Wednesday, December 5, 2007
Katrina's Effects on Mental Health Finally Being Addressed
This overlooked aspect of hurricane survivors' experiences is now being given a little bit of press in the Health Research section of the New York Times. But what are we going to do about it?
More People in NO Facing Homelessness for the Holidays
Starting last month, FEMA has begun evicting hurricane survivors in New Orleans from the temporary trailers that were provided after the storm. FEMA states that the evictions are a part of the process of moving residents to permanent housing and that they are working to assist all residents with the move.
The residents themselves, however, have a different story to tell. Many said that they had not been able to contact a FEMA caseworker in weeks, even though their evictions are scheduled for the next few days. Those who have spoken with caseworkers often report that the information they gained was useless. The apartments FEMA has found for residents are either far above any conceivable price range, or they are not in suitable living condition. As for the 4,000 public housing units in which many of these people used to live, they are being demolished to make way for mixed-income projects which will not be affordable to previous residents, and will not be finished until 2010. To make matters worse, jobs are scant, and many residents now are facing the possiblity of becoming homeless.
There are already twice as many homeless people in the city than before the storm. Today the number of people living under bridges and in parks is at around 12,000.
“'FEMA and the federal bureaucracy seem oblivious to the fact that virtually no new affordable rental housing has yet appeared in New Orleans to replace what was lost,' said Martha J. Kegel, executive director of Unity of Greater New Orleans, a group of 60 agencies that house and feed the homeless. 'It will take a long time for enough replacement affordable housing to be built. To withdraw housing assistance to the neediest people is a shirking of federal responsibility for the design failure of the federal levees in New Orleans, which was the cause of most of the destruction of affordable housing here.'
In the past several months, a homeless encampment has sprung up on the steps of City Hall — partly because it is a safe open space and partly because it is a political statement. Tents and sleeping bags are aligned in rows. The crowd of hundreds is a mix of young and old, white and black."
Via The New York Times
The residents themselves, however, have a different story to tell. Many said that they had not been able to contact a FEMA caseworker in weeks, even though their evictions are scheduled for the next few days. Those who have spoken with caseworkers often report that the information they gained was useless. The apartments FEMA has found for residents are either far above any conceivable price range, or they are not in suitable living condition. As for the 4,000 public housing units in which many of these people used to live, they are being demolished to make way for mixed-income projects which will not be affordable to previous residents, and will not be finished until 2010. To make matters worse, jobs are scant, and many residents now are facing the possiblity of becoming homeless.
There are already twice as many homeless people in the city than before the storm. Today the number of people living under bridges and in parks is at around 12,000.
“'FEMA and the federal bureaucracy seem oblivious to the fact that virtually no new affordable rental housing has yet appeared in New Orleans to replace what was lost,' said Martha J. Kegel, executive director of Unity of Greater New Orleans, a group of 60 agencies that house and feed the homeless. 'It will take a long time for enough replacement affordable housing to be built. To withdraw housing assistance to the neediest people is a shirking of federal responsibility for the design failure of the federal levees in New Orleans, which was the cause of most of the destruction of affordable housing here.'
In the past several months, a homeless encampment has sprung up on the steps of City Hall — partly because it is a safe open space and partly because it is a political statement. Tents and sleeping bags are aligned in rows. The crowd of hundreds is a mix of young and old, white and black."
Via The New York Times
Tuesday, December 4, 2007
Come To New Orleans December 10th to Stop Illegal Demolitions!!
December 10th is Human Rights Day. Come to New Orleans December 10th and join the Stop the Demolition Coalition as we mount a campaign to stop the demolition of public housing.
The demolition of all four major public housing developments has been set for mid-December. We are calling on our national allies to join with the residents of New Orleans and all those who believe in the human right to housing to resist demolition.
I Pledge:
"I believe in the fundamental human right to housing, and I will not be a witness to the denial of this right to the peoples of New Orleans and the Gulf Coast. I therefore pledge myself to resist the denial of this right by all civil and humanitarian means available, including civil disobedience. I pledge to stand ready to take action against this imminent threat and to put myself on the line, either directly in New Orleans or in strategic locales throughout the US, in support of the demands and leadership of the peoples of New Orleans and their organizations in the struggle for housing and human rights."
