Back to NOLA!

Once again Fordham SHN returns to the Gulf Coast with the full force of 17 students and one PIRC Administrator for Spring Break. This is Fordham SHN's 4th trip to the region since December 2005. The group will be in New Orleans from Sunday March 11th until Saturday March 17th. The students will be working with the Louisiana Capital Assistance Center, the Gert Town Revival Initiative and the Road Home Heirship Affidavit Project (more info about the organizations and projects detailed below). Students will be updating our Blog throughout Spring Break. Visit us again as the week progresses to read about their experiences and accomplishments in New Orleans.

Projects for the Week:

Louisiana Capital Assistance Center:

The Louisiana Capital Assistance Center (LCAC) is a non-profit capital trial organization deeply committed to providing quality legal representation to people facing the death penalty in Louisiana. The LCAC emphasizes client-centered representation, constantly seeks to develop new and innovative advocacy strategies, and also pursues systematic litigation related to issues involving racism in the criminal justice system and lack of funding for adequate representation.

The Fordham students will be reviewing arrest affidavits to determine whether the arresting officer has stated facts that amount to probable cause, rather than stating conclusory allegations

Gert Town Revival Initiative:

The Gert Town Revival Initiative (GRI) is a non-profit, community-based organization in the Gert Town neighborhood of New Orleans whose mission is to “revitalize and develop Gert Town and the adjacent community through programs, activities, and services that will enhance the total quality of life” for neighborhood residents. Founded in 2003, GRI initially was formed to advocate for the successful clean-up of the Thompson Hayward Chemical plant which sits in the Mid-City area of New Orleans and on the edge of Gert Town. The Thompson Hayward site contains 9 million pounds of contaminants according to testimony provided by Rev. Lois Dejean, Executive Director of GRI. During Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, Gert Town took on floodwaters and the physical condition of the Thompson Hayward site worsened. Working with representatives form Advocates for Environmental Human Rights and environmental expert, Wilma Subra, neighborhood residents and GRI were able to determine that much of their neighborhood has elevated contamination levels post-Katrina. In addition, due to the floodwaters of the breached levees, the neighborhood currently has many of the same rebuilding challenges of other New Orleans neighborhoods: much of the population is displaced, much of the housing stock was destroyed and there is little clear direction about how neighborhood rebuilding should proceed.

In the face of these challenges, GRI is working to revitalize this section of the City. One of their major current projects is a property inventory database that will identify and map all properties (parcels) located within the GRI boundaries; inclusive of current ownership information available from public records and blighted, vacant and adjudicated properties.

The Fordham students will be working on the property inventory database. They will be researching the GRI properties, which will involve physical mapping but also research on who owns the properties, and what the current state of the title is. These efforts will go into GRI's work on establishing a land trust.

Road Home Heirship Affidavit Project:

This project is one that SHN developed in conjunction with the New Orleans Legal Assistance Center (NOLAC), a nonprofit civil free legal aid program which has served the Greater New Orleans community and Louisiana for 36 years. This project (which our very own Hillary Exter has been instrumental in developing!) will have students interviewing residents and preparing affidavits to help expedite the process of applying for and being granted funds through the Road Home Program. To enroll in the Road Home Program, applicants need to secure clear title and establish home ownership, which NOLAC and the Fordham Students will be helping them do.

For more information about Student Hurricane Network visit:
www.studenthurricanenetwork.org

Or contact us at:
shn@law.fordham.edu