 in BW Cooper, 723 in C.J.
Peete; 1,400 in St. Bernard and 865 in Lafitte.
- Plans for Lafitte housing are not yet public, but the other three
projects will be *reduced from a total of 3,669 units to 1,415 units*.
Of these, only 468 will be low-income units and another 426 will be
mixed-income units. The rest will rent at market rate.
- HUD's demolition plans fail to meet the commitment Scott Keller,
Deputy Chief of Staff at HUD, made following a New Orleans City Council
meeting on June 15, 2006, where he stated, "What we are looking for is
one-for-one replacement [in public housing units] across the continuum of
New Orleans."
- Demolishing these
buildingswill
cost more than rehabbing the existing ones.
It will also provide fewer affordable units. More money for fewer
units isn't right for post-Katrina New Orleans.