We ask that all those interested in coming to New Orleans to contact us before making the journey. We need to ensure that everyone coming is registered, properly orientated and trained in order to partake in this act of resistance in the manner determined by the local leaders and residents. If you are already in New Orleans, please sign the pledge so we know how to contact you, to let you know about local updates and meetings.
Please contact us via email at action@peopleshurricane.org, with the word "registration" in the subject line. Please include the following information:
Name:
Affinity Group/Organization (if applicable):
Phone:
Email:
Have you ever received any training in civil disobedience?
What skills/resources are you able to bring to New Orleans?
Remember - the primary role of people coming to New Orleans to join in this fight is to be ALLIES, and not to be part of major decision making.
All making this pledge must be advised of the following:
Given the limited timeframe and resources of the various organizations spearheading this fight -
*Legal counsel and aid. All effort is and will be made to provide adequate legal support, but the reality is that it is limited at present.
*Lodging and food. Again, given the uncertain timeline and limited resources, housing venues are presently limited, but all effort will be made to support all those making this bold pledge. Housing is almost entirely limited to tenting space, so please bring all appropriate camping gear for tenting in cold weather. Please make as many of your own arrangements and bring as many of your own supplies as possible.
For more information, please contact Stop the Demolition Coalition at action@peopleshurricane.org, or call us at 504.458.3494.
Dare to Struggle, Dare to Win!
If you are coming to New Orleans:
Please think about forming an affinity group before you get here. Different roles in an affinity group can be:
* point person to coordinate with local leadership
* legal support person/people for members of your group
* medics
* photo/videographer (for documentation of events and indymedia coverage in your own area)
*police liasion
*arrestees
etc, etc.
if your group has some of its own logistical needs taken care of, this will help local organizers coordinate on a broader level. For example, if each affinity group has a legal support person, they can coordinate with the local legal team to make sure everyone's legal needs are taken care of.
We really need as many people here as possible, but if you are unable to join us in New Orleans, here are some ways you can help:
*financial donations (email us at action@peopleshurricane.org for info on where to send donations)
*organize a solidarity demonstration at your local HUD (Housing and Urban Development) office for the week of December 10.
This will be an ongoing campaign. If you are not able to come for the week of the 10th but would like to receive updates on the campaign, send back the pledge and let us know your availability.
The demolition of all four major public housing developments has been set for mid-December. We are calling on our national allies to join with the residents of New Orleans and all those who believe in the human right to housing to resist demolition.
I Pledge:
"I believe in the fundamental human right to housing, and I will not be a witness to the denial of this right to the peoples of New Orleans and the Gulf Coast. I therefore pledge myself to resist the denial of this right by all civil and humanitarian means available, including civil disobedience. I pledge to stand ready to take action against this imminent threat and to put myself on the line, either directly in New Orleans or in strategic locales throughout the US, in support of the demands and leadership of the peoples of New Orleans and their organizations in the struggle for housing and human rights."
We ask that all those interested in coming to New Orleans to contact us before making the journey. We need to ensure that everyone coming is registered, properly orientated and trained in order to partake in this act of resistance in the manner determined by the local leaders and residents. If you are already in New Orleans, please sign the pledge so we know how to contact you, to let you know about local updates and meetings.
Please contact us via email at action@peopleshurricane.org, with the word "registration" in the subject line. Please include the following information:
Name:
Affinity Group/Organization (if applicable):
Phone:
Email:
Have you ever received any training in civil disobedience?
What skills/resources are you able to bring to New Orleans?
Remember - the primary role of people coming to New Orleans to join in this fight is to be ALLIES, and not to be part of major decision making.
All making this pledge must be advised of the following:
Given the limited timeframe and resources of the various organizations spearheading this fight -
*Legal counsel and aid. All effort is and will be made to provide adequate legal support, but the reality is that it is limited at present.
*Lodging and food. Again, given the uncertain timeline and limited resources, housing venues are presently limited, but all effort will be made to support all those making this bold pledge. Housing is almost entirely limited to tenting space, so please bring all appropriate camping gear for tenting in cold weather. Please make as many of your own arrangements and bring as many of your own supplies as possible.
