The Housing Authority of New Orleans (HANO) and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) plan to demolish the city’s four largest public housing complexes. St. Bernard, C. J. Peete, Lafitte and B. W. Cooper were home to over 5,000 New Orleans residents prior to Katrina. While HUD and HANO moved quickly to board-up and fence-off these properties after Katrina, expert testimony contradicts their plans in finding that an overwhelming majority of the units are structurally sound and habitable. Furthermore, public housing officials’ plans deny the dire need for affordable housing among members of the New Orleans Diaspora who want to return home, but are not among the fortunate homeowners who have received sufficient assistance or renters who can afford escalating rates.  

The crisis begs to question who has the privilege of calling New Orleans home. Many front-line activists have offered their own analyses, answers and visions for rebuilding the crescent city. In December of 2006, the Advancement Project produced a three-part video titled “This is My Home,” which is available on their website and through YouTube. In September of 2007, Democracy Now produced the piece “Fight to Reopen New Orleans Public Housing” in which Amy Goodman speaks with Tracie Washington, President of the Louisiana Justice Initiative. Tavis Smiley’s archives contain his conversation with Kali Akuno, Executive Director of the People’s Hurricane Relief and Oversight Coalition. More recent accounts chronicle HUD and HANO’s exuberant and flawed push for immediate demolition to clear the way for mixed-income housing, e.g., “HANO hits roadblock to demolitions” and “HUD Sends New Orleans Bulldozers and $400,000 Apartments for the Holidays.” With the possibility of contractors and bulldozers beginning demolition on Saturday (December 15th) and a rally scheduled for tomorrow (December 13th) in front of the HUD headquarters in DC, stakes are high. For more information or to help with the demonstrations, contact the Louisiana Justice Institute at (504) 872-9134.