For more information, please contact Stop the Demolition Coalition at action@peopleshurricane.org, or call us at 504.458.3494.
Dare to Struggle, Dare to Win!
If you are coming to New Orleans:
Please think about forming an affinity group before you get here. Different roles in an affinity group can be:
* point person to coordinate with local leadership
* legal support person/people for members of your group
* medics
* photo/videographer (for documentation of events and indymedia coverage in your own area)
*police liasion
*arrestees
etc, etc.
if your group has some of its own logistical needs taken care of, this will help local organizers coordinate on a broader level. For example, if each affinity group has a legal support person, they can coordinate with the local legal team to make sure everyone's legal needs are taken care of.
We really need as many people here as possible, but if you are unable to join us in New Orleans, here are some ways you can help:
*financial donations (email us at action@peopleshurricane.org for info on where to send donations)
*organize a solidarity demonstration at your local HUD (Housing and Urban Development) office for the week of December 10.
This will be an ongoing campaign. If you are not able to come for the week of the 10th but would like to receive updates on the campaign, send back the pledge and let us know your availability.
Monday, December 3, 2007
Brad Pitt's Fancy New Plan For NO
I think it's time we address this issue. An article today in the New York Times (in the Art & Design section, I might add) lays out Brad Pitt's plans for rebuilding the Ninth Ward:
"The project, called Make It Right, calls for building 150 affordable, environmentally sound houses over the next two years. In a telephone interview from New Orleans, where he plans to present the designs today, Mr. Pitt said the residents of the neighborhood had been homeless long enough. 'They’re coming up on their third Christmas,' he said."
Though the project is daunting, Pitt remains unfazed. 'If you have this blank slate and this great technology out there, what better test than low-income housing?' Mr. Pitt said. 'It’s got to work at all levels to really be viable.'"
The article sates that the green buildings will "reduce upkeep costs by at least 75 percent." The project is being funded by Pitt himself as well as foundations, corporations, and individuals. He is asking donors to "adopt a house" or a portion of one.
"Responding to critics who question the wisdom of rebuilding at all in an area likely to get hit again, Mr. Pitt said: 'My first answer to that is, talk to the people who’ve lived there and have raised their kids there. People are needing to get back in their homes.''
The website for the project has more details on the plans, calling the rebuilding effort "The Pink Project." Pitt acknowledges that initiatives for rebuilding New Orleans have failed the survivors whose homes were damaged, and seems to realize that something needs to be done on their behalf, however it is unclear whether or not he is in favor of demolitions. He has not spoken out thus far concerning many aspects of this complicated situation, and it seems to me he isn't looking far beyond the appeal of a challenging learning experience in the field of architecture, one of his main interests.
Any thoughts?
"The project, called Make It Right, calls for building 150 affordable, environmentally sound houses over the next two years. In a telephone interview from New Orleans, where he plans to present the designs today, Mr. Pitt said the residents of the neighborhood had been homeless long enough. 'They’re coming up on their third Christmas,' he said."
Though the project is daunting, Pitt remains unfazed. 'If you have this blank slate and this great technology out there, what better test than low-income housing?' Mr. Pitt said. 'It’s got to work at all levels to really be viable.'"
The article sates that the green buildings will "reduce upkeep costs by at least 75 percent." The project is being funded by Pitt himself as well as foundations, corporations, and individuals. He is asking donors to "adopt a house" or a portion of one.
"Responding to critics who question the wisdom of rebuilding at all in an area likely to get hit again, Mr. Pitt said: 'My first answer to that is, talk to the people who’ve lived there and have raised their kids there. People are needing to get back in their homes.''
The website for the project has more details on the plans, calling the rebuilding effort "The Pink Project." Pitt acknowledges that initiatives for rebuilding New Orleans have failed the survivors whose homes were damaged, and seems to realize that something needs to be done on their behalf, however it is unclear whether or not he is in favor of demolitions. He has not spoken out thus far concerning many aspects of this complicated situation, and it seems to me he isn't looking far beyond the appeal of a challenging learning experience in the field of architecture, one of his main interests.
Any thoughts?